Table of Contents
1 Heartburn - what helps?
Achte darauf, wie viel du isst Achte darauf, wann du isst Achte darauf, was du isst Weitere Tipps für Ernährung gegen Sodbrennen Verzichte auf Alkohol bis das Sodbrennen vorbei ist Kaue Kaugummi Achte darauf wie du schläfst Integration von Trinkmahlzeiten bei Sodbrennen
2 Tips for preventing heartburn
3 Causes of heartburn
4 How does heartburn manifest itself?

Wenn du häufig mit Sodbrennen aufwachst, bist du nicht alleine! Die Ursachen für Sodbrennen sind genauso vielfältig wie die potenziellen Maßnahmen, die du treffen kannst, um Sodbrennen zu bekämpfen. Wir zeigen dir, was Sodbrennen verursacht und wie du Sodbrennen aktiv vorbeugen kannst.

Heartburn - what helps?

Where the oesophagus opens into the stomach, there is a ring-shaped muscle called the lower oesophageal sphincter. This muscle acts as a valve and is designed to prevent acid from the stomach from flowing into the oesophagus. A healthy sphincter should only open when you swallow or burp, for example. If you suffer from heartburn, the function of this muscle is impaired. If you drink a lot of mineral water, for example, pressure builds up in your stomach, forcing acid through the opening. There are many foods and everyday habits that can lead to heartburn. Fortunately, there are also many measures you can take to combat and prevent heartburn. With these tips, you can put an end to your heartburn!

Pay attention to how much you eat

Food choices play an important role, but the basic rule of thumb is to avoid gulping down large meals quickly and take your time when eating. Most people experience heartburn after eating large meals[1] and they can also exacerbate existing heartburn.[2]

Pay attention to when you eat

People who suffer from heartburn should not eat anything three hours before going to sleep. Eating shortly before going to bed leads to more severe reflux symptoms.[3]

Pay attention to what you eat

If you suffer from heartburn, there are certain foods that you should avoid at all costs. These mainly include acidic foods or foods that contain active ingredients that stimulate stomach acid production. These include

  • Carbonated drinks (mineral water, cola, soft drinks etc.)[4]
  • Acidic juices (e.g. orange, pineapple or grapefruit juice)
  • Acidic foods (tomatoes, pineapple and all citrus fruits)
  • Excessive consumption of foods with a very high fat content and especially fried foods
  • CaffeineIf you still don't want to give up your coffee in the morning, you could switch to espresso. It is roasted for longer, which results in less coffee acidity and instead contains more bitter substances. Nevertheless, the caffeine it contains may relax the sphincter muscle.
  • ChocolateCocoa often leads to serotonin surges (i.e. feelings of happiness). This increase can cause the sphincter muscle of your oesophagus to relax. Cocoa can also contain caffeine.[5]

Despite growing nutritional awareness and improved food safety in developing countries, malnutrition is a pervasive public health issue. While caloric deficiencies and famines are now history in most countries, deficiencies of individual nutrients due to unbalanced diets are on the rise in some countries.[1]

Trinkmahlzeiten probieren

Weitere Tipps für Ernährung gegen Sodbrennen

  • Wasser und Tee gegen Sodbrennen: Als Durstlöscher solltest du am besten nur auf stilles Wasser oder ungesüßte Tees zurückgreifen.
  • Milde Obstsorten, die wenig Säure enthalten, wie z. B. Bananen, Mangos, Avocados, Pfirsiche oder Weintrauben sind besonders empfehlenswert.
  • Alle Kräuter, außer Minzearten, kannst du bedenkenlos konsumieren. Sie helfen auch, deine begrenzte Auswahl an Gerichten ordentlich aufzupeppen, ohne das Sodbrennen zu verschlimmern.

Verzichte auf Alkohol bis das Sodbrennen vorbei ist

Alkoholkonsum erhöht die Intensität von Reflux und Sodbrennen. Selbst moderater Alkoholkonsum kann Sodbrennen verursachen. Daher solltest du Alkohol vermeiden und insbesondere auf alkoholische, kohlensäurehaltige Getränke wie Sekt oder Bier verzichten.7

Kaue Kaugummi

Kaugummi ist ein teilweise wirksames Hausmittel gegen Sodbrennen. Auch wenn er nicht verhindern kann, dass Magensäure in die Speiseröhre fließt, kann er deine Beschwerden lindern, indem er den Säuregehalt in der Speiseröhre reduziert. Zudem fördert er die Speichelproduktion, was bei Sodbrennen besonders hilfreich ist. Geheimtipp: Kaufe Kaugummi, der Bikarbonat enthält. Bikarbonat ist sehr basisch und kann somit den pH-Wert deines Körpers ausgleichen.8

Achte darauf wie du schläfst

Hebe das Kopfende deines Bettes an

Viele Menschen sind in der Nacht während des Schlafens von Sodbrennen betroffen. Das beeinträchtigt die Schlafqualität und erschwert das Einschlafen. Überlege dir in diesem Falle, ein höheres Kissen zu besorgen, oder den Lattenrost deines Bettes etwas zu krümmen.9

Wenn du Seitenschläfer bist, schlafe auf der linken Seite

Es ist erwiesen, dass das Schlafen auf der rechten Seite den nächtlichen Säurereflux verschlimmern kann. Deine Speiseröhre mündet in die rechte Seite deines Magens. Wenn du