Tuesday, April 9, 2024

Can Probiotics Help Acid Reflux

Research Interpretation Of Probiotics For Gerd

Can probiotics help with acid reflux?

All in all, these probiotic strains are very well tolerated and improve various reflux symptoms. Some of these probiotic varieties even reduce SIBO.

It is important to note that the studies first ruled out helicobacter pylori infections, which can be a source of acid reflux.

One study used probiotics as an add-on to proton pump inhibitors , which are the standard of care for treatment for treating GERD-related symptoms. The added benefit of probiotics was impressive.

The use of probiotics in this study had superior benefit to PPI alone .

Another PPI study in children found that adding probiotics to their treatment helped to ameliorate almost all of the dysbiosis that resulted from the medication .

Acid Reflux Pregnancy And Probiotics

Acid reflux is also common in pregnancy. 80% of pregnant women deal with acid reflux due to an increase in the hormone progesterone. The increase in progesterone causes a . As the fetus develops, the uterus becomes enlarged and crowds the abdomen, and forces stomach acid up towards the esophagus.

Heartburn can also be a secondary condition in expecting women who have gallstones. Complications related to acid reflux are rare in the prenatal population. It is recommended that acid reflux be managed initially with lifestyle modifications and dietary changes. In most cases, heartburn resolves after delivery.

Probiotics like Omni-Biotic Panda can benefit mothers during pregnancy by improving the balance of the microbiome, supporting immune health, and aiding healthy digestion.

What Causes Acid Reflux

Most people believe that their reflux problem is due to too much stomach acid. After all, surely its all that acid thats causing the burning sensation?

But in many cases, the opposite is true.

Consider the fact that the number of people with heartburn increases with age, and studies have shown that stomach acid secretion actually declines with age.

Whats more, when stomach acid is measured in people suffering from acid reflux, its more often low than high. Very few people tend to have excess stomach acid. But because Western medicine is designed to treat the symptom, not the cause, sufferers simply reach for their antacids.

Taking antacids for a problem that isnt caused by excess acid can potentially make low stomach acid worse.

You dont have to have excess acid in your stomach to have heartburn. Any amount of acid can cause heartburn because the delicate lining of the stomach isnt protected against it.

Heartburn and GERD are often caused by too little stomach acid, which may be caused by an imbalance in your gut microbiome.

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Other Acid Reflux Treatments

If your acid reflux is more severe or isnt responding to probiotics, there are other steps you can take. The first is to see your healthcare professional.

When acid reflux progresses to GERD the symptoms are much more severe, they can disrupt your life in a variety of ways, and they can lead to permanent damage. Some other treatments for acid reflux include:

Lifestyle changes: Your lifestyle choices have a big effect on your health, but you may be making some choices that cause acid reflux that you didnt realize were bad for you.

| Related: 8 Surprising Ways You Can Damage Your Healthy Gut Bacteria |

The obvious changes that most doctors prescribe are to quit smoking and limit alcohol intake. These changes also help acid reflux sufferers. But did you know that eating fatty foods, consuming caffeine, having a pre-bedtime snack, and loving spicy foods can be the cause of your acid reflux?

Have your doctor give you a complete list of things that can cause acid reflux, it, unfortunately, may include some of your favorites, so you can make the lifestyle changes youre comfortable with.

Lose weight: Being overweight definitely seems to be a trigger for acid reflux and GERD. Exercising and losing weight both decrease the occurrence of acid reflux. Its a win/win situation.

How Probiotics Can Help Dogs With Digestive Problems

Probiotics for Heartburn Relief

Dogs can suffer a large range of intestinal disorders that we often recognise first and foremost as human conditions. We asked Richard to explain some of the more common ones, such as IBS and how probiotics might help dogs who suffer.

He says, “I often receive emails asking about how our probiotic product can help treat or control their pets digestive conditions. These include conditions such as sensitive stomachs, IBS, food allergies, yeast infections, skin problems, together with numerous other complaints.”

