Top 8 Little Known Heartburn Causes You Need to Know

Over 60 million individuals have heartburn at least once monthly. For those who suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease, also called GERD, heartburn may be a common problem. Christmas dinner, cake, and hot dogs are some clear-cut heartburn culprits. Heartburn may not, however, always come from an improper diet.

Read on to learn more about the most common causes of your persistent heartburn.

1. Stress

While it can seem that stress causes heartburn, the connection is more nuanced than you may think. Stomach acid production is not excessively elevated in response to stress. Yet, stress is linked to a heartburn patient's perception of their symptoms instead of the actual amounts of stomach acid. In other words, anxiety can make you more aware of heartburn symptoms, or the physiological impacts of stress may activate pain receptors in your brain.

2. Genetics

Do you know the origin of your heartburn? Your genetics could be to fault and not your diet. Latest twin studies have shown that 30 to 60% of your GERD symptoms risk come from inherited factors. The hereditary reasons for GERD are still a mystery to specialists. It could be brought on by inherited physical traits including issues with stomach functioning or hypersensitivity to gastric acid.

3. Medications

If you frequently experience headaches and heartburn, you might want to reconsider using ibuprofen. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen or naproxen, can cause heartburn when regularly taken.

Examples include antibiotics, calcium channel blockers (for hypertension), albuterol-type bronchodilators (for asthma and COPD), osteoporosis medications, and various sedatives. If you believe that your prescription is causing heartburn, consult your doctor before stopping your medicine

4. Excess weight

When you become overweight, heartburn is more probable to happen. A 2003 research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that body mass index increases the incidence of acid reflux symptoms.

The connection seems to be more prominent in women than in men (particularly premenopausal women). The causes for this vary. Some include a poor diet, visceral fat, and chemicals produced by body fat.

5. Smoking

Cigarette smoke can compromise the valve that keeps stomach acid from backing up into the esophagus, end up causing bile salts that break down fat to move from the small intestine to the stomach and decrease salivary flow, which normally flushes stomach acid out of the esophagus and contains bicarbonate, a natural acid-fighting agent.

6. Peppermint

Like fish oil, peppermint has two opposing effects on the stomach. Popular remedies for upset stomachs include peppermint tea, peppermint oil capsules, and even peppermint candies, but these might be dangerous to those who have GERD. The lower esophageal sphincter, which is the valve between the stomach and esophagus, relaxes as a result of the sedative and numbing effects of menthol, making heartburn symptoms worse.

7. Fish oil supplements

The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil have been promoted as a natural remedy for cardiovascular disease, depression, and a number of other conditions. However, it might result in heartburn. The oil seems to be the cause of the digestive issues, not the fish. Fish is rich in proteins and lacks in fat when cooked properly, making it a healthy option for people who have heartburn.

8. Alcohol

Alcohol consumption may exacerbate GERD symptoms, particularly heartburn. Since alcohol relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter, it can cause heartburn by potentially allowing stomach acid to enter your esophagus.

Additionally, research indicates that drinking alcohol increases the likelihood of developing GERD. According to an analysis of 29 studies, those who consumed alcohol more frequently than five times or days per week were more than twice more likely to develop GERD as those who had alcohol infrequently.