Gastro-Eosophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
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- What is GERD?
- Symptoms of GERD
- Causes of GERD
- Prevention of GERD
- Risk factors for GERD
- Complications of GERD
- When to see a doctor about GERD
- Diagnosis of GERD
- Conventional treatment of GERD
- Alternative/complementary treatment of GERD
- Living with GERD
- Caring for someone with GERD
Alternative/complementary treatment of gastro-eosophageal reflux disease (GERD)
There are a number of alternative/complementary treatment strategies which can be initially used to try to treat GERD symptoms and prevent recurrence of symptoms.
Herbs
There are a number of excellent herbs which may help to provide relief for symptoms:
- Chamomile - the herb chamomile has calming and anti-inflammatory properties which can be used in cases of mild to moderate GERD to relieve symptoms and relax the inflamed eosophageal tissue
- Marshmallow - a mucilaginous herb which provides protection of the stomach lining in the same way as slippery elm does; one caution is that it can lower blood sugar levels and cause "avitaminosis" (prevent proper absorption of vitamins and minerals) if used for prolonged periods
- Slippery elm - this is an excellent herb which provides a protective mucilaginous (mucous-like, moist and sticky) layer around the stomach lining, protecting it from the acid in the gastric juices and greatly relieving symptoms and allows the stomach lining to heal and can assist with all types of GERD, from mild to severe. Slippery elm is available in tablet or powder form - the powder needs to be mixed with water (or a little juice) and quickly drank to get the most benefits. This is a very safe herb that is not known to produce any adverse side effects when it is used correctly
Vitamins
There are a number of vitamins which may help to provide relief for symptoms:
- Vitamin A - the antioxidant vitamin A is essential in keeping the mucous membranes of the stomach lining as well as the membranes of the eosophagus healthy, which may be damaged by the gastric acids and so supplementation may be necessary
- Vitamin C - the antioxidant vitamin C is lowered when conventional medication is used to treat GERD that is caused by helicobacter pylori. In addition to this, supplementation is advised as this vital nutrient may help to heal the tissues of the stomach and eosophagus lining more effectively and more quickly. Studies have shown that vitamin C (together with the bioflavonoids) can heal GERD caused by helicobacter pylori in some people who may not be absorbing enough of this vitamin in the first place
- Vitamin E - studies have shown that vitamin E may be beneficial in preventing malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract, which may be particularly useful in people with chronic GERD as it is associated with (possible but rare malignant) changes in the eosophagus
Minerals
There are a number of minerals which may help to provide relief for symptoms:
- Magnesium - this is an excellent mineral to calm muscles and other body tissue, which are inflamed and may be tense due to GERD. Magnesium is required not just by the stomach, but every smooth muscle in the body, in order to function properly
- Zinc - the antioxidant mineral zinc has been shown in studies to help promote quicker healing of GERD symptoms and also any associated ulceration of the eosophagus and it also provides a quicker reduction in symptoms, especially if it is combined with carnosine
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Other nutrients
There are a number of other nutrients which may help to provide relief for symptoms:
- Bromelain - this is an enzyme which is found naturally in pineapples and can help with proper digestion. Bromelain is found to reduce stomach pain and other GERD symptoms, especially if it is used with other digestive enzymes
- Carnosine - the amino-acid like substance carnosine has been shown in studies to be effective at healing GERD symptoms and also any associated ulceration of the eosophagus and it also provides a quicker reduction in symptoms, especially if it is combined with zinc
- Digestive enzymes - these enzymes may be beneficial to assist with digestion in the stomach and intestine
- Essential fatty acids - the essential fatty acids omega 3 and GLA especially, provide anti-inflammatory properties to reduce severity of symptoms and promote healing
- Probiotics - the ratio of "good" and "bad" bacteria may be disturbed by GERD and supplementation is required to rebalance the intestinal flora with the probiotic acidophilus
Dietary modifications
There are a number of dietary modification strategies which may help to provide relief for symptoms:
- Add fibre to the diet - it is really important to add some fibre to the diet, especially soluble fibre in the form of oat bran, psyllium, as it helps the digestive system become more healthy by reducing the pressure in the digestive system. Fibre also helps to reduce constipation symptoms
