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 For
the nearly one in two American adults plagued with heartburn, heeding
the following advice might be wise: Steer clear of carbonated soft
drinks in the hours before bedtime, as a study found soda consumption
was linked with troublesome acid reflux at night.
What's more, acid reflux during the night tends to be more
harmful because it is associated more with complications such as
narrowing the esophagus, alterations of the esophagus and cancerous
changes of the esophagus and esophageal cancer.
Making the Connection
Researchers reviewed data from a large, ongoing Sleep Heart Health
Study, focused on investigating the connections between disturbed
sleep and cardiovascular health.
Data showed that almost a quarter of the 15,000 patients surveyed
reported heartburn problems while sleeping; and those who drank
one or more carbonated soft drinks a day increased their risk of
developing heartburn at night by almost a third, compared to patients
who stayed away from them.
Why do carbonated drinks have such an effect? Two reasons:
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Most carbonated drinks are extremely acidic.
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Drinking carbonated beverages forces your body to consume carbon
dioxide, which can cause more distension of the stomach and
more acid reflux.
In addition to the findings above, the research team also found
a 65 percent increased risk of heartburn after bedtime in those
who used benzodiazepine sleeping aids such as Ativan, Halcion, Valium
and Xanax. Thus, aside from avoiding sodas late in the day, researchers
also advise switching sleep medications to help prevent the occurrence
of acid reflux.
Chest
May 2005;127(5):1658-1666
Forbes
May 10, 2005
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