CS : A quick question on HCL supplementation.

I have been wanting to add hcl to my program from a while now and was convinced about adding to my arsenal after reading a great article by Coach Charles Poliquin on the benefits of hcl supplementation. Having said that which out of the following would be beneficial???

Now, Betaine HCL

Supplement Facts :

Serving Size 1 Capsule

Betaine HCl (from beets) 648 mg *
Pepsin Enzymes (NF 1:10,000) 150 mg *

or

Now, Super enzymes

Betaine (as Betaine HCI) (from beets and molasses) 200 mg *
Pancreatin 4X 200 mg *
Supplying: Amylase 20,000 USP units *
Protease 20,000 USP units *
Lipase 3,400 USP units *
Papain (2M USP units/mg) 50 mg *
Cellulase (1M FCC units/g) 10 mg *
Ox Bile Extract (45% Cholic Acid) 100 mg *
Pepsin Enzymes (NF 1:10M units) 50 mg *
Bromelain (2400 GDU)(from pineapple) 50 mg *
Papaya Powder 45 mg *

or

Twinlab

Serving Size: 1 Capsule

Betaine (from betaine hydrochloride) 648 mg
Pepsin 1:10,000 NF 130 mg †

Coach Charles Poliquin sells something very similar to Now, Super enzymes.

CS?? What is your recommended dose per meal??

Nocturnalhorse - Whether benefits will be derived from either product will vary greatly from person to person.

Personally, I have tried both when I had no actual need for either.

Betaine HCL is beneficial for anyone in terms of what it can offer, but the real question may come down to whether it is actually needed. In my case, my digestion is robust, so adding Betaine HCL has no apparent benefit (one that I can detect).

On the other hand, some will benefit a lot, and a hint can be if their digestion is poor. When stomach acid is naturally produced in a healthy quantity, then stomach enzymes will be produced in greater amounts.

If enzymes are taken, this may in time, encourage more health stomach acid production, but usually it works the other way around. On taking the enzymes alone, it will help with anti-inflammatory (downregulates TGF-beta).

If your digestion is decent, I would suggest saving your money. But if it needs some help, it maybe worthwhile.

It's a try and error proposition.

Thanx CS!

For me Betaine HCL is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. Drop fungal enzymes, not only they're vastly more expensive but I feel they're useless and might create problems for some, like me.

If you feel food for hours, have bad breath, diarrhea, constipation, dysbiosis, SIBO, etc, etc, you are most likely deficient in HCL (there can be different reasons, thyroid function, h. pylori, deficencies, etc.).

Restoring acid levels in your stomach is a *MUST*, which you can't skip, in restoring health.