Previous studies in patients with dyspepsia have revealed either normal levels of pH or mildly elevated levels in the stomach. The correlation between the symptoms and the acid levels has been tested only in a few previous studies. The most distal esophagus and the gastroesophageal junction is exposed to significant amounts of gastric acid, even in subjects without reflux or dyspeptic symptoms. This is of importance for not only understanding the pathophysiology of these diseases but also for treatment with acid suppressive medication. Data are lacking on the benefits of effective acid inhibition with proton pump inhibitors in dyspepsia. In two large, double blind multicenter clinical trials, BOND and OPERA , patients (n=1262) with functional dyspepsia were randomized to four weeks of treatment with omeprazole 20 mg or 10 mg once daily, or placebo. The primary efficacy variable was complete absence of symptoms. The BOND but not the OPERA trial showed a significant benefit of omeprazole over placebo. Pooling the BOND and OPERA trials, complete relief of symptoms was achieved in 38.2% of the 20 mg omeprazole group (p=0.002) and in 36.0% of the 10 mg omeprazole group (p=0.02) compared with 28.2% in the placebo group suggesting that acid suppression may play a role in the treatment of these symptoms. However, before future treatment studies are conducted, correlation of patient symptoms with levels of esophageal and gastric pH levels will be important.