Re: When to take Betaine HCL and Digestive Enzymes?

 Question - Isnt taking bitters to stimulate digestion in a severely compromised digestive system (like my own) much like flogging a dead horse?

Not really. You stimulate digestion every time you eat. The bitters are just giving your digestion a kick in the butt to get it work a little more effeciently.

Dont you need to be in a suitable state of nutrition first to enable acid to be produced?

You do need certain nutrients to produce stomach acid, and these nutrients are acid dependent for absorption. So every little boost you can give your digestion the better you will absorb those nutrients. In addition glands need to be "exercised" to work properly. When we substitute for the glands they get lazy and shut down. This is why medications that substitute for the glands such as Synthroid and Prednisone need to have their doses gradually increased to compensate for the decreased glandular output. I feel the same happens when you substitute for the glands that secrete the stomach acid.

...which would mean first taking betaine to ensure assimilation of essential nutrients like B12, B6 and Zinc to create the acid?

See above.

....and what is this TMG that was mentioned? - im interested in hearing about that because my very leaky gut is having problems tolerating HCL - its making me too acidic and giving me rashes...

TMG (trimethylglycine, also known as betaine) is derived from beet leaves. It is a stong methyl donor, similar to SAMe, but three times stronger and a quarter of the cost. Among other functions TMG provides methyl groups that are required for the formation of stomach acid.