If you’re over 50, chances are high that you suffer from some degree of hypochlorhydria, a condition of reduced hydrochloric acid in your digestive system. And the older you get, the worse it gets, leaving you increasingly unable to digest and absorb the nutrients you need to stay strong and healthy, no matter what you eat. The solution is simple: One or more meal-time anti-aging supplements to power up our digestion, and in turn, boost our immune systems and overall health.

We all need an optimal balance of stomach acid and digestive enzymes to break down proteins, fats and carbohydrates and create a proper digestive environment. When we don’t produce enough ourselves, we should take a meal-time pill containing betaine hydrochloride and digestive enzymes to help optimize our acid and enzyme levels. These ‘anti-aging supplements’ help lead to increased longevity through improved overall health.

According to estimates from the International Council on Active Aging, hypochlorhydria occurs in nearly half of the population. The highest incidence is found in older people, and it’s a fairly natural condition that increases as we age.

It’s often difficult to know if you lack the digestive resources you need to stay or get healthy. There are as many symptoms of hypochlorhydria as there are people who have it. Some of the most common signs of hypochlorhydria are:

• Stomach bloating

• Upset stomach

• Burping

• Burning

• Flatulence

• Diarrhea

• Nausea after taking supplements

• Rectal itching

• Weak, peeling, cracked fingernails

• Dilated capillaries in the cheeks and nose (in non-alcoholics)

• Post-adolescent acne

• Iron and other mineral deficiencies

• Chronic intestinal infections

• Undigested food in stool

And after years of low stomach acid without such anti-aging supplements as digestive aids, poor nutrition can lead to these conditions:

• Acne Rosacea

• Addison's disease or weak adrenals

• Asthma

• Celiac Disease

• Chronic autoimmune disorders

• Diabetes

• Eczema

• Food Allergies

• Gall bladder disease

• Gastric cancer

• Gastritis

• Graves disease

• Hepatitis

• Lupus

• Osteoporosis

• Pernicious Anemia

• Psoriasis

• Thyrotoxicosis

• Urticaria

• Vitiligo

• Colitis (Ulcerative)

• Hair loss

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

• Rheumatoid Arthritis

Fortunately for all of us who are getting on in years, specially formulated digestive anti-aging supplements can help us get the most out of the food we eat to preserve our health and enhance our lives. Acidophilus is a must for replacing the friendly bacteria in our intestines that get destroyed by use of drugs such as antibiotics.

There are betaine hydrochloride supplements that boost stomach acid, and there are digestive enzyme supplements that help digestion as well. Best of all, there are supplements with both betaine hydrochloride and animal and plant-sourced enzymes that do the whole job.

We shouldn’t wait around to start taking our meal-time helpers, either, because hypochlorhydria can start in younger years and, undetected, carry us into middle age and older dragging along a host of conditions that can be prevented by simply adding a meal-time pill to our overall anti-aging diet.