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The Heidelberg Test – Is It Worth It?

Written by Wellness Club on June 2, 2011 – 1:31 pm -

Heidelberg test or Gastric Acid Function Test – which is better?

Heartburn, GERD, Acid Reflux, weak digestion… we get questions about these conditions daily. We have written extensively about them and this is probably a good time to touch this subject once more.

Usually conventional allopathic doctors reach for the prescription pad and whip out a script for the “acid-blocker du jour” since that is quick and easy for them. Occasionally one will decide to go on a fishing expedition if the patient or the patient’s insurance looks good for it. I wish that they would read our article explaining gastric acid and GERD first!

In fact, for those who are thinking of seeing their doctor about GERD or heartburn, you might want to print out that article and give it to him or her – if his eyes glaze over and he says he is too busy you might want to find another doc. If he or she says she won’t have anything to do with “that naturo stuff” tell her that the article is fully referenced and cites articles and research straight from her own conventional medical journals!

In today’s Gastric Function Question Elizabeth wrote:

I have been told to get a Heidleberg pH test but it seems expensive. Is there a significant difference between your test and the Heidleberg, besides the cost?
Thank you so much!
Elizabeth

 

Here’s my answer to Elizabeth:

Hi Elizabeth,

The Heidelberg test is “high tech”, highly accurate, and quite unpleasant for most people as it involves swallowing a capsule on a string which is then retrieved by pulling it back up by the string. And yes, it is quite expensive. It will, however, give you precise pH numbers if having precise numbers is important to you.

In practice those precise numbers will not make any significant difference to the treatment of your condition…

Dr. Myatt’s Gastric Acid Function Self Test has been well-proven to be highly effective over some 20 years of use and hundreds of satisfied patients in Dr. Myatt’s practice. It is a “low tech” practical test (Dr. Myatt likes to say “There’s no tech like low tech!”) that will give you a very solid indication of just exactly how deficient in stomach acid you may be and how much hydrochloric acid you need to supplement with a particular meal or food intake to correct that deficiency and obtain correct digestion. It will NOT provide you with precise (or any) pH numbers.

Here is my suggestion:

Try Dr. Myatt’s Gastric Acid Function Self Test first – I believe it will give you a very good indication of the state of your gastric acid production and a clear indication of your individual need to supplement.

If you still feel the need for precise pH numbers for some reason after that you always have the option of having the Heildelberg testing performed.

Please read our article on Gastric Acid Function and GERD here: http://healthbeatnews.com/whats-burning-you/

And find more information about the Gastric Acid Function Self Test here: https://www.drmyattswellnessclub.com/GastricAcidFunction.htm

Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Nurse Mark

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