Can Gluten Give You Acid Reflux? 3 Signs to Watch For

Can Gluten Give You Acid Reflux? (Yes!) And 3 Signs to Watch For to Beat the Bloat and Feel Better Fast. No more burping and bloating!

Once I finally figured out it was the gluten I was eating that was causing my reflux, I was finally, finally free from the bloating, burping and nausea.

As I said buh-bye to the pills that I was taking to (apparently) control my GERD, I wanted to learn more about how gluten can cause reflux.

If you wanna know why gluten might be causing your reflux and more importantly, want a solution to stop painful reflux after eating gluten, you’re in the right place????‍♀️

In this blog, I’ll cover:

1. What is gluten?
2. Acid Reflux: What is it?
3. Can gluten give you acid reflux?
4. Can acid reflux be a symptom of gluten intolerance?

Let’s get started!

What is Gluten?

Gluten is the protein found in grains like wheat, barley, rye and other grains.

Specifically in wheat, gluten makes up ~80% of the total proteins.

Wheat flour itself is such an important food and food ingredient used in sooooo many different products. Things that we eat (like bread, baked goods, pasta, etc.) and things that we use – like even some make-up.

Wheat flour does have a ton of beneficial nutritional properties, like protein (the gluten), fibre and trace vitamins and minerals.

So wheat flour isn’t “bad” necessarily but the it’s the gluten protein in the wheat that causes immune responses and hypersensitivity reactions in susceptible people (like me and you.)

What is Acid Reflux?

Acid reflux or “GERD” – gastroesophageal reflux disease – is when acid from the stomach leaks into your esophagus. There’s a sphincter around the lower esophagus (think kinda like a rubber band) and this keeps the stomach acid where it needs to be: in your stomach.

But for many different reasons, conditions in your gut can change, causing this rubber band to loosen, letting stomach acid seep into your esophagus.

This can cause bloating, burping, nausea and a burning in your throat. Not a whole lotta fun!

1. Big, Bad Bloating – have you ever ate a meal and then a few hours later, you’re making comments to your spouse about your “pregnant belly”, patting it lovingly? In my own experience and talking to many others about this, stomach bloating often happens after eating gluten. This may be related to the type of carbohydrates eaten, causing more fermentation which in turn, causing bloating (more on this later.)

2. Bad Breath – spouse buying you TicTacs on the regular for your Dragon Breath? Acid reflux after eating gluten can cause some really narly smells to waft up through your food pipe and out into the world. Often my husband would tell me I had “stress breath”.  I brushed more often; I flossed; I breathed into my hand and tried to smell it (does that even work?) but nothing helped. Until, that is, I cut out gluten for good. No more reflux from gluten=no more bad breath.

3. Belching & Burping – find yourself rocked by burps that happen even when your stomach is empty? I remember hours after eating, I would burp like I just drank a whole bunch of Bubbly. I got used to it after a few years but really, I shouldn’t have. Why the heck would I be BURPING if I didn’t eat anything for hours? Try and see if you notice your burps are expected (after some carbonated water, say for example) or are you generally in a state of a near-constant-blelch-fest? If it’s the latter, try cutting out gluten and see if it gets any better.

Can Acid Reflux Be a Symptom of Gluten Intolerance?

So here’s the thing: gluten intolerance can cause a lot of different symptoms.

Here’s a list of some of the symptoms that people report:

• Bloating
• Diarrhea
• Headache
• Abdominal Pain
• Fatigue
• Skin Problems
• Muscle & Joint Pain
• Brain Fog
• Nausea
• Depression
• Anemia

But, the symptoms of gluten intolerance overlap with celiac disease and other intestinal conditions like irritable bowl syndrome for example.

Plus, the diagnosis for gluten intolerance or non-celiac gluten sensitivity isn’t clear – there isn’t a biomarker or a reliable way to diagnosis the condition.

Some studies point to changes in the intestines “permeability” or the amount of stuff (<– science word) that gets through the lining of the intestines and activation of the innate immune system but again, nothing is established in the medical community at this point (1).

For me, because I had such bad acid reflux from gluten, once I finally cut out gluten for good, my symptoms went away and I got to say buh-bye to my prescription medication.