Christophers acid reflux could be solved by probiotics by making his reactions to food more stable.

But Richard tells us there are several possible symptoms which a dog might display, some more subtle than Christophers, that mean dogs could benefit from the supplement too.

He says, “Dogs which have bad diarrhoea, possibly alternating with constipation, constant loose stools, or frequent sickness after eating certain kinds of food show indications of a condition which may benefit from probiotics.

“In the first instance, for a dog displaying any abnormal symptoms, I always recommend that you take them to the vets in order to get an accurate diagnosis of the issue. All of the symptoms mentioned above can be a sign of an intestinal problem and probiotics may help your dog, but they are also many other things that could be wrong.

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Acid Reflux The Basics

Acid reflux is, in a nutshell, a condition that occurs when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus. Also known as gastroesophageal reflux, it can lead to a burning feeling not only in the stomach, but also the chest and even the mouth and throat.1

Itâs similar to GERD , but the symptoms associated with GERD are usually more severe. They include difficulty swallowing, a significant amount of burning in the chest, and coughing.

There are powerful drugs available to treat both acid reflux and GERD, both prescription and over-the-counter. However, many of these medications have been linked to potentially serious side effects. These include nutrient deficiencies , weight gain, and an increased risk of bone fractures.3

What Is A Good Probiotic For Dogs

Richard begins by telling us how good probiotics work.

Probably one of the most important properties a probiotic must possess is the ability of the organism to be able to survive the journey through the various parts of the digestive system.

The gastrointestinal tract is an extremely harsh environment, in dogs and cats, and helps support a diet which is predominantly made up of raw meat, bone and fat. The stomach is highly acidic, with a pH which can fall to levels between one and two after the consumption of food.

This low pH, together with the contraction and relaxation of the stomach muscles, a process called peristalsis, helps break down the raw meat and bone into a soft digestible material, called chyme. The low pH is highly effective at killing bacteria, particularly potentially pathogenic bacteria which could be harmful to your pet.

These are conditions which are consistent with the requirements of carnivores and the scavenging nature of animals like dogs. The environment is also hostile to beneficial bacteria, so the probiotic elements must be able to tolerate the low pH, together with high concentrations of bile as they move through the system.

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How Might Probiotics Help With Acid Reflux

The answer is that although there is not a wealth of research on this yet, there is a growing field of thought that probiotics can indeed help alleviate acid reflux. We already know that probiotics are a highly useful way of rebalancing the gut bacteria but can they help combat H. pylori? It is thought that probiotics can help in several ways. Probiotics are thought to help strengthen the barrier against H. pylori by producing antimicrobial substances, and competes with H. pylori for adhesion receptors, ie. space on the stomach lining! Its also thought to stabilize the gut mucosal barrier. Some argue also that the production of relatively large amounts of lactate by Lactobacilli is also an inhibitory factor of H. pylori3 as its possible it might lower the H.pylori urease. Additionally probiotics may be able to modify inflammation levels by interacting with the epithelial cells and managing the secretion of inflammatory proteins.

A meta analysis in the World Journal of Gastroenterology4 concluded that The use of probiotics plus standard therapy was associated with an increase in the H. pylori eradication rate, and a reduction in adverse events resulting from treatment in the general population.

Side Effects From Probiotics

Are Probiotics Good for Acid Reflux – How Do Probiotics Help with Acid Reflux and Heartburn?

In general, probiotics are considered safe for most individuals. Minor side effects may occur from taking probiotics and usually affect a small percentage of the population.

Temporary side effects include bloating and flatulence. If yeast-based probiotics are consumed, people may experience increased constipation and thirst.

It is recommended to start with a lower dose of probiotics and slowly increase to the recommended dosage within a month to help the body adjust. Slowly introducing probiotics may help reduce adverse side effects.

