Is Carbohydrate Restriction the Ultimate Cure for Acid Reflux?

Has anyone tried carbohydrate restriction for relief from GERD? I would very much be interested in hearing from people who have tried this approach and what their results were.

I have found and documented, in my new book, evidence that the consumption of excess carbohydrates is the root cause of GERD and by reducing your carbohydrate consumption you can completely eliminate acid reflux with out drugs. This is the only dietary approach that I am aware of, that really works and it only takes a couple of days. I believe this approach will soon be well recognized as the ultimate cure for heartburn. I am curreltly in discussions with Will Yancy, the primary author on a small clinical study showing that reducing carbs can cure heartburn. My book (that I cannot list here) explains why this works and tailors low carb dieting to the treatment of GERD.

If you tried this approach, please share your experiences.

Thanks,

Dr. Norm

Hello,
In the interest of getting the word out that there is a better way to treat GERD, here are some additional posts. I have included the positive responses and (in fairness) those from individuals that did not have the same luck. Those who did not have a positive reponse may have complicating conditions, differences in how they digest food or (I suspect in some cases) cheated too much or consumed "hidden carbs". For what it's worth, enjoy.

Dr Norm


krs10ne
I have noticed that when I eat lo carb, I dont have heartburn (acid reflux), where on weight watchers, or no diet at all I was constantly popping tums or zantac.
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potatofree
Yep. I used to get up every night to take a second dose of Gaviscon, or I'd lay there suffering with my head propped up the rest of the night.

Within a few of days on low-carb, I was able to give the rest of thelast bottle to a friend who told me I was going to kill myself on Atkins! :lol:
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momto4boys
Too many carbs give me heartburn also. Blech! I guess it was my body's way of telling me to "stop it!" :lol:
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3shewolf8
Yes!!!! I used to get heartburn all of the time, almost on a daily basis, one of the first things that I noticed on this wol, except for the weight loss, was the loss of heatburn, I can eat anything low carb and never get heartburn, when I make a low carb taco salad, I can put hot salsa, and jalapeno peppers all over it, it tastes so wonderful, and not a bit of heartburn at all!! Isn't it just great??? I love spicy food, and now I can eat the spices, and even all of that wonderful, real butter, and not a bit of heartburn...I LOVE this WOE!!!
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Pollyanna
For sure! I used to wake up nights with it. What a relief.
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Moonwalker
im the opposite.. i have really bad acid reflux :(
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jareddo10
I used to take 5 or six tums every night. But since I started lcing I don't ever need them.
I didn't even think about it until I read this thread.
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patricia52
I was on prescription medication for my heartburn. The FIRST DAY I noticed a difference. And the end of acid reflux also helped my asthma (I think the acid was irritating my windpipe).
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Gailew
I was on 2 diff meds that weren't entirely controlling the prob, when I started to low carb. Now I'm off the meds and rarely have any prob at all.
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PlayDoh
my cousin experienced this but i still need the occasional antacid, tums, and pepto. the coffee and hb eggs give me major indigestion and grease from the meats aggravate my gallbladder sometimes.
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LC-Laur
I used to live on Tums (well... generic Tums ;) ), but now I've had the same bottle over a year and haven't touched it even once since starting low carb!
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Vel
My big bottle of Rolaids was my best friend, especially at night! I haven't touched it since I have been on CAD and actually have to dust it now where it sits on my bedside table :)

Hi,
I found some more with links.
This is a sample of ordinary people reporting relief from GERD on a low carb diet. Hopefully these links function still as I did collect these some time ago. Later tonight, I will do a fresh search and post some more with new links to ensure you can be see the sources.

I do beleive this phenomenon will catch on as more people become aware that there is a cure. Finally, there is a way to beat GERD that is proven to be a more healthy way of eating in a growing number of science based, physician led studies.

I have included some stories of regular people who have published their own experiences on internet bulletin boards. The vast majority of people (but not everyone) report that their GERD are eliminated after going on a low carbohydrate diets. I am including some of these stories for your reading. Importantly, there are no controls on who publishes what on these boards and they cannot take the place of controlled clinical studies or even well documented case studies by physicians reporting on their own patients. Still, I think these stories are worth mentioning. I have included the link where I found each of the stories. I have been able to go back and find the stories (note at the time I collected them) and so I hope most of the links still work is you care to visit the boards where these stories came from. 


I'm sorry we can not post links to other message boards.

I was under the understanding your last post was copied and pasted from HW.

We need to be careful also on posting something that may have a copyright  

Post Edited By Moderator (~Jennifer~) : 8/23/2005 4:33:01 PM (GMT-6)

Thanks Vanessa and others for your support. I now understand about the links to other sites as well. Just trying to learn and follow the rules.