For me, I had:

• Painful bloating
• Non-stop reflux (you know – the burps, the burning in your throat)
• Stomach or abdominal cramping
• Nausea that won’t let up

Although true gluten-related disorders are uncommon (1), it’s kind of amazing the number of people I talk to that are bloated and burping, taking medication, cutting out coffee, red wine (?!), carbonated beverages and STILL getting no relief from acid reflux.

In the research, the connection between eating gluten and acid reflux is not well defined but more studies are being done to try and figure it out (2).

Gluten may cause acid reflux by lowering the pressure of the esophageal sphincter because of fermentation of starches

One connection has been found in the type of carbohydrate eaten: starches vs. fibre. Changes in the type of carbs eaten may be linked with increased GERD-symptoms. More starch and less fibre = more acid reflux. Why does this happen? Researchers think it might be linked to the fact that starch seems to lower the esophageal sphincter pressure because of increases colonic fermentation (aka more toots).

In the western diet, we get most of the starches in our diet from refined grains, which are gluten-based and tend to be lower in fibre.

So Can You End Reflux with a Gluten-Free Diet?

The jury is still definitely out when it comes to why or more importantly, how gluten causes acid reflux.

There are small studies showing that gluten-free diets can help with reducing GERD-symptoms and prevention more reflux from happening (3).

But I know one thing for sure: when I went gluten-free (for actual good), I didn’t have any bloating, burping or nausea and I said buh-bye to my medications.

For me, that’s all the evidence I need????‍♀️

If you think gluten might be causing your acid reflux, try cutting out gluten (for good) and see what happens. I’d be thrilled to be right there with you on your journey to gluten-free for life too.

Get started now and beat acid reflux and with my gluten free recipes – sign up today so you don’t miss anything:

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~April

You may also want to check out:

Can the Keto Diet Really Cause Gluten Intolerance?

How to Relieve Bloating from Gluten Intolerance

What Not to Eat With Gluten Intolerance (PDF list)

How Long After Eating Gluten Do You Feel Sick?

References:

1. Newberry C. The Gluten-Free Diet: Use in Digestive Disease Management. Curr Treat Options Gastroenterol. 2019 Dec;17(4):554-563. doi: 10.1007/s11938-019-00255-0. PMID: 31705373.

2. Barbaro MR, Cremon C, Stanghellini V and Barbara G. Recent advances in understanding non-celiac gluten sensitivity [version 1; referees: 2 approved] F1000Research 2018, 7(F1000 Faculty Rev):1631 (doi: 10.12688/f1000research.15849.1)

3. Usai P, Manca R, Cuomo R, Lai MA, Russo L, Boi MF. Effect of gluten-free diet on preventing recurrence of gastroesophageal reflux disease-related symptoms in adult celiac patients with nonerosive reflux disease. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2008 Sep;23(9):1368-72. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1746.2008.05507.x. PMID: 18853995.

Gluten and GERD: What’s the Relationship?

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a chronic disease in which stomach contents re-enter the esophagus and damage the lining of the esophagus.

This condition is common, affecting around 20% of people in the United States.

GERD can be a painful and uncomfortable condition, especially when left untreated. Fortunately, there are many medical and lifestyle interventions that can help you better manage your GERD symptoms.

In particular, the foods we eat have been linked to improving or worsening GERD symptoms. One ingredient that has been thought to worsen GERD symptoms is gluten, which is a protein found in wheat products.

This article discusses the relationship between GERD and gluten, including whether gluten actually worsens GERD symptoms, and provides helpful tips for managing your GERD.

The relationship between gluten and GERD isn’t well understood, but some research shows a link between celiac disease — an immune disorder affecting up to 1% of people that requires the complete avoidance of gluten — and GERD.

However, celiac disease can be difficult to diagnose, so more people may have it than we think.

A recent clinical trial also suggests that there may also be a link between GERD and non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), which might affect up to 13% of people.

Relationship between gluten and GERD

In an older 2008 study, researchers investigated whether a gluten-free diet (GFD) would improve GERD symptoms in people with celiac disease compared with a control group of people without celiac disease.

