Should I Supplement With Hydrochloric Acid?

Hey, it's J.J. here. You know, I've been talking about environmental toxins forever, and laundry detergent is a sneaky one. A lot of them contain harsh chemicals like dyes, preservatives, and even UV brighteners. Those brighteners don't actually clean anything. They just coat fabric so your eyes think things look whiter or brighter. That's more chemicals I don't want on my family's sheets or skin. And if you've got sensitive skin or allergies around the house, this can be a big problem. That's what got my attention about Earth Breeze. It looks like a dryer sheet, but it's actually laundry detergent. You toss one in the washer and that's it. No pouring, no mess, and no heavy plastic jug. Their packaging is lightweight cardboard, which helps reduce plastic waste. And if you choose the fragrance free option, it's gentle, hypoallergenic, non irritating and non sensitizing. I really like how simple it is and how fresh and clean everything comes out without those unnecessary chemicals. Right now you can try Earth Breeze for up to 40% off with free gifts@earthbreeze.com virgin that's earthbreeze.com virgin for up to 40% off plus free gifts on your first order. Hey JJ here. Every year around this time, I get the urge to make my home feel a little extra special. A space that feels just like the holidays. And Wayfair is my go to for that. Think cozy textures, twinkly decor, warm lighting, and all those little touches that make you want to curl up with a good book and a blanket. You'll usually find my book stacked on a great little end table I got from Wayfair, proof that function and style can coexist. Now, whether you're adding last minute hosting essentials, picking out gifts for loved ones, or refreshing your decor for the season, Wayfair makes it easy with beautiful finds, great prices and fast delivery. And when the holidays wind down, Wayfair has everything you need to tuck it all neatly away. Smart storage solutions for every room from the kitchen to the closet. Plus, with free shipping for any order over $35, that's fast delivery and a total peace of mind. It's the perfect mix of joy and order, bringing the holiday spirit in, then storing it all with EAs ready to make your home feel as good as it looks. Get organized, refreshed and ready for the holidays. For way less, head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. Wayfair Every style, Every home that's W A Y F A I r dot.

Com this episode is brought to you by Buffalo Trace Distillery. Powerful yet smooth contained but never tame. Proudly going their own way but never going alone. This is the spirit inside Buffalo Trace Bourbon made at Buffalo Trace Distillery, the world's most award winning distillery. Buffalo Trace is always perfectly untamed. Distilled, aged and bottled by Buffalo Trace distillery, Franklin County, Kentucky 90 proof 45% alcohol by volume. Learn more at buffalotrace distillery.com Please drink responsibly.

Should I supplement with Hydrochloric Acid? This is JJ Virgin, four time New York Times bestselling author, celebrity nutrition expert and and Fitness hall of Famer. I've been on a lifelong quest for answers to the toughest health questions and now I'm sharing what I found with you. Welcome to Ask the Health Expert. Jay from the bay 77 from Instagram asks you recommend considering hydrochloric acid to supplement to your meals. If you have hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's what timing do you suggest or what protocol? Hey, it's J.J. and I've got Dr. Michael Ruscio with me to answer this question. Now you may know him from his Dr. Ruscio Radio podcast or is the author of the best selling book Healthy Gut, Healthy youy.

I know.

He's also an adventure junkie who's a musician in his spare time with a secret dream to paraglide. We'll be right back to answer the question.

Hey, it's J.J. here. Now let's be honest. The holidays are basically a financial ambush. Travel, hosting gifts, surprise holiday school things. Suddenly you're wondering how December turned into a spending spree. If you want to keep your finances under control this holiday season, you need to be using Monarch. It's rated the Wall Street Journal's best budgeting app of 2025. Monarch is the all in one personal finance tool that brings your entire financial life together in one clean interface on your laptop or your phone. What really grabbed my attention is how fast those little holiday expenses pile up with Monarch. Seeing everything in one place makes it a lot harder to accidentally overspend. And honestly, I appreciate anything that keeps me from starting January with a money hangover. You'll love exploring the holiday spending category. Imagine how good it will feel to actually see what's happening before your credit card statement does that whole dramatic reveal thing. Monarch basically shows you exactly where the money is going in real time, and that level of clarity could change everything, right? Don't let financial opportunity slip through the cracks Use the code virgin@monarch.com in your browser for half off your first year. That's 50% off your first year@monarch.com with.

