Gastroenterologist Panina: soda for heartburn will give a quick effect, but will complicate the disease

Using soda for heartburn is one of the well-known folk recipes, but it is not at all safe. Gastroenterologist Natalia Panina warned why you should avoid this remedy if you have digestive problems.

Despite the quick feeling of relief, drinking a soda solution for heartburn can only make the situation worse.

The reason is that the alkaline environment created by soda in the stomach temporarily reduces irritation of the mucous membranes. But the process of neutralizing hydrochloric acid is accompanied by intensive formation of carbon dioxide. This leads to increased synthesis of a new portion of acid, which causes repeated release of stomach contents back into the esophagus.

This creates a vicious circle that damages the walls of the esophagus and irritates the stomach. As a result, the likelihood of developing chronic inflammation and ulcerative lesions increases.

If heartburn is ignored, it can lead to inflammation of the esophagus (esophagitis), strictures (narrowing), bleeding, and a condition known as Barrett's esophagus. The latter increases the risk of cancerous changes in the tissues.

“Baking soda can really provide short-term relief from heartburn, but it won’t eliminate the cause,” the doctor noted in an interview with Gazeta.ru.

Heartburn is experienced by 20% of the population with varying frequency. Its consequences are often visible during gastroscopy. These are damages (erosions, ulcers) on the mucous membrane. So recurring heartburn cannot be called harmless. It is a symptom of one of the acid-dependent diseases, noted in a conversation with aif.ru gastroenterologist, professor of the Department of Internal Medicine, Nephrology, General and Clinical Pharmacology with a course in Pharmacy at the North-West State Medical University named after I. I. Mechnikov, Doctor of Medical Sciences Sergey Tikhonov.

Nutrition plays a decisive role in gastrointestinal problems. For example, kvass can also provoke heartburn. Due to the sugar and alcohol it contains, it can also aggravate gastrointestinal diseases. If the drink contains preservatives, such as additional additives, they cause stomach pain, OTR reports.

Most often, heartburn is caused by fatty and fried foods. They slow down the emptying of the stomach, increasing the pressure on the sphincter. Among such products, the expert notes French fries, fatty meats (pork, bacon), and high-fat cheeses, writes Life.ru.