Is there a link between alcohol and GERD? Research and more

We conducted a systematical review of articles investigating the association between food and dietary patterns with GERD. When functioning normally, the esophageal sphincter also prevents stomach acid from flowing into the esophagus. However, sometimes the esophageal sphincter doesn’t close all the way or opens when it shouldn’t, allowing the contents of the stomach to flow into the esophagus, resulting in acid reflux. According to research, about 20% of Americans have gastroesophageal reflux disease, which is the most common cause of acid reflux. Avoiding the drinks and foods that cause the symptoms is the best way to evade the effects of acid reflux. However, if a person consistently experiences acid reflux, they may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The breakdown by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) is the most common pathway (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2007). First, alcohol is metabolized by ADH to a highly toxic substance called acetaldehyde. Second, acetaldehyde is further metabolized to acetate, which is then metabolized into carbon dioxide and water for easy elimination.

How alcohol affects your stomach

The enzymes cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) and catalase can also break down alcohol to acetaldehyde (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2007). Researchers have conducted several studies to determine which types of alcohol seem to aggravate symptoms more than others, but the results have been inconclusive. At the end of the day, and the night, it’s best to avoid drinking altogether; however, we certainly understand the desire to relax a bit and unwind! Experiment a bit and find a drink that works for you, and try to stick to one drink per night.

A 2021 review suggests that several studies found an association between drinking carbonated beverages and an increased risk of GERD. The National Institute of Diabetes How to Help an Alcoholic in Denial and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) also recommends that people avoid carbonated drinks to reduce acid reflux and GERD. Following the advice of a healthcare professional may help you heal GERD permanently or manage symptoms. Strategies may include dietary changes, medications, and lifestyle modifications. For example, avoiding trigger foods and liquids, managing your weight, not using tobacco, limiting alcohol intake, and waiting 2–3 hours after eating to lie down. Some researchers have hypothesized that some alcoholic beverages increase acidity in the stomach, but others— like red wine— have been shown to actually increase resistance to acidity in the esophageal lining.

So while many people have less digestive upset from alcohol when they consume it with food, that might not be the case in a given person with GERD, according to Evans. These nonalcoholic beverages are also known to aggravate acid reflux. Switching to a low-acid fruit juice like apple or carrot juice or mixing a drink with water may help reduce your GERD symptoms. We highly recommend that you stay away from any alcoholic drink made with peppermint (peppermint white Russian), chocolate (mudslide), or coffee (Irish coffee).

This is because tobacco can stimulate stomach acid and cause the muscles between the esophagus and stomach to relax. Tobacco can also directly damage cells of the esophagus and stomach. When the lower esophageal sphincter is weakened, stomach acid may come up into the esophagus. This causes the symptoms of acid reflux and could become chronic, causing GERD.

1. Highly acidic fruit juices may irritate the mucus membrane of the food pipe, which can worsen acid reflux symptoms.
2. Research published in 2008 found that drinking wine could reduce the risk of reflux esophagitis or irritation of the esophageal lining.
3. These fruits increase the risk of GERD by reducing LES pressure or delayed gastric emptying (Eslami et al., 2017).
4. People taking prescription ranitidine should talk with their doctor about safe alternative options before stopping the drug.
5. Heartburn, nausea, persistent indigestion, and pain after swallowing are some of the symptoms it produces.Untreated esophageal ulcers might result in more severe side effects, such as bleeding and esophageal perforation.

Study characteristics

You should also avoid greasy pub food while you are at the bar— high-fat, greasy foods will only worsen your symptoms. Likewise, smoking and secondhand smoke can irritate your GERD symptoms and cause heartburn. Researchers noted that alcohol may damage the cells in the esophageal and gastric (stomach) linings.

People with acid reflux should avoid alcoholic beverages and coffee. The researchers found that beer and wine triggered reflux in men and women compared to drinking water only. We do know that eating or drinking anything two to three hours before bedtime can create a very uncomfortable night of heartburn and regurgitation. If you do go out for drinks, make sure you only have one, and that you stay up long enough for the stomach to empty of its contents. When you swallow, a circular band of muscle around the bottom of the esophagus, called the lower esophageal sphincter, relaxes to allow food and liquid to flow into the stomach.

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OTC medications and supplements might be used to treat or prevent constipation. If constipation is an ongoing problem, it’s important to see a healthcare provider to look for a long-term solution. The authors of this study quite strongly concluded that functional constipation (constipation without a known cause) is common when people are experiencing GERD symptoms. Treating constipation can help relieve GERD and prevent it from recurring.

While the death of a few cells is not life-threatening since cells die in your body every day, chronic inflammation makes it harder for them to replenish. Since stomach acid is required to help digest and absorb the nutrients found in food, your body produces large quantities of it daily, and it plays a vital role in nutrition. If stomach acid finds its way to locations where it should not be, or if it is overproduced, you can start to experience symptoms of GERD.

Systemic investigations concerning this matter are still inadequate and further well-designed prospective studies are needed to clarify the effect of alcohol on GERD. Gastroesophageal reflux disease, commonly referred to as GERD, is one of the most common disorders, and its incidence and prevalence have increased over the last two decades. GERD is characterized by the sensation of substernal burning caused by abnormal reflux of gastric contents backward up into the esophagus. GERD has two different manifestations, reflux esophagitis (RE) and non-erosive reflux disease (NERD), depending on the presence or absence of esophageal mucosal breaks. Symptoms of GERD are chronic and can significantly impair quality of life.