After 6 months on a GFD, only 20% of celiac participants and 30% in the control group had a recurrence of GERD symptoms. Note that the participants also took proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) medications, which are standard treatments for GERD.

At 1 year, no additional people in the celiac group experienced GERD symptoms, but a total of 60% of participants in the control group did.

At 2 years, the celiac group continued to have no additional recurring GERD symptoms, but 85% of the control group had GERD symptoms.

These findings suggest that if you have celiac disease and GERD, following a gluten-free diet while taking PPI medications may help to manage GERD symptoms. Going gluten-free is less likely to help with GERD if you don’t have celiac.

Another older study supports that idea.

The study found a strong correlation between untreated celiac disease and GERD symptoms: 30% of people with celiac reported moderate to severe GERD symptoms, compared with only 4.7% of people without celiac.

After adopting a GFD for three months or longer, participants with celiac disease saw significant improvements in their GERD symptoms.

Some olderstudies have also found correlations between celiac disease, NCGS, and GERD. That said, otherstudies found no correlations between celiac disease and GERD, so more research is needed.

Can a gluten-free diet help with GERD if you don’t have celiac disease?

Some people with GERD who have either NCGS or no formal diagnoses may still benefit from a gluten-free diet.

Even though there’s a lack of research on the link between NCGS and GERD, some people with NCGS experience symptoms like reflux after eating gluten.

A recent study analyzed the effects of a dietitian-monitored GFD in people who had symptoms consistent with celiac disease, including reflux and GERD, but for whom blood tests didn’t show the markers necessary for a formal diagnosis.

Many of the participants showed improvement after following the GFD, leading researchers to suggest that they may have had what’s called seronegative celiac disease — meaning, celiac disease that isn’t detected by a blood test.

Therefore, some people with GERD symptoms who don’t have a diagnosis of celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity may still benefit from limiting or avoiding gluten.

If you’re considering a GFD to help with your GERD symptoms, it’s a good idea to work with a registered dietitian to make sure you’re not missing out on important nutrients.

Why GERD may be a side effect of celiac disease and NCGS

The mechanism behind how celiac disease affects GERD symptoms isn’t well-established.

It’s thought that certain symptoms of celiac disease may contribute to the development of GERD, such as:

• delayed gastric emptying
• weakened esophageal motility (movement)
• changes in gastrointestinal hormones
• altered mucosal lining of the esophagus
• small intestinal bacterial overgrowth

These symptoms may increase stomach acid entering the esophagus, causing GERD symptoms. This likely means that it’s not gluten itself causing GERD for people with celiac disease, but the symptoms of their celiac.

Beyond this, no studies have found that following a GFD provides any symptom relief for people with GERD but not celiac disease or NCGS. Thus, a GFD is unnecessary for most people with GERD.

In fact, while a GFD can be healthy and is medically necessary for some people, a poorly-planned GFD may increase the risk of:

• vitamin and fiber deficiencies
• high levels of lipids like cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood
• high blood sugar
• coronary artery disease

Plus, a GFD can be expensive to follow long term, and since it’s somewhat restrictive, it can affect your social life and relationship with food.

There are many useful nutrition and lifestyle tips that may help reduce your GERD symptoms, suchas:

• Reaching or maintaining a healthy body weight: Carrying excess weight around the abdomen can increase pressure on the stomach, leading to acid reflux.
• Elevating your head when resting: Sleeping or laying at an angle can help prevent acid from re-entering the esophagus.
• Eating sitting up: Try to eat your meals sitting upright, and avoid laying down for at least 2–3 hours after eating. This will help ensure your meals are properly digested and prevent stomach contents from re-entering your esophagus.
• Eating smaller, more frequent meals: Consuming large meals can increase stomach acid production and abdominal pressure, which can make your symptoms worse.
• Limiting or avoiding trigger foods: Though these will vary from person to person, certain foods and spices may worsen your GERD symptoms. Examples include high fat foods, coffee or tea, chocolate, alcohol, acidic foods (like tomatoes and oranges), herbs and spices (like mint, chili pepper, black pepper, cayenne, and nutmeg), and spicy foods.
• Reducing or avoiding alcohol: Drinking alcohol may relax the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which may cause excess stomach acid to re-enter your esophagus.
• Wearing loose-fitting clothing: Wearing clothes that are too tight can put pressure on the abdomen, making symptoms worse.
• Stopping smoking: Smoking can weaken the LES, worsening symptoms. Also, it can increase your risk of esophageal cancer.
• Taking over-the-counter or prescription medication: A healthcare professional may recommend medications to help reduce acid production and alleviate symptoms, such as antacids (like Pepto-Bismol, Gaviscon, or Milk of Magnesia), h3 receptor antagonists, PPIs, or potassium competitive acid blockers, among others.
• Managing your stress: Though more research is needed, emotional stress may increase stomach acid production.

