Does Caffeine Cause Heartburn?
For a very long time, there have been speculations in the medical community that caffeine causes heartburn but the link hasn’t really been proven until the last couple of years. Even without the conclusive studies that have been recently conducted by experts, doctors have already warned their patients that caffeine causes heartburn, along with many other serious health problems. Furthermore, statistics show that roughly one out of every five coffee drinkers in the United States are dealing with heartburn issues.
Now that we know for sure that caffeine causes heartburn, all we have to do is to avoid coffee and other caffeine-rich beverages. But that is so much easier said than done, considering how much people love drinking coffee. In fact, a lot of people are so hooked on drinking this beverage that they don’t mind experiencing heartburn symptoms instead of giving up their daily cup of coffee.
Do You Have To Give Up Coffee If Caffeine Causes Heartburn?
The good news is that you don’t really have to quit drinking coffee just because caffeine causes heartburn. There are hundreds of decaffeinated coffee brands all over the world that taste just as good as the ones that contain caffeine. Furthermore, there are also other chemical procedures that are being studied that can make coffee safe to drink even for people who are prone to heartburn and other caffeine-related ailments.
But why does caffeine lead to heartburn in the first place? The main reason is that caffeine contains chemicals that increase the production of acids in the stomach. Once the acid levels go beyond the normal limit, they spill out of the stomach and go back up into the esophagus. This causes the severe chest pains that we call heartburn.
Natural Remedies For Heartburn
Heartburn may be prevented with very simple remedies like avoiding wearing tight clothes around the stomach, staying in an upright position up to an hour after eating, and so on. But since we already know that caffeine causes heartburn, one of the best prevention tips is to avoid drinking caffeinated beverages altogether.
As mentioned, there are many processes that are already in use in order that make coffee safe to drink without worrying about heartburn. One such process is the Hevla method, which takes away the harmful substances in the coffee that can cause heartburn, including caffeine.
If for some reason you can’t avoid drinking caffeinated coffee, you can still get heartburn relief by taking antacids, which can restore your stomach’s acidity to normal levels or natural heartburn treatments, which are even better.
However, the best way to completely eliminate the risk of heartburn is to stay away not only from coffee but also from other foods and beverages that are known to have high caffeine content.
What Are The Medications That Cause Heartburn?
There are not that many medications that cause heartburn but if you are one of those people who are prone to suffering from this condition, it is important to learn which drugs you should avoid to obtain heartburn relief. Heartburn can be caused by a number of different factors including a poor diet, improper eating habits, extremely tight clothing and the use of certain drugs.
Which Medications Should You Avoid?
One of the most popular medications that cause heartburn is Zocor. It is actually a very effective drug used to manage cholesterol levels and has been used by millions of people with satisfactory results over the years. Unfortunately, Zocor also comes with a few negative side effects, one of which is heartburn. This particular side effect is not experienced by every individual who uses Zocor. If you show signs of heartburn shortly after taking Zocor, it is strongly recommended that you switch to a different cholesterol medication before the symptoms become worse.
What If You Need The Medications That Cause Heartburn?
In cases where there is absolutely no substitute to the medications that cause heartburn, you can take other steps to minimize the risk of heartburn despite the continued use of the drug. For example, you can change your diet and avoid heartburn-causing foods like fats, sugars and acids. You can also try taking smaller, more frequent meals instead of three large ones during the day. Chewing your food properly and staying in an upright position at least an hours after eating will also reduce the risk of suffering from heartburn.
When taking any medications that cause heartburn, what actually happens is that the sphincter muscle in your lower esophagus relaxes, allowing the acids in your stomach to rise up the esophagus and even into your mouth. This causes the severe chest pains that we normally know as heartburn. In addition to the remedies and prevention strategies mentioned earlier, there are also drugs that you can take to prevent heartburn, although these may also cause other negative side effects as well.
Just like medications that cause heartburn, other substances can also contribute to the increased risk of this condition. Excessive alcohol consumption, for instance, is one of the frequently cited reasons for heartburn. Too much alcohol in the body relaxes the esophageal sphincter, pretty much like what happens with the use of certain drugs.
When ignored for a long time, heartburn can eventually result in a severely damaged esophagus, which can only be corrected through surgery. In order to avoid such problems, it is best to stay away from medications that cause heartburn and to use alternative heartburn relief treatments instead.
