Acid reflux is a common digestive disorder where the highly acidic contents of the stomach flow back into the esophagus. Depending on the severity of the episode, acid reflux can cause discomfort, intense pain in the throat and chest, and a burning sensation known as heartburn. The pain associated with acid reflux can significantly affect a person’s quality of life, which is why many of those affected seek relief. Traditional treatments often include lifestyle changes and medications. However, some also wonder, “Can probiotics help with acid reflux?”
It’s important to understand your acid reflux management and treatment options to make the best choices for your unique needs.
What Are Probiotics and Can They Help with Acid Reflux?
Probiotics are microorganisms that, when consumed in adequate amounts, can provide individuals with several digestive health benefits. They’re often referred to as “good” bacteria. This is because their presence throughout the digestive system can help maintain a healthy balance of the gut flora. Some common types of these microorganisms include Saccharomyces boulardii, Lactobacillus, and Bifidobacterium. People who consume probiotics like these find them in various fermented food products, such as yogurt and sauerkraut.
How Do Probiotics Affect Gut Health?
Before exploring whether probiotics can help with acid reflux, it’s important to be aware of how these microorganisms aid the digestive system.
The human gut, or GI tract, is home to trillions of different microorganisms. Each of them plays a critical role in digesting food, absorbing nutrients, and powering the immune system. Maintaining a healthy balance of gut bacteria is a must for promoting one’s overall digestive health. This is because an imbalance of gut bacteria, known as dysbiosis, can contribute to various digestive disorders, including acid reflux.
Probiotics can help restore and maintain this balance by:
- Blocking Harmful Bacteria: Probiotics compete with pathogenic bacteria for nutrients and adhesion sites in the gut, which helps prevent harmful bacteria from colonizing.
- Strengthening the Mucosal Barrier: Probiotics reinforce the lining of the gut, making it more resistant to harmful substances and reducing the likelihood of developing inflammation.
In addition, the presence of probiotics can help balance the immune system. They do so by encouraging anti-inflammatory responses and reducing the chronic inflammation seen in digestive disorders.
How Probiotics Can Help Manage Acid Reflux
One key way that probiotics may help manage acid reflux episodes is by balancing the stomach’s acidity levels. Certain strains of probiotics produce substances that prevent harmful bacteria from growing in the gut and triggering excessive acid production. By helping maintain a healthy balance of gut flora, probiotics can help moderate stomach acidity. This may reduce both the frequency and severity of acid reflux symptoms.
On top of that, probiotics can also enhance one’s overall digestive function by encouraging more efficient nutrient absorption, as well as reducing gas buildup and bloating. With less gas production, the gut experiences less of the pressure buildup that often leads to acid reflux episodes.
Probiotics also work to reduce inflammation throughout the gut. They possess anti-inflammatory properties that help soothe and heal the tissues that have become inflamed during an acid reflux episode. Because chronic inflammation of the esophagus and stomach is a common source of pain for individuals with acid reflux, these probiotic health benefits may lessen how often these episodes occur and how severe they tend to be.
Finally, probiotics encourage healthy gut motility. This helps food move more easily through the digestive tract. Healthy digestive movement helps prevent gastroparesis, which is when the stomach takes too long to empty. Slow stomach emptying can contribute to acid reflux, so gut motility is essential in preventing painful episodes.
Achieving Digestive Health with Probiotics
According to scientific studies, using probiotics for managing acid reflux and its related symptoms may lead to the following outcomes.
- Reduction of Symptoms: Individuals who regularly consume probiotics tend to experience moderate to significant reductions in their acid reflux and GERD symptoms. These include heartburn and regurgitation.
- Improved pH Levels in the Esophagus: Probiotics may aid in balancing one’s esophageal pH levels, which reduces acidity in the esophagus and helps relieve acid reflux symptoms.
In general, probiotics help enhance one’s overall gut health. A healthy gut tends to result in far fewer bouts of acid reflux than what’s common in an unbalanced gut.
Choosing the Right Probiotics for Acid Reflux
When exploring probiotic products that will help manage acid reflux, it’s important to choose strains that have been shown to aid in digestive health. Before starting any new health regimen, it’s wise to speak with a healthcare professional. Their experience and advice can make it far easier to choose a probiotic that’s going to work as intended.
For example, Lactobacillus reuteri is known for its ability to reduce gastric inflammation and the growth of harmful bacteria. Bifidobacterium lactose helps improve gut movement and overall digestive functioning. Saccharomyces boulardii also reduces gut inflammation but also strengthens the gut barrier.
Choosing a high-quality probiotic supplement is a must. Ensure that whichever product you choose has a sufficient number of colony-forming units or CFUs.
In addition to taking probiotic supplements, you can also add probiotic-rich foods to your diet. This way, you can help manage your acid reflux symptoms on two fronts. Some excellent sources of probiotics include yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, and tempeh. Several foods containing probiotics exist, so explore your options to find a product that matches your preferences.
Can Probiotics Really Help with Acid Reflux?
Though they’re a must for gut health, can probiotics really help with acid reflux?
The short answer is yes. Probiotics present a natural approach to managing acid reflux symptoms by encouraging a healthy balance of gut bacteria. While more research is needed to fully understand the unique ways in which probiotics benefit individuals with acid reflux, current evidence suggests that incorporating probiotics into your diet or taking a high-quality supplement may help alleviate symptoms and improve your quality of life.
If you struggle with acid reflux and you’d like to explore natural management options, reach out to Arizona Premier Surgery and book a consultation with our office.
SOURCES
https://arizonapremiersurgery.com/2023/12/02/5-important-vitamins-for-stomach-health/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7019778/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/probiotics-for-acid-reflux#best-probiotics
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/probiotics-for-acid-reflux#best-probiotics
https://www.rupahealth.com/post/the-best-probiotics-for-acid-reflux-achieving-lasting-relief
https://omnibioticlife.com/blogs/blog/probiotics-for-acid-reflux
https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/probiotics-what-you-need-to-know