While lifestyle modifications can help reduce symptoms of GERD, it’s important to work closely with a healthcare provider who can provide personalized recommendations.

If symptoms worsen, they may recommend more invasive interventions, such as surgery.

Keep in mind

Long-term use of PPIs to treat GERD is associated with some side effects and health conditions.

These include loss of bone mineral density, poor nutrient absorption, and others, although more research is needed.

PPIs may also increase the risk of dysbiosis (or overgrowth), a condition marked by unfavorable changes to the gut microbiome.

Dysbiosis symptoms include unintentional weight loss, oily stools, bloating, poor vitamin absorption, and vitamin deficiencies.

It’s important not to stop taking medications that are prescribed to you, but if you’re experiencing symptoms of dysbiosis or other side effects, reach out to a healthcare provider. They can test for and treat dysbiosis and help manage any side effects.

Was this helpful?

Here are some questions people often ask about gluten and GERD.

Can a gluten free diet help with acid reflux?

To date, there is no evidence that following a gluten-free diet will help with acid reflux.

However, if you have celiac disease, following a gluten-free diet is necessary to manage that condition, and it may also reduce your acid reflux or GERD symptoms.

Can gluten affect your esophagus?

There is currently no evidence that gluten negatively affects the esophagus in people who don’t have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

However, if you have celiac disease or NCGS, gluten may interfere with the small intestine and lead to digestive issues.

One small study also found changes in the mucosal lining of the esophagus in people with celiac disease, and a recent clinical trial found high rates of esophageal lining damage in people with NCGS.

What foods make GERD worse?

Some research suggests that certain foods may irritate and weaken the lower esophageal sphincter, which normally prevents stomach acid from re-entering the stomach.

Common triggers include high fat foods, acidic foods (like tomatoes, oranges, and vinegars), chocolate, carbonated beverages, alcohol, caffeine, herbs and spices (like mint, chili pepper, black pepper, cayenne, and nutmeg), and spicy foods.

That said, not everyone will need to limit or reduce these foods. If you suspect a food is making your GERD worse, try eliminating it for 2–4 weeks. If symptoms don’t improve, then you can reintroduce it back into your diet.

The relationship between GERD and gluten is not well-established.

There is some research that links celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity with increased risks of GERD and worsened symptoms, but this is likely a side effect of the condition rather than gluten being the main culprit.

Therefore, unless you have celiac disease or NCGS, there is no need to eliminate gluten from your diet to manage your GERD symptoms.

Instead, other lifestyle modifications such as quitting smoking, limiting alcohol, maintaining a moderate weight, and changing some eating practices may help.

Acid reflux What is the cause of reflux? Reflux correction

44% of people experience heartburn at least once a month. Between 25 and 35% have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Acid-blocking drugs are the third most prescribed medication. Reflux causes huge problems, from bad breath to coughs, dental problems and insomnia. Therefore, such a pathology cannot be ignored.

What is the cause of reflux?

For reflux, the underlying cause is sometimes very simple. Perhaps this is the food that a person consumes. Foods that promote reflux:

• Fried foods
• Spices
• Citrus
• Tomatoes
• Processed food (e.g. sausage, sausages)
• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Smoked

Acid reflux can also be caused by other factors:

• Eating right before bed
• Overeating
• Overweight, abdominal obesity
• Chronic stress
• Magnesium deficiency
• Food sensitivities, including gluten and dairy products.
• Dysbacteriosis and fungal infection of the gastrointestinal tract
• H. pylori, a bacterium that many people have, can sometimes be associated with reflux.