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Do Probiotics Help With Acid Reflux

Acid reflux, often called GERD, is one of the most common digestive issues around the world.

It affects between 10% and 20% of adults in Western countries and causes major issues like esophageal distress, upset stomach, heartburn, halitosis, erosion of the teeth, and even vomiting.

Because these symptoms are unpleasant, many people try to find natural remedies to reduce discomfort.

Do probiotics help with acid reflux?

Probiotics are a natural remedy that helps with acid reflux by targeting some of the most common causes while also reducing the severity of the symptoms.

The Health Benefits Of Probiotics Explained

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Heartburn and acid reflux can be helped by some simple lifestyle changes.

Eating smaller, more frequent meals, trying to lose weight if youre overweight, and raising one end of your bed 10 to 20cm by putting something under your bed or mattress, are some of the ways to ease heartburn, recommended by the NHS.

But some health experts believe supplements are the answer – in particular probiotics, says nutritional therapist, Natalie Lamb from Bio-Kult.

Acid reflux and the subsequent sensation of heartburn have been associated with poor digestive function and an imbalance of beneficial bacteria in the gut, according to Natalie. Therefore probiotics, which can be found in food, as well as supplements, may be the answer to soothing heartburn.

Natalie added: Live bacteria supplements are often consumed to help tackle pathogenic bacterial or yeast overgrowth and to support healthy digestive function. Researchers are now observing that when a person thinks they are suffering from heartburn the problem could actually be caused by insufficient acid in the stomach.

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Deep Breathing For Acid Reflux

Beyond taking probiotics for reflux, there are a couple other ways you can help yourself manage this condition. Lets discuss those.

Your gut and your brain are connected, which means they talk to each other constantly. This explains why uncontrolled anxiety, depression, and stress can lead to an increase in GERD symptoms. Not dealing effectively with these conditions also makes it difficult for your body to heal and respond well to reflux treatment.

One simple strategy that can calm your mind and also help improve your GERD symptoms over time is diaphragmatic breathing.

To familiarize yourself with deep breathing, you can lay on the floor with a book on top of your belly. Breathe in deeply and you should see the book rise up from your stomach. What youre trying to avoid is breathing from your chest. Now, simply lay there and continue breathing deeply for a few minutes.

One of my favorite recommendations to clients is to incorporate a deep breathing practice at mealtime to help relax their body before its time to digest. To do this, they take 1-2 minutes before eating their food to sit down, relax, and breathe deeply. Bonus point for having your food in front of you so that you can smell it this gets the digestive juices flowing.

I have found this practice to be incredibly effective for just about all my digestive health clients, but especially those who deal with reflux.

Can Probiotics Help With Acid Reflux

Can Probiotics Cause Acid Reflux

The microorganisms that live in our bodies like bacteria and yeast are known as probiotics. Research says that more than 500 kinds of microorganisms live in our digestive tracts. These organisms are commonly referred as the good bacteria. A proper count and balance of these organisms help to carry out the digestive process an keep us healthy. In short it can be said that probiotics are the good kind of bacteria which kill the bad bacteria entering our system. Such bacteria can also be found in food like yogurt and these bacteria help in curing acid reflux. Acid reflux is a condition of the digestive tracts where the acids of the stomach flow back to the oesophagus. There are several treatments to control and cure acid reflux and one such therapy is with probiotics.

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Probiotics For Acid Reflux

However, even though probiotics can help, its not the only available strategy to control acid reflux. Why so? Because suffers of heartburn also often have additional digestive problems. In any case, the goal is the same to restore but balance.

Probiotics support a rapid digestion and good assimilation of food. Acid reflux is often caused by too little stomach acid which can cause food to remain for too long in the stomach causing irritation. What kinds of probiotics work for acid reflux?

