Definition

1. Noun:
   • A digestive fluid secreted by the stomach: Gastric acid is the acidic digestive juice produced by glands in the stomach lining. Its primary components are hydrochloric acid, mucin, and the digestive enzymes pepsin, rennin, and lipase. It is essential for breaking down food, particularly proteins, and for killing harmful bacteria ingested with food.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The production of gastric acid increases when we smell or think about food.
  • An ulcer can develop if there is an imbalance between gastric acid and the protective lining of the stomach.
  • The doctor prescribed medication to reduce his excessive gastric acid.

Advanced Usage

• "Secretion of gastric acid": Refers to the physiological process by which the stomach produces and releases this fluid.

  • The secretion of gastric acid is tightly regulated by hormonal and neural signals.

• "Gastric acid secretion": An alternative phrasing with the same meaning, often used in medical literature.

  • The study focused on inhibitors of gastric acid secretion.

Variants and Related Words

• Gastric juice (n): A near-synonym for gastric acid, though "gastric juice" may sometimes refer more broadly to all stomach secretions.
• Hydrochloric acid (HCl) (n): The primary acidic component of gastric acid.
• Pepsin (n): A key enzyme in gastric acid that breaks down proteins.
• Antacid (n): A substance that neutralizes gastric acid to relieve heartburn or indigestion.

Synonyms

• Stomach acid: A common, less technical synonym.
• Digestive fluid (of the stomach): A descriptive synonym emphasizing its function.

Related Phrases

• Gastric acid reflux: The backward flow of gastric acid from the stomach into the esophagus, causing heartburn.

  • Chronic gastric acid reflux can damage the esophageal lining.

• Gastric acid pH: A measure of the acidity of gastric acid, which is typically very low (highly acidic).

  • The normal gastric acid pH is between 1.5 and 3.5.

Noun

1. digestive secretions of the stomach glands consisting chiefly of hydrochloric acid and mucin and the enzymes pepsin and rennin and lipase