Code Virgin Toyota THON is on. So stop by your local Toyota dealer.

And test drive a spacious grand Highlander.

Or ready for anything RAV4 with great financing and lease options available to qualified customers. Visit buyatoyota.com for more Toyota let's go.

Places.

This is a great question, and it's definitely relevant. Why this is relevant is because there's about a 20 to 30% chance that if one is hypothyroid that they also do not adequately secrete stomach acid. And in these cases, that tells us there is a root causative issue we can address. Which is really helpful to know because if you're not secreting adequate hydrochloric acid, there are an array of downstream effects that can ensue behind that, one of which can be malabsorption of things like iron. Another can be malabsorption of B12. Also remember that as food goes from your stomach down the intestinal line into the small intestine and on, you need to have adequately acidified food or chyme so that you don't allow bacteria and fungus to overgrow. And so this may be why we see increased prevalence of things like SIBO in those with hypothyroid. So yes, hydrochloric acid for those who are hypothyroid is is a consideration. It is not to say careful that everyone who is hypothyroid must take hydrochloric acid, because that would be wrong. We want to personalize this to the individual. And I'm working my way up to the question about meal timing here, but this context is really important because first we have to answer should you use this or should you not? So age is a factor that also helps us predict if someone needs help. Hydrochloric acid, the older you are, the more likely you will need it. Being above 65 increases your potential need for hydrochloric acid. A history of anemia also increases your potential need for hydrochloric acid. And if you have a family history of an autoimmune condition, that also increases your need. And the need goes up to about 50%, especially if you're older, you have a history of anemia and or an autoimmune condition up to about 50%. So that's not 100%. It's 1 and 2. It's something, but it's not everyone. Now, regarding timing, I don't think it really makes that much of a difference. The one thing that you probably should avoid is not taking hydrochloric acid supplements at the end of your meal. What happens in some of these cases is people feel a bit acidity and they feel refluxy and warm. And I think why that happens is because the acid is just sitting on top of your food rather than kind of being mixed in. So I would say take the supplement about mid meal. Again, it probably doesn't make a huge difference. What matters is that you try to isolate this variable. Go onto a hydrochloric acid supplement if you notice a negative reaction that lasts more than a few times, like burning or reflux, that tells you yay. You have adequate production, you don't need it. I would not recommend doing the keep taking more and more and more pills until you feel a burning sensation and then take a little bit less because there's no evidence behind that and that's just a theory. And you don't need these whoppingly high doses. Just anywhere from two to four capsules per meal of about a 500 milligram capsule will be enough for most people. And alternatively, if you start using the supplement and you notice I feel less bloated, I feel less full, I have less reflux. These are all the positive benefits that you're looking for, telling you that you need the hydrochloric acid supplementation. So listen to your body on this one. It's about a 50, 50 if you will or you won't need it. We laid out some of the factors that may help predict if you do, and then go into an objective self experiment to qualify. If you do or don't need this.

This is JJ with Ask the Health Expert. I do this five times a week, so make sure you never miss a show by going to subscribetojay.com.

Foreigners this is Anne Bogle, author, blogger and creator of the podcast what Should I Read next? Since 2016, I've been helping readers bring more joy and delight into their reading lives. Every week I take all things books and reading with a guest and guide them in discovering their next read. They share three books they love, one book they don't, and what they've been reading lately, and I recommend three titles they may enjoy reading next. Guests have said our conversations are like therapy, troubleshooting issues that have plagued their reading lives for years and possibly the rest of their lives as well. And of course recommending books that meet the moment, whether they are looking for deep introspection to spur or encourage a life change or a frothy page turner to help them escape the stresses of work, school, everything. You'll learn something about yourself as a reader, and you'll definitely walk away confident to choose your next read, with a whole list of new books and authors to try. So so join us each Tuesday for what Should I Read Next? Subscribe now wherever you're listening to this podcast and visit our website what Should I read next? Podcast.com to find out more.