Acid Reflux Correction

The most common treatment for GERD is hydrochloric acid blockers. This group of drugs relieves symptoms but does not solve the problem and has a number of side effects. Firstly, hydrochloric acid is needed in the stomach for adequate digestion and disinfection of food. Secondly, hydrochloric acid blockers can promote the growth of pathological bacteria in the intestines. Thirdly, prolonged use of this group of drugs leads to a deficiency of vitamin B12 and zinc, which, in turn, causes depression, neuropathy, digestive problems and osteoporosis.

What to do?

• Correct your diet. Things that are necessary and easy to remove are spices, citrus fruits, tomato-based products and fried foods.
• Get rid of possible food allergens.
• Eliminate alcohol, caffeine and nicotine. All of them can cause reflux.
• Do not eat three hours before bedtime.
• Calm down before eating. One easy way is to take five deep breaths in and out before eating.
• Use additives.

The most effective are glutamine, arabinogalactan, licorice and aloe soluble in water. But it should be borne in mind that licorice extract should not contain glycyrrhizin, and aloe should be cleared of bitter elements in order to prevent a laxative effect. All these nuances are taken into account in GlutAloeMine. If there is a problem of dysbacteriosis, it is necessary to take a course of probiotics with Bifido- and Lactobacilli in sufficient dosage (from 30 billion as ProbioMax Daily DF).

It is also often necessary to use plant based digestive enzymes. They help digest food, prevent the development of GERD symptoms, and do not have the side effects of animal enzymes. A wonderful option would be XymoZyme, containing the optimal ratio of enzymes and cleared of possible allergens.

In addition, magnesium is a very powerful relaxation mineral for the digestive system, which helps prevent reflux. The best forms of magnesium for the gastrointestinal tract are magnesium glycinate, malate and citrate as in OptiMag 125 and Magnesium Citrate

All these activities are best coordinated with a doctor of functional medicine, as additional diagnostics may be needed, for example:

• H. Pylori test
• Definition of intolerance, allergy to gluten, celiac disease
• Food sensitivity testing on the ALEX multi-component analyzer.
• Diagnostics for the presence of parasites, dysbacteriosis, as well as determining the duration of transit of the food bolus through the intestines and breath tests.

What is the acid reflux diet? – Drink-Drink

The Acid Reflux Diet is a meal plan designed for people with acid reflux to control symptoms. Acid reflux occurs when stomach acid is flushed back from the stomach into the esophagus, causing symptoms such as heartburn, chest tightness, or a bitter taste in the mouth.

When acid reflux is chronic, it is known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The acid reflux diet aims to keep GERD under control by avoiding trigger foods. This diet isn’t ideal for everyone, but many who struggle with acid reflux find relief from the symptoms.

What the experts say

“The acid reflux diet limits foods that can aggravate reflux symptoms. Experts agree that food and other lifestyle factors can have a big impact on symptoms. It is helpful to work with an expert when restricting foods to ensure that nutritional balance and satisfaction are maintained.”

– Willow Jarosh, MS, RD

background check

The acid reflux diet was developed as a way to combat acid reflux, a condition that occurs when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus. The diet is often recommended by doctors to prevent and treat a host of unwanted symptoms, including:

• Frequent belching or hiccups
• Chronic bloating or indigestion
• Burning in the throat
• Bitter taste in the mouth
• Chest tightness or discomfort
• Heartburn
• Difficulty swallowing

Chronic acid reflux can turn into GERD , a serious condition that can lead to other complications if left untreated.

Based on limited research and anecdotal evidence from patients, health professionals have concluded that certain foods can cause acid reflux, and the acid reflux diet aims to avoid these foods.

Studies have found an association between acid reflux and high cholesterol foods, fatty and fried foods, citrus fruits, sour foods, caffeine, spicy foods, dairy products, and carbonated drinks. Thus, the acid reflux diet encourages people to limit these foods.

How does it work?

There is no one-size-fits-all diet for acid reflux. While there are general guidelines for dealing with reflux, what works best is very individual. If you’re dealing with acid reflux, you should use the guidelines to determine which foods cause acid reflux and which don’t. For example, some believe that chocolate causes reflux, but if you can eat chocolate without discomfort, feel free to continue enjoying it.

