03/10/2023
Stomach ulcers and H.Pylori
Dr. Barry Marshal won the 2005 Nobel Prize for his work with H pylori.
He discovered, through self-infection, that it could survive the often-thought inhospitable environment of the stomach. Pre and post endoscopies were done to measure the cultures in his stomach, showing that it could multiply in the stomach and cause hydrochloric acid production to slow down, leading to a range of problems, including peptic ulcers (1), helping to reverse the idea that stress and spicy food were the main cause (while chronic stress lowers the immune system, allowing the H pylori to take hold, it is not directly related).
Mucous production can also be affected, which plays a big role in protecting our stomach from irritation, due to food and microorganisms.
H pylori can drastically reduce the amount of mucous that is produced by the stomach while also irritating the stomach lining, causing a silent level of inflammation until enough pain receptors fire off, which is the pathogenesis of stomach ulcers.
H pylori neutralizes the hydrochloric acid in the stomach, making it harder to digest food, along with a range of other problems.
By producing an enzyme called urease, the H pylori causes the urea in the stomach to be broken down into carbon dioxide and ammonia, causing belching and halitosis (bad breath), while also neutralizing the hydrochloric acid (2).
This acid is what breaks down food in your stomach, allowing it to absorb the protein and minerals, as well as tell the gallbladder to release bile, which helps to metabolize fat in the stomach.
When these two functions slow down, an increased risk of anemia, thyroid problems, osteoporosis and auto-immunity increases. (3, 4)
Pernicious Anemia is Often Associated With H.Pylori
B12 deficiency, or pernicious anemia, is another problem cause by H pylori.
The stomach produces a protein called intrinsic factor, which allows the small intestine to absorb B12. (5, 6) H pylori affects the ability of the stomach to produce intrinsic factor, causing a B12 deficiency.
This can be very unpleasant for the sufferer, possibly causing:
constant fatigue
shortness of breath
pale skin
swollen tongue
nausea