Misterious Night hunger - can it be low stomach acid

Posted by renem97 @renem97, Jun 17, 2023

I have been struggling for the last 3 years with night time hunger.

This has been going on and off. I’m starting to understand what foods make me satisfied and what not, but in general it’s getting worse and harder to manage. Happens almost every day now.

During the day I eat normally, mostly healthy food. I have enough protein and fat in my diet, so I should be full long enough. The problem is, I get very hungry at night. I wake up at 3-5 am and I have to eat something or drink a hot tea, otherwise I just can’t fall asleep again.

For the last 6 months I have been experimenting with different kind of supplements and found out that things like aloe vera, apple cider vinegar and betaine help a lot. I have been using those before every meal and for a while everything was fine. But I developed sore throat, caugh and now it just hurts to swallow. So I had to stop using those supplements, because even though they help with the hunger (it take 650 mg of betaine before bed and everything is fine and I’m not hungry at all). But they burn my esophagus. Just after 1 month of aloe vera 3 times a day I had endoscopy done and the doc told me I have eosinophilic esophagitis, because I had burned esophagus and high eosinophilia (80).

He prescribed me PPIs, high dose - 40mg 2x a day. At that time I had my hunger issues under control but as soon as I started using the PPIs, they came back. I could be full after a meal, then take the PPI and in 15 minutes feel like there is hole in my stomach and it’s completely empty. So I stopped using those, but the hunger continues to this day.

My theory is this - I developed low stomach acid from PPIs (have been taking before), and betaine, ACV and aloe Vera get things back to normal. But for some reason they irritate my esophagus a lot. So I cannot use them anymore.

Please share your thoughts, I’m desperate. I can’t get any sleep, I’m usually awake every night between 3-5am, then not being able to function during the day. I had also colonoscopy, blood work - everything normal.

The main issue is the night hunger. Can it be low stomach acid or GERD? What are your tips?

If you need any more info, I will be happy to share

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jojo | @jord | Jun 22, 2023

I have Gerd and sometimes when I eat, pain goes away. You can have high or low acid or get tested for SIBO. People who take PPIs and H2 Blockers, like me, get Sibo. Tagement did miracle for my Gerd, but after two weeks I got Sibo si can't take them. SIBO symptoms are weird. They say if you have SIBO, you have lower ab bloating and paint. I did not. My symptoms were on upper GI and was tested positive. You can just go on Biotics and try it for 42-46 weeks see if gets better. Amazon sells them...FC Cidal and Dysbiocide.

idahoeagle | @idahoeagle | Dec 6, 2024

I can completely relate to your symptoms. I’ve spent over a decade seeing countless doctors across different states, trying to figure out my health issues. It wasn’t until I switched from traditional doctors to naturopathic ones that I discovered H. Pylori was the root cause. This bacteria can lead to esophageal ulcers, which makes it hard for me to tolerate acidic foods for long periods. When the ulcer gets irritated, it can even trigger breathing problems.

In actual medical literature, H. Pylori is also notorious for depleting stomach acid—one of the leading causes of reduced stomach acid. Many people taking PPIs have this bacteria running rampant. It also keeps the sphincter open, letting stomach gasses and acid irritate the ulcer even further. Betaine HCL can often help since it encourages the sphincter to close, but it must be taken mid-meal and only after healing the ulcer first.

Another symptom of H. Pylori is waking up in the middle of the night feeling hungry or dealing with insomnia. I’ve tested this myself—eating something like gluten-free pizza around 5 PM (stuffing myself) seems to satisfy the bacteria temporarily, and I actually get decent sleep for a night or two. But it’s a short-term fix, as eating unhealthy food just causes more issues later.

If you’re looking for remedies, start with a teaspoon of diatomaceous earth on an empty stomach in the morning. After about a week or two, you might notice a big improvement in sleep. Just be prepared for mild die-off symptoms from bacteria and candida, which should be manageable at this dosage. Bentonite clay and psyllium husk on an empty stomach can also work wonders for killing off the bacteria, as can mastic gum and colloidal silver.

Finding the right combination might take some experimentation—some people have better results taking diatomaceous earth or the clay and husk mix at night before bed. There’s so much more I could share, but I’ve had comments like this removed before, likely due to the influence of the medical community that often dismisses alternative treatments. Because of this bacteria, you can get SIBO and you likely have a issue with Bile not releasing to help and break down food after it leaves your stomach. You can try Tudca WITH a meal or Castor Oil on an empty stomach in the morning to help with this. With the Castor Oil, make sure it's organic and be prepared to be near a toilet for hours. Try it on the weekend. It will REALLY clean you out. Castor Oil stimulates the digestive process and indirectly promotes the release of bile from the gallbladder. Bile Flow is needed to help combat low stomach acid and kill H. Pylori and SIBO. Hopefully, this information helps!