Do you have chronic acid reflux? This medical condition is known as GER (gastroesophageal reflux). It is most possibly a symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Do you know why do you face this situation? It mostly happens to those whose stomach content comes back to their esophagus. It is dangerous to the health because if it continues for a long time, it will damage the organ. Therefore, many people use apple cider vinegar for acid reflux. Does it work? How to use it? Let’s discuss a few things about it.
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What Is Apple Cider Vinegar?
ACV is a kind of acetic acid with substances like citric, lactic, malic acid, and sometimes bacteria. When people consume it with their diet, they believe insufficient acid signals their brains to relax the lower esophagus sphincter valve. So, when you use apple cider, it balances the acids in your stomach to their best working level. In addition, many people believe that using apple cider vinegar would give them probiotic benefits.
Why Do You Suffer From Acid Reflux?
Many reasons cause acid reflux, and it all makes your LES valve weaken or loosen. Here are the main reasons why your LES valve loosens or weakens.
- Smoking
- Medications
- Alcohol
- A stomach hernia
- Increased abdominal pressure (due to obesity/pregnancy)
Once people get affected by chronic acid reflux, they frequently have acid reflux, and it becomes a routine or daily problem. It happens with some people due to drinking or eating. The following are other reasons why you have acid reflux.
- Do not eat spicy or minty foods.
- Consuming acidic fruits or juices like tomatoes or others
- Consuming chocolate, coffee, or any other caffeine
- Fried foods or fast foods
- Any sodas or tonic water
- Drinks with alcohol
- Bedtime immediately after eating
Why Does Apple Cider Vinegar Help?
There is no clear evidence that ACV can be a great home remedy for acid reflux. But some people have experienced that consuming ACV with dietary supplements before having meals can help. You can use some supplements like citrate, probiotic supplementation, and others. Some people have great improvements in symptoms. So, you can try apple cider vinegar for acid reflux.
How Can You Use ACV?
Apple cider vinegar is a home remedy to cure acid reflux. In this section, we will discuss how you can use it to improve the symptoms of acid reflux. The first thing to consider is that you have to use diluted ACV. Dilute it in warm water.
Take a teaspoon of ACV and have a glass of warm water. Mix it with the warm water well, and drink it slowly. You can consume it before or after meals. Many people prefer capsules of dehydrated apple cider vinegar. These capsules also include some blend of herbal remedies.
How to start it? It’s the main question many people face. You must consult a medical professional before trying this home remedy, and you should not replace your prescriptions or medications with apple cider vinegar.
What Are Possible Side Effects Of ACV For Acid Reflux?
There are no complex risks of ACV for acid reflux, but you might have to face some potential side effects. Don’t forget that this home remedy is corrosive. It would be best if you did not consume it straight or didn’t use lesser water to dilute it. If you want to heal your ulcer, you have to use it as per the given standards.
The following are the commonly seen side effects of apple cider vinegar for acid reflux (diluted or not).
- Irritated throat. (You may have urges to clear it or cough)
- Mouth tissue burning (also burns esophagus or stomach)
- It can cause tooth enamel erosion and promote cavities.
How It’s Made (Apple Cider Vinegar)?
ACV is a type of vinegar that is fermented. Makers crush the apples to make ACV, and it’s one of the most common home remedies for acid reflux and heartburn. Of course, most home remedies can effectively improve the symptoms of acid reflux. But many people say that ACV is the most effective to relieve the symptoms of acid reflux. But you must know that it can also worsen acid reflux conditions.
Will ACV Cure Acid Reflux?
You may have acid reflux due to the upward flows of the stomach. It makes your mouth taste sour, and you may have a burning sensation in your chest. In that case, ACV is effective in curing your acid reflux.
What Are Alternative To ACV?
- Prokinetics are the best options to reduce acid reflux because they also reduce the LES. It also helps to empty the stomach content quickly.
- Sometimes, doctors suggest H2 receptor blockers with high doses of activated medicines.
- Some PPIs (proton pump inhibitors) can effectively reduce acid reflux.
Change Your Lifestyle:
Using only apple cider vinegar for acid reflux is, of course, somewhat effective, but when you change your lifestyle, you get permanent results. Changing your lifestyle is a must to treat any disease or medical condition of your health. So let’s discuss how it can help you.
Changing your lifestyle will, without any doubts, cure your condition from acid reflux if you keep consistency.
- Avoid any foods and drinks that trigger acid reflux. Or it would help if you consumed that in moderation.
- Before lying after eating, you must wait for some time.
- Do not lower your head while sleeping or going to sleep.
- The head should be elevated while sleeping, so you have the proper airflow.
- Avoid smoking to keep your breathes clean.
- You may need to lose weight. Discuss with your doctor.
- Achieve a healthy weight. If you are not obese, you have a lower risk of acid reflux. So, a healthy weight is also a great option.
- Do not use any tobacco or its products.
- You should prefer loose clothes and avoid tight clothes around your stomach area. The reason is that tight clothes will push the stomach acid towards the good pipe.
- Adopt a healthy diet. It lets you cure quickly and avoid future lifestyle diseases.
- Completely avoid alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, sugar-based products, garlic, onion, mint, spicy foods, and tomatoes or tomatoes-based foods.
What About Medications?
You can see many medications available for acid reflux that reduces acid reflux to a minimal level. That’s why drinking ACV is not the best available option because it can worsen the situation. After all, it increases the levels of acidity in your stomach.
Still, there is a need for proper and complete research on ACV that how it works on acid reflux.
What Are The Medications For Acid Reflux?
If home remedies fail to cure your acid reflux and ACV For Acid Reflux doesn’t work much, you may need some medicine, and the doctor will prescribe you some medicines.
These medicines are knowns to be OTC. Of course, over-the-counter medicines will help you reduce acid reflux. It means if you have no results with home remedies, you may need medicinal help.
When Do You Need Doctor?
If you think you have severe acid reflux and are not getting cured with the most home remedies you can try at home, you need to seek a doctor’s help and try meditation. In rare cases, surgical treatment is given to cure this condition.
If acid reflux affects the lifestyle of people for more than a few weeks, they must seek doctors. Otherwise, this condition will worsen and may damage the organ. The following are the symptoms you should keep in mind and seek a doctor’s help.
- Red or black stool
- Pain in the chest while doing activities
- Difficulties in swallowing or eating
- Vomiting blood
- Sudden weight loss
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is ACV Safe For You?
Generally, ACV has minimal side effects on your body when you use it for acid reflux. Patients with acid reflux have been using it regularly to control blood sugar levels, lose weight, and other benefits without any side effects.
Does It Have Adverse Effects?
Some people experience heartburn worsening, and if you have irritated food pipe, you might have more burning effects after drinking ACV.
How Exactly Should You Use It?
You can take a teaspoon of ACV, mix it with a glass of warm water, and have it before taking meals or after taking meals. Please do not use it without the doctor’s permission.
What Is Ideal Measure?
Do not consume ACV more than a teaspoon per glass of warm water. Also, take it only once for one meal. Do not overuse it to avoid adverse effects.
Do I Need Doctor’s Help?
If your symptoms of acid reflux don’t improve within a few weeks of using home remedies, seek doctors. Also, if ACV worsens the symptoms, ask your doctors.
Wrapping Up:
Did you understand how to use apple cider vinegar for acid reflux? In this article, we have summed up the information available for ACV for acid reflux. Also, we discussed how to use it and what symptoms are enough to seek doctors. That’s why if you found this article knowledge-giving, share it with others and help them reduce acid reflux.
