GERD: Caffeine or Acidity?

What causes acid reflux (GERD) to become worse when you consume coffee or soda? Caffeine or the acidity of the drink?

The Acidity of Coffee Irritates the Stomach

Coffee is highly acidic and it can stimulate the hypersecretion of gastric acids. Decaffeinated coffee has been shown to increase acidity to a greater degree than either regular coffee or caffeine alone.15 Both caffeine and coffee stimulate gastric acid secretion and decaffeinated coffee raises serum gastrin levels.16, 17 A study comparing the ability of decaffeinated coffee with that of a high protein meal to increase gastric acid secretion and gastrin levels found that decaffeinated coffee was a more powerful stimulant of acid secretion and gastrin release than the high protein.18
Coffee tends to speed up the process of gastric emptying, which may result in highly acidic stomach contents passing into the small intestine more rapidly than normal. This may lead to injury of the intestinal tissue.19
There is a clear relationship between reduction of stomach acid and heartburn relief.20

GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) is caused when the opening between the esophagus and the stomach becomes looser or relaxes at the wrong times. Normally, this opening allows food to travel only from your esophagus into your stomach. A muscular valve, called a sphincter, normally keeps stomach contents, including stomach acid, in the stomach.

When the sphincter between the stomach and the esophagus becomes loose or relaxes at the wrong time, the stomach contents can flow up from the stomach into the esophagus. This irritates the esophagus, which doesn't have a special lining to protect it from acid like the stomach does. Studies have also shown that if you lie in bed, the protective effect of gravity can become lessened. Learn more about your digestive system and GERD.

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