Question

Would it be a good or a bad idea to take antacid before eating a steak. Explain in detail why or why not?

Answer 1

What do you know about antacids? Do you know what they are used to treat?

Answer 2

The only thing I know about them is that they neutralize acid.

Answer 3

Antacids are used to treat heartburn. Do you know what heartburn is?
Antacids neutralize acid, that's right. Do you know how they do this?

Answer 4

Heartburn is when you feel that burning sensation on your chest when you eat too fast, right? And no I don't know how they do this

Answer 5

Right, although usually it's caused not so much by eating too quickly, but by acid from your stomach moving up your esophagus, causing a burning feeling.
The antacid is a base that is used to neutralize the acid in your esophagus, relieving the burning feeling.

Answer 6

Okay, so antacids neutralize acids in the stomach. Do you know what that acid is usually used for?

Answer 7

Acid breaks down protein

Answer 8

That's right!

Answer 9

So knowing that, its a bad idea because it wont digest the steak that effectively?

Answer 10

That's correct! Great job reasoning it out :]
The correct time to take antacids is AFTER eating, before the acid escapes into the esophagus.

Answer 11

acid actually "activates" proteolytic enzymes (by cleaving a segment that masks their active site) these enzymes are called proteases, once active these cleave "peptide bonds" (i.e. catalyze hydrolysis of amide bonds) of proteins into smaller peptides for further digestion/absorption.

More on proteases http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protease