- Avoid large meals or eating late at night - large meals cause a lot of pressure on the digestive system as it needs to break down, digest and absorb the food that has been eaten. Digestion involves producing stomach acids and the more foods that are eaten, the more stomach acids that need to be produced, which can cause reflux symptoms to get worse. Eating late at night is not advised, because the digestive system needs a few hours to properly digest food and eating late does not give adequate time for this to occur and this can increase reflux symptoms and discomfort and inability to get to sleep
- Avoiding lying down after meals - this can cause a great deal of reflux symptoms as it becomes very easy for the sphincter to allow stomach acids up the eosophagus as there is no gravity to prevent it
- Cabbage juice - the juice of cabbage contains "substance U" which has proven ulcer healing properties and it can help to reduce the ulceration of the stomach (or even eosophagus) mucosa and provide relief for symptoms, reducing their severity and duration
- Chew food properly - chewing allows the food to be broken up into smaller portions which do not require as much gastric juices to be produced in the stomach to break them down further for absorption
- Eat easily digested foods - to prevent high acid production in the stomach, it is advised to eat foods which are easily digested - bananas, rice, thin porridge, toast, crackers - while symptoms are at their worst
- Eat smaller meals - while the stomach lining is inflamed it is recommended to eat small meals to prevent the high and prolonged acid production required to break down a large meal
- Limit liquids with meals - do not drink lots of water with a meal, drink it about 15 minutes before or 30 minutes after the end of a meal; the excessive water may dilute gastric juices which can cause insufficient digestion and abortion which can cause chronic GERD and other digestive disorders
- Maintain a healthy weight - being overweight can put more pressure on the whole digestive system and cause a worsening of symptoms from the excessive fat
- Reduce alcohol intake - all alcohol, but especially red wine can make reflux symptoms much worse as they have a very low pH (too acidic)
- Reduce caffeine intake - a known trigger for causing worsening of symptoms is caffeine (from coffee, chocolate, tea or even energy drinks) and intake should be reduced to prevent symptoms
- Reduce intake of fatty foods - the types of foods which can make symptoms worse are: deep fried foods, high fat foods, highly processed foods, animal fat. These foods cause pressure on the stomach to break them down, especially when intake is high and this can cause symptoms to get worse
Lifestyle modifications
There are a number of lifestyle modifications which may help to provide relief for symptoms:
- Avoid wearing tight clothes - especially tight pants, tight tops and tight belts and this is because these tight clothes can constrict the gastro-eosophageal area, which may be inflamed and cause it to further become more inflamed and worsen symptoms
- Check medications - some medications are known to have side effects which cause reflux or make reflux symptoms worse. The most common medications to cause this are: heart medication, Parkinson's disease medication, aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs). People taking these types of medications and who also have GERD should ask their doctor if there are alternatives that do not aggravate their symptoms
- Elevate pillows - this is useful when the reflux symptoms occur later at night and sleep is difficult. Elevating the pillows will elevate the head, the upper part of the torso and subsequently the eosophagus so that reflux symptoms are less likely to occur
- Stop smoking - it is essential to stop smoking as studies show that smoking makes reflux symptoms worse and smoking also increases the risk of cancer of the throat and eosophagus
Alternative treatments
- Naturopath - a naturopath can provide a regimen of dietary and lifestyle changes, as well as a herbal tincture (or tablets) to help heal symptoms. Each person's symptoms are different, so you will need to consult a naturopath in person, to get a proper diagnosis and be provided treatment options
Always ensure that you notify your medical practitioner of any supplements that you want to take - it may interfere with other medication or conditions you have. Confirm with your doctor it is safe to take BEFORE you try it.
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< 9: conventional treatment 11: living with GERD > Last reviewed: 10 November 2007 || Last updated: 3 January 2009
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NOTE: Mega doses of any type of vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herbal supplement cannot cure illnesses and in fact can be very dangerous and produce toxic side effects and interfere with medicine you are taking. Always ensure you consult your doctor before taking any type of complementary supplements.
Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your doctor.