It is really time, though for this message to be heard. It really works. The other stuff doesn't. It's that simple.

Shoreman,
Thanks for that reply. According to my plan, you likely did not go low enough in the beginning. You need to go much lower to stop the reflux. In your case, try 25 grams per day for a couple of days. Only after the initial "decompression" step can you begin adding some back. You're on the right track though.


Dr. Norm

Teri,
Thanks for your question.

I am not the first on this board to suggest trying something new.

As indicated in my profile, I am a Ph.D. microbiologist with 20 years of experience in research and drug development. My expertise in this area comes from my education in medical microbiology, my interest in GERD, as a patient who was not being helped by the medical community in solving a serious medical condition that I was confronted with for many years, and my research into a cure for this condition culminating in my book "Heartburn Cured The Low Carb Miracle" (not in any way a promotion, you asked).

I am not a medical doctor and like your your site, my book recommends that each patient make an informed decison based on all the information they receive in conjunction with the expert advice from thier own physician. Thanks for bringing this up and providing an opportunity to make my credentials and position clear.

As far as my recommending this dietary approach my suggestion is based first and foremost on my personal experience with low carb dieting and my own releif of acid reflux using this approach. I feel this approach needs to be discussed and feel it is acceptable to recommend it given the disclaimer above and the philosophy of your site. Reduced carbohydrate dieting is not new. This type of diet has been around for years and as many as 30 million people in the US have tried some form of reduced carb dieting.

Others on your board recommend many different approaches, products and procedures based on what they have heard, tried or been recommended to by someone else. In my case, I threw in a little research as well.

I remain open to discsuss the merrits of all other approaches as well.

Thanks,
Dr. Norm

Vanessa,
Thanks for your post and your kind words. I can see your concern. I honestly don't know what happens when someone who is very lean goes on low carb. Do they loose weight? You might loose a couple of pounds. I wish I had a bit of that problem. For me, I need to watch my weight and treat my GERD, so low carb is just right for me. Like you, I give in to carb cravings (luckily you don't have many after being on it for a bit) about once or twice a week and go over my roughly 60 grams per day. In Santa Monica last night, I had an appointment, and running late, spotted the only place near by that served food. It was a Taco Bell. I said what the hell and had a taco and buritto. It was great by the way. I wondered if I would get reflux later last night, but was happy when I did not. On low carb you generally have to cheat more than just one high carb meal. It tends to return after one or two full days of eating high carb.

I do believe that the real trigger food is carbs, but we tend to associate the last thing we ate with the reflux we currently feel instead of thinking about what we ate for the last 24 hours. That is why people who find relief with low carb no longer recognize any trigger foods except carbs. Go back to too many carbs and the reflux returns. I can drink coffee (I drink about 3-4 cups per day), alcohol (no sugar sweetened mixes), hot peppers, brocolli and other foods that I have head were triggers with no ill effect. I really am free from this disease as long as I keep to my daily carb levels.

Keep up your great work supporting those on this site. You really do a great job encouraging others and sharing your thoughts.

Dr Norm

hershel,
I would be interested in hearing more about the vaso-vagal responses. What other functions are controlled by this vagan nerve? Why does it extend past the stomach?

Thanks,
Dr Norm

Hi Dr. Norm , Here is the primary function of the Vagal Nerve:

