If you studied chemistry at school, you would probably be aware of the dangers of touching hydrochloric acid. This hazardous, corrosive and smelly chemical comes with a lot of safety requirements including wearing gloves and masks when you’re handling it.
What you may not know is that this toxic substance plays an essential role in our own bodies.
Our stomachs produce hydrochloric acid for the digestion of meat and, importantly, the absorption of minerals like iron. But sometimes, this acid doesn’t stay only in our stomachs. Instead, it moves up and creates an uncomfortable, burning sensation around the breastbone – commonly called heartburn.
This feeling is a symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease, which affects more than 2 million Australians.
As a result, many of us turn to popular medications that suppress gastric acid...
