Acid Drops

It's not so much what we eat as how we eat that's important. 

You only need to avoid foods that trigger your heartburn and only while your oesophagitis heals.

The most acidic foods you could eat are not as strong as the acid the stomach makes. Read "How The Stomach Makes Acid"

Acid refluxes from the stomach via an incompetent Lower Oesophageal Sphincter (LOS) into the oesophagus which it burns causing oesophagitis inflammation which is the source of heartburn symptoms.

Antacids reduce heartburn pain by neutralising acid that has refluxed into the oesophagus.

In surveys of acid refluxers in the Barrett's Esophagus Awareness Facebook forum in 2023, 48% of women and 22% of men said they had never experienced the pain of heartburn. 

Barrett's cells protect us against acid attack. Any pain will be from oesophagitis which still needs to heal.

Acid suppressants are excellent at reducing stomach acid (a chemical action) but do not prevent reflux (a mechanical action) - they just make it less damaging. 

"In the management of symptoms of extra-oesophageal reflux, acid suppressant medication did not appear to be effective whereas reflux reduction surgery was."

Research evidence shows PPI medication has a chemo-protective effect and the possible mechanism, “The proton pump inhibitor pantoprazole disrupts protein degradation systems and sensitizes cancer cells to death under various stresses” 

Studies linking alcohol to oesophageal cancer, refer to squamous cell carcinoma or are unspecific.

The balance of findings shows no indication that alcohol in moderation is detrimental to acid reflux sufferers.

Some reports even suggest there may be a beneficial effect.

The common belief is that coffee, being acidic and containing the drug caffeine may promote or exacerbate acid reflux, particularly as it is often cited by patients experiencing heartburn. However, the balance of research does not appear to support this. (See this chapter for a full evaluation of the science.)