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- Our stomach has an acidic pH due to the secretion of HCl that aids in digestion.
- The HCl helps in destroying bacteria , as well as other harmful species in the stomach.
- HCl converts an inactive enzyme called pepsinogen into pepsin to breakdown proteins in the food we eat.
- HCl acts as a shield, apart from mucus, to prevent pepsin from digesting the entire stomach.
- Indigestion which also leads to excess acid production in the stomach makes us feel uncomfortable. This is called acidity .
- To neutralise the effect of the excess acid like Magnesium Hydroxide (Mg(OH) 2 ) also called Milk of Magnesia , we use antacids which are basic in nature.
