The condition goes by many names, acid reflux, you can call it GERD. It can also have many symptoms with the classic being a burning sensation near esophagus which we often refer to as heartburn. This is so widespread that it affects nearly two in every ten people globally. There is some strong evidence that there are ways we can prevent acid reflux and there are some myths that we need to deal with when it comes to treatment.
The acid in your stomach is so powerful it can dissolve metal. Luckily, your stomach is fine-tuned to deal with its acidic fluid, but the rest of your body isn’t quite as hardy.
So, if acid escapes from your stomach and reaches your esophagus, it can cause a painful sensation in the chest — this is heartburn. It isn’t rare, with more than 1 billion people suffering from it globally.
In today’s short episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Will ask: Why do we get heartburn, and what’s the best way to deal with it?
Follow ZOE on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe/
Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide
Studies referenced in the episode:
- ‘Prevalence and clinical spectrum of gastroesophageal reflux: a population-based study in Olmsted County, Minnesota’ from Gastroenterology here
- ‘Proton-pump inhibitors and risk of fractures: an update meta-analysis’ from Osteoporos Int. here
- ‘Proton pump inhibitors alter the composition of the gut microbiota’ from BMJ here
This podcast was produced by Fascinate Productions.