Maff (or anyone) - I understand that you had the Heidelberg Test at Biolab, do you think that it is an accurate test and do you know if Biolab still use it? I am partly asking because I don't understand why no hospitals that I am aware of in the UK use the Heidelberg Test and so I am thinking there must be a problem with it. Also I would like to know if there are any other tests apart from the Heidelberg that test for gastric acid output?

Hi,

The test I had at Biolab was called a 'Gastrogram' and although it used a Heidelberg capsule it was not strictly a Heidelberg Test as it did not involve a challenge drink with sodium bicarbonate solution (or similar alkaline solution) prior to the testing and the protocol for measuring how long it took for my stomach to reacidify was not followed. As I recall the gastrogram simply measured fasting pH through my stomach and small intestine - which were normal.

I've just checked the Biolab website and they don't list this test on their Gut Function Tests page (see here) so I can only assume it has been discontinued. You could always email them for further details and perhaps they will know where the Heidelberg Test proper is performed. It is my understanding that the Heidelberg Test has been well proven in a research setting so why hospitals don't routinely use it I am not sure. They must test for stomach acid levels somehow as hypochlorhydria (low stomach acid) and achlorhydria (lack of stomach acid) are common (particularly in the elderly) and can cause significant problems.

I will have to look into this for you as I only trained as I studied nutritional medicine and am not familiar with conventional medical tests that look at gastric acid output. Lots of the tests on the Biolab page above could point to poor gastric acid output indirectly e.g. presence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) - since gastric acid normally sterilizes the upper small intestine.

Maff - thanks for your thoughts. I am not sure that hospitals do test for stomach acid output. Certainly when I mention high or low stomach acid to doctors they just seem to dismiss it. However, I note that Complimentary Practitioners often talk about these ailments.
At your suggestion I have sent an email to Biolab to ask them about thier tests.

Hi,

Hypochlohydria and achlorhydria are recognised conditions in conventional medicine so hospitals must test for it if doctors feel it might be present.

Check out this extensive article on emedicine that discusses achlorhydria in great detail and talks about a variety of tests used in hospitals to test gastric pH including use of endoscopic pH sampling and 24 hour gastric pH studies - http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/170066-overview

Let me know what Biolab have to say!

Maff - thanks for the info.
I got a reply from Biolab and they said that they do not offer the Heidelberg test nor do they offer any test to measure stomach acid output.

Sorry to hear Biolab no longer do the test. After reading your reply I thought I'd dig out my results to show you. I had the test done in 1999 so I guess a lot can change in 12 years!

It seems the test was indeed a true Heidelberg Test as it refers to a sodium bicarbonate challenge being used on the results sheet. It was a good test as it also included measurement of pancreatic exocrine function (digestive enzymes, bicarbonate etc).

I've attached a scan of my results in case you are still interested despite struggling to find somewhere that currently offers the test. Excuse the state of the results sheet - had coffee spilled on it at some point by the looks of it (and I don't drink coffee)!