The gastric acidity of young to elderly Japanese subjects from 1989 to 1999
was assessed and compared with that obtained in 1984, using GA-Test capsul
es containing acid-dissolving granules of riboflavin, The percentage of ach
lorhydric subjects increased with age as observed before, however, an over
all decrease in all age categories year by year was noted. The percentage o
f achlorhydric subjects aged 50 years in 1995-1999 was about 40%, which was
lower than that (60%) in 1984, However, such a chronological change was no
t observed when the percentage of achlorhydric subjects was determined acco
rding to birth year, indicating that it is related to the birth year of sub
jects. The percentage of achlorhydric subjects correlated with infection by
Helicobacter pylori. Considering the high percentage of achlorhydric elder
ly, bioavailability. and bioequivalence studies should be performed taking
into consideration the effects of gastric acidity on the in vivo performanc
e of drug products.