GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease, is caused by the regurgitation of food from the stomach into the esophagus, the tube connecting your mouth to your stomach. Where the stomach meets the esophagus, there is a band of muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter. When this sphincter becomes relaxed due to medications, stress, smoking, obesity or excessive vomiting, the contents of the stomach may back up into the esophagus, causing damage. Acidophilus may help balance your natural bacterial flora and reduce GERD symptoms.
GERD Symptoms
The most common symptom of GERD is heartburn. The stomach acid, pepsin and bile and other digestive juices escape past the sphincter into the esophagus, cause a burning sensation in the chest and throat area that can be quite uncomfortable and, at times, painful. Other signs include belching, regurgitation of food, nausea, vomiting, sore throat, hoarseness, chest pain, coughing and wheezing. Over time, this can lead to ulcers of the esophagus and a precancerous change to the cells called Barrett's esophagus.
Acidophilus
Acidophilus, also known as Lactobacillus acidophilus or L. acidophilus, is a probiotic that lives in your gastrointestinal tract naturally. It is one of the most common healthy bacteria that acts to protect you from disease. When acidophilus breaks down in your stomach, it forms lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide that creates an unfriendly environment for disease-causing bacteria. Acidophilus also promotes a healthy balance of bacterial organisms.
Diagnosing GERD
Diagnosing GERD is fairly straightforward with the symptoms being fairly evident. Tests to confirm reflux disease may include an upper endoscopy, where a tube and tiny camera is inserted down the esophagus to observe signs of inflammation or damage or a barium swallow that allows x-rays to be taken of the esophagus as you swallow. Inflammation in the esophageal lining is due to a change in the bacterial flora that may be helped with acidophilus.
Treating GERD with Acidophilus
People who suffer from GERD may have a broader range of bacteria in the esophagus, consisting of mainly anaerobic bacteria, bacteria that require little or no oxygen to survive. A 2009 study in the journal "Gastroenterology" found that these bacteria cause inflammation and cell damage and may cause Barret's esophagus. The study also noted that treatment with probiotics, such as acidophilus, may help restore the normal bacterial environment.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
- UT Health Science Center: Patient Care --- Conditions, Diseases
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Lactobacillus Acidophilus
- NYU Langone Medical Center: News & Views; Study Offers New Insight into the Causes of GERD; September/October 2009
- "Gastroenterology"; Inflammation and Intestinal Metaplasia of the Distal Esophagus Are Associated With Alterations in the Microbiome; Liying Yang, et al.; April 2009