The vagus nerve is the longest of the cranial nerve. Its name is derived from Latin meaning "wandering". True to its name the vagus nerve wanders from the brain stem through organs in the neck, thorax and abdomen. The nerve exits the brain stem through rootlets in the medulla that are caudal to the rootlets for the ninth cranial nerve. The rootlets form the tenth cranial nerve and exit the cranium via the jugular foramen. Similar to the ninth cranial nerve there are two sensory ganglia associated with the vagus nerve. They are the superior and inferior vagal ganglia. The branchial motor component of the vagus nerve originates in the medulla in the nucleus ambiguus. The nucleus ambiguus contributes to the vagus nerve as three major branches which leave the nerve distal to the jugular foramen. The pharyngeal branch travels between the internal and external carotid arteries and enters the pharynx at the upper border of the middle constrictor muscle. It supplies the all the muscles of the pharynx and soft palate except the stylopharyngeas and tensor palati. These include the three constrictor muscles, levator veli palatini, salpingopharyngeus, palatopharyngeus and palatoglossal muscles. The superior laryngeal nerve branches distal to the pharyngeal branch and descends lateral to the pharynx. It divides into an internal and external branch. The internal branch is purely sensory and will be discussed later. The external branch travel to the cricothyroid muscle which it supplies. The third branch is the recurrent branch of the vagus nerve and it travels a different path on the left and right sides of the body. On the right side the recurrent branch leave the vagus anterior to the subclavian artery and wraps back around the artery to ascend posterior to it. The right recurrent branch ascends to a groove between the trachea and esophagus. The left recurrent branch leaves the vagus nerve on the aortic arch and loops posterior to the arch to ascend through the superior mediastinum. The left recurrent branch ascends along a groove between the esophagus and trachea. Both recurrent branches enter the larynx below the inferior constrictor and supply intrinsic muscles of larynx excluding the cricothyroid. The visceromotor or parasympathetic component of the vagus nerve originates from the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus in the dorsal medulla. These cells give rise to axons that travel in the vagus nerve. The visceromotor part of the vagus innervates ganglionic neurons which are located in or adjacent to each target organ. The target organs in the head-neck include glands of the pharynx and larynx (via the pharyngeal and internal branches). In the thorax branches go to the lungs for bronchoconstriction, the esophagus for peristalsis and the heart for slowing of heart rate. In the abdomen branches enter the stomach, pancreas, small intestine, large intestine and colon for secretion and constriction of smooth muscle. The viscerosensory component of the vagus are derived from nerves that have receptors in the abdominal viscera, esophagus, heart and aortic arch, lungs, bronchia and trachea. Nerves in the abdomen and thorax join the left and right vagus nerves to ascend beside the left and right common carotid arteries. Sensation from the mucous membranes of the epiglottis, base of the tongue, aryepiglottic folds and the upper larynx travel via the internal laryngeal nerve. Sensation below the vocal folds of the larynx is carried by the recurrent laryngeal nerves. The cell bodies that give rise to the peripheral processes of the visceral sensory nerves of the vagus are located in the inferior vagal ganglion. The central process exits the ganglion and enters the brain stem to terminate in the nucleus solitarius. The general sensory components of the tenth cranial nerve conduct sensation from the larynx, pharynx, skin the external ear and external auditory canal, external surface of the tympanic membrane, and the meninges of the posterior cranial fossa. Sensation from the larynx travels via the recurrent laryngeal and internal branches of the vagus to reach the inferior vagal ganglion. Sensory nerve fibers from the skin and tympanic membrane travel with auricular branch of the vagus to reach the superior vagal ganglion. The central processes from both ganglia enter the medulla and terminate in the nucleus of the spinal trigeminal tract. SO your autonomic nervous system. As a result of a hiatal hernia, GERD or acid reflux and erosion to the esophagus the vagal nerve is hyperactively stimulated, which are called vaso-vagal responses your heart rate and blood pressure drop, which reduces blood flow to your brain. This causes a feeling of warmth, lightheadedness, and dimming of vision and hearing. If the vasovagal response had progressed further reducing blood flow to the brain you would have fainted (vasovagal syncope). Frequent triggers of fainting include pain, trauma, fatigue, blood loss or prolonged, motionless standing. I hope this helps!

To Dr Norm

Thanks for the advice about the carrot juice--

Awaiting your reply I had, for the first time, (I have never tried a low-carb diet)a very low carb evening meal on Monday (Chicken, rocket, cucumber and oil and vinegar dressing followed by a plain yogurt). I was very surprised at the way I felt after eating this--satisfied yet not bloated as usual.I went to bed that night feeling more comfortable that I usually do. There were no signs of HB after eating and I had a peaceful night with just a twinge of reflux--much to my relief and astonishment!

I want to begin your experiment tomorrow. However, 25 grams is very low for somebody who needs fibre in order not to be horrifically constipated--(another mal function of my digestive system).

Might it be possible to have protein and salad for two meal and toast(1peice and a cup of tea to bump start the system in the morning)I'm familiar with the low-carb theories--is it really necessary to go as low as 25g to prevent reflux.

thanks

Jocaste

 

 

Jocaste,
Great news that you have had some success! Congrats. Keep at it and see if you can find a substitute for that bread in the morning (like low carb cereal, etc) or consider it a cheat and understand that it contributes to your overall carb count and potentially symptoms.

Merc29,
Thanks for your note. I would have to agree with your son's assessment, but not pyloria per se. You can see some of my other posts for some details on my theory. Great news that your son is better.

On the 25 grams a day. The answer is no, you do not have to stay at that level. After stopping heartburn, you can gradually increase daily carbs. Can't include all the details here, but you get the idea.


Take care,
Dr Norm

Hi, welcome back Dr. Norm!

 

Hi jocaste!  That cucumber and I would have had a war lol - but some people tolerate foods that others can't. :)  Try eating something like Kashi cereal for breakfast, that's a very healthy fiber cereal, or something similar and that will help keep your body in sync.

 

Hi Jen!

 

Hugs, Teri :)

Hi Teri, since you are always helping me find web sites that its helpful I have one that you may already know of but they are gonna start showing real sugery one on gerd Laparoscopic on Sept 7 at 4pm and others. its www.medhelp.org. Pat