Home methods for assessing stomach acidity are often based on observing the body’s reaction to certain foods. One such method suggests drinking fresh apple juice on an empty stomach and drawing conclusions about the state of the stomach based on sensations.
This test is not diagnostic but is sometimes used as a preliminary observation.
The essence of the apple juice test
The home testing option involves consuming sour apple juice on an empty stomach and evaluating the resulting sensations:
- drink 250 ml of freshly squeezed apple juice from unsweetened apple varieties on an empty stomach;
- observe the taste in the mouth and sensations in the stomach area for 10-20 minutes.
The appearance of a metallic taste, sour belching, or stomach cramps is interpreted as increased acidity;
The absence of noticeable sensations after the juice is interpreted as decreased acidity.
Sour apple juice contains organic acids and has a pronounced sour taste. It is believed that such a drink stimulates the secretion of gastric juice, and the discomfort that follows is supposedly related to the level of hydrochloric acid.
In practice, the perceived reaction more accurately reflects the condition of the mucosa and esophagus rather than the actual acidity of the stomach.
Why this test does not work
Apple juice is much weaker than gastric juice. Even sour apple juice has a pH significantly higher than hydrochloric acid in the stomach. It cannot reliably enhance or reflect the level of acidity, so the reaction to the juice cannot serve as a measurement of pH.
The metallic taste is not related to hydrochloric acid. A metallic taste in the mouth is more often associated with liver and gallbladder dysfunction, zinc deficiency, inflammation of the oral mucosa, or side effects of medications. These conditions do not directly characterize stomach acidity.
Stomach cramps reflect mucosal irritation. Organic acids from the juice can irritate already inflamed mucosa in cases of gastritis or erosions, causing cramps and pain. In such situations, unpleasant sensations indicate the presence of inflammation, not how acidic the gastric juice is.
Sour belching is related to reflux. Sour belching after apple juice occurs when stomach contents are regurgitated into the esophagus. This is a result of impaired lower esophageal sphincter function and gastric motility.
Reflux can occur with both increased and decreased acidity.
The absence of sensations does not indicate low acidity. If there is no pain, cramps, or metallic taste after apple juice, it often indicates good mucosal condition and normal sphincter function. The level of hydrochloric acid may be normal, decreased, or increased.
What the test is useful for
The apple juice test can only be considered as part of observing digestion. Repeated episodes of pain, cramps, or sour belching after sour juice may indicate gastritis, reflux, or increased sensitivity of the mucosa.
However, conclusions about stomach acidity cannot be made based on such a test.