In addition, lifestyle factors affect acid reflux – you should consider things like tobacco use, stress, exercise, sleep patterns, eating habits (such as heavy night meals) and alcohol consumption in addition to your diet.

If you think it would be beneficial for you to follow a diet for acid reflux, work with a doctor or registered dietitian who can help you identify your personal trigger foods, like an elimination diet for food intolerance.

Once you find your triggers, you will want to avoid them. Most health professionals also recommend eating less and more frequently throughout the day to fight acid reflux.

Pros and cons

Following an acid reflux diet can help you pinpoint trigger foods and thus avoid acid reflux. In addition, this diet can also help you include more vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains in your diet while limiting unhealthy fats and fried foods, added sugar, and sodas.

There are also medical treatments, such as various pills or surgery to treat chronic acid reflux, but dietary changes are a great place to start, not to mention easier and more affordable than a prescription or procedure.

You may be surprised to learn that despite strong support, there is actually very little evidence that the trigger diet (or any diet at all) is effective for treating GERD. In fact, the American College of Gastroenterology does not recommend this approach because the connection is not clear. In addition, elimination diets can be difficult to follow for the first few weeks, and you may experience withdrawal symptoms if you are used to eating sugar and drinking coffee daily.

After weighing the pros and cons, you may still be lucky with the acid reflux diet. Just consult with a specialist before starting.

Common Myths and Questions

If you have acid reflux or GERD, you may have a few questions about the acid reflux diet.

Will just changing my diet fix my symptoms?

Probably not. Acid reflux can occur due to many individual factors or a combination of factors. You may need to make lifestyle changes, including: quit smoking, start exercising, get more sleep, lower your stress levels, reduce your alcohol intake, lose weight, and change your diet.

Can’t I just go on a regular elimination diet?

No. The traditional elimination diet focuses on identifying food allergies or sensitivities and eliminates all major allergens from the diet: soy, eggs, tree nuts, dairy, gluten, seafood, caffeine, sugar, and alcohol. While some of these foods overlap with acid reflux incompatible foods, the diets serve different purposes.

Does the acid reflux diet help everyone?

While potentially effective, trigger foods are different for everyone and some people may not succeed with the acid reflux diet. Also, as mentioned earlier, it’s not just diet that contributes to acid reflux.

In fact, there is no evidence that the acid reflux diet works for anyone – the diet is based on limited data between individual foods or compounds and acid reflux symptoms such as cholesterol levels.

How to compare it

Although the acid reflux diet is designed to achieve a very specific goal, it is still similar to some other popular diets. Consider these quick comparisons:

Elimination Diet

• Food Allergy or Hypersensitivity Trigger Diet.
• Very restrictive in the first few weeks – excludes all known major allergens.
• This is best done under the supervision of a doctor or nutritionist.

Mediterranean Diet

• A well-researched healthy eating plan that mimics the eating style of the Mediterranean countries.
• Focuses on fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, whole grains and lean protein.
• Non-restrictive
• May be followed without individual guidance from a healthcare professional

DASH Diet

• A respected and well-researched meal plan to reduce blood pressure or hypertension.
• is very balanced and focused on the consumption of whole, foods rich in nutrients
• strong emphasis on salt consumption
• can be followed without individual guidance by a medical worker

first steps

if you are ready to begin the diet with acid reflux, find pen and sheet of paper. Start by making a list of all the foods you think might be causing your symptoms. When you’re ready to start, eliminate all of these foods – just make sure you have replacement ideas while you’re in the elimination phase.

Exception diets are best done with the help of a professional who can tell you when and in what order to add foods back in. It is helpful to keep a food diary and make notes about your symptoms: are they decreasing in intensity? Frequency? Do they leave at all? In most cases, at the stage of reintroduction, products are added one at a time, with a break of two to three days.

A word from Drink-Drink

When choosing a diet, it is important to choose one that will help you achieve your goals. If your goal is to reduce or eliminate acid reflux symptoms, you may want to try the acid reflux diet. Keep in mind that the acid reflux diet is more like a set of rough guidelines than a strict eating plan. Bend it to suit your needs and consult your doctor for recommendations.