Every month, we send some of your biggest questions on nutrition, health, and more to our panel of experts to answer. The question, "I have acid reflux and drink tons of coffee. Am I making it worse?" was answered by Keri Peterson, M.D, internal medicine, Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
You might be. Acid reflux, or GERD, which stands for gastroesophageal reflux disease, happens when stomach acid flows up into your esophagus and irritates the lining. That can give you heartburn, a sore throat, a dry cough, and even chest pain. Certain foods and drinks—such as alcohol, mint, spicy foods, and yep, coffee—can trigger it because they relax the sphincter muscle between the esophagus and the stomach that normally prevents acid from regurgitating. Coffee does so due to compounds called methylxanthines. Switching to espresso drinks that contain less overall coffee, like lattes or cappuccinos, might help a bit. But coffee is still an acidic drink, meaning it can aggravate symptoms, so cutting back on your brew intake could make a difference. Avoiding it is best, but if that's too difficult, try drinking just one cup a day.
Watch a hot doctor explain what makes asthma worse:
Related: 5 Signs You Might Have A Scary Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Other things that reduce GERD: eating smaller meals; waiting at least three hours after eating to go to sleep; stopping smoking; and maintaining a healthy weight. If you still feel symptoms, see your doctor, who may recommend other treatments.
This article originally appeared in the November 2017 issue of Women's Health. For more great advice, pick up a copy of the issue on newsstands now!