Good sources s of probiotics

  • ermented foods like natto, homemade sauerkraut, and fermented vegetables. Try consuming this together with each meal.
  • Yogurt and kefir can be beneficial. Both are fast and simple to make at home and can sooth a painful stomach.
  • Fresh cabbage juice for heartburn is for some a lifesaver because it stimulates the production of stomach acid. Its enough with a few tablespoons before meals.
  • Find ways to relax

Learn to eat slowly!

Please dont underestimate this advice! Its amazing how many digestive problems can be solved just by chewing food thoroughly and eating slowly. Dont stress during meals. Give the body time to produce stomach acid and digestive enzymes. This can greatly reduce symptoms of acid reflux. In addition, avoid eating late in the evening as this is known to increase symptoms. And try to limit the size of meals as eating too much can trigger acid reflux.

Avoid regular table salt

Support digestion

For immediate reliefsodium bicarbonate

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A New Cause Of Acid Reflux

Another emerging cause of reflux is an imbalanced microbiome, or gut bacteria and flora.

Many experts in the field of probiotics have conducted research to show that acid reflux can be a result of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth .

Both SIBO and GERD may be caused by an altered microbiome. This is where probiotics start to come in to focus on acid reflux.

Best Overall: Whole Food Sources

Use Probiotics for Acid Reflux

Food sources should be your number one go-to when adding probiotics to your diet. You gain all the nutritional benefits vitamins, minerals and fiber in addition to the probiotic benefits.

Probiotic food sources are typically labeled with wording like “contains active live cultures.” They include:

It’s important to note that all fermented foods are not necessarily probiotic. If the food was heated above 115 degrees Fahrenheit, then the live cultures aren’t necessarily still alive. So, it’s best to buy these foods in the refrigerated section to ensure their bacteria are alive and well.

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I Could Have Coffee In The Morning A Glass Of Red Wine In The Evening And Even A Bit Of Spicy Food For Lunch

Heck, I had even forgotten that a sip of Bourbon wasnt supposed to be painful.

All I did was make sure that I had a shot of Scotts remedy when I knew I was going to eat or drink something that I shouldnt.

Every day, I felt powerful and full of energy and focus.

This was amazing because I had tried literally hundreds of home remedy recipes before I met Scott.

The Internet is full of those recipes.

Im sure Scotts remedy has been ripped off somewhere . But youd have to literally go through thousands of failures before finding it .

Some of those online remedies I tried helped a little for a few days, but they always stopped working.

Others made my pain worse.

Scotts remedy has never failed me.

Acid Reflux And Poor Gut Health

Bacterial and yeast imbalances are major risk factors for acid reflux. When your gut contains more bad microorganisms than good, it can affect your levels of stomach acid and leave you more susceptible to opportunistic pathogens and infections.

Research shows that reflux symptoms are often triggered or worsened by gut dysbiosis and/or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth .

SIBO occurs when bad bacteria move from the large intestine to the small intestine, where they dont belong. Here, they begin to ferment carbohydrates.

This fermentation along with the bacteria itself often leads to a range of unpleasant symptoms such as gas, poor gastric motility, pressure in the abdomen, and weakness of the lower esophageal sphincter. These physiological effects all contribute to acid reflux.

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Digestive Enzymes For Acid Reflux

One area that deserves attention for acid reflux is the use of digestive enzymes.

We need enzymes to digest foods well. Simply put, enzymes help us break down our foods so we can digest them.

We have many places in our digestive tract that make enzymes: in our mouth, stomach, small intestines, and pancreas.

Our small intestines actually produce more digestive enzymes than our pancreas does.

What does this mean for us?

Lack of digestive enzymes due to an imbalanced gut lining could be a silent problem that makes your stomach digestion way off. Adding digestive enzymes are safe and can be beneficial in relieving occasional acid reflux and indigestion.

What can make your digestive enzyme production low? Inflammation, food intolerance, and anything that can throw off the gut bacteria .

Enzymes are a safe and emerging treatment option for many digestive issues, including Celiac disease. They can be combined with ox bile as well when needed.

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