Coffee leads the list of beverages and foods that your medical provider may ask you to avoid if you have gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. Unlike routine heartburn, which may strike occasionally after you've had too much coffee or spicy food, the acid reflux of GERD occurs on a regular basis and may cause serious health complications, Medline Plus notes. If you frequently have heartburn after drinking coffee, the acid-producing chemicals in your java may be provoking your symptoms. Coffee blends that inhibit acid production may allow you to enjoy your favorite beverage without the burning and pressure of heartburn.
Contributing Factors
Caffeine and other compounds in coffee---catechols and N-alkanoly-5-hydroxytriptamides---may promote acid production in your stomach, worsening the heartburn of GERD. Coffee may also reduce the pressure of the the lower esophageal sphincter, the ring of muscles that controls the opening between your stomach and your esophagus, the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach. In GERD, this sphincter doesn't close completely, allowing digestive acids to flow upward into the esophagus. Obesity, smoking and pregnancy may also contribute to GERD. Having a hiatal hernia, which occurs when the upper portion of your stomach pushes up into your chest cavity, may loosen the lower esophageal sphincter and increase acid reflux.
Research
Although many people with GERD report heartburn after drinking coffee, clinical research hasn't identified the cause of coffee's effects. In a September 2009 interview published in "Gastroenterology and Hepatology," Dr. Lauren B. Gerson, a gastroenterologist at Stanford University, notes that current studies show no correlation between coffee and esophageal acid content or lower esophageal sphincter pressure. According to Gerson, more clinical studies are needed to determine whether eliminating coffee relieves the heartburn of GERD.
Alternatives
If coffee provokes your GERD symptoms, you may be glad to know that gentle, nonirritating blends may soon enter the market. According to Veronika Somoza, Ph.D., of the University of Vienna, Austria, scientists have found that one compound in coffee, N-methylpyridinium, inhibits the production of stomach acid. The coffee-roasting process creates this compound, commonly found in darker roasts such as French roast and espresso. The first studies of this compound were carried out on human stomach cells. Additional research must take place to confirm that the acid-inhibiting effects of this compound also occur in human subjects.
Considerations
Even with low-acid coffees available, some physicians believe that patients with GERD are better off removing coffee from their daily routine altogether. Drinking low-acid coffee may not entirely eliminate acid reflux, which can damage your esophageal lining over time. Patients who believe they can tolerate a low-acid coffee or a gentler blend may be inclined to indulge in any kind of coffee they want, Dr. Anthony Scarpoli of St. Vincent's Catholic Medical Centers in New York City notes in a March 2010 article published at Drugs.com. Replacing coffee with beverages that don't provoke your symptoms may be a safer approach. Talk with your medical provider to determine whether you can safely include coffee your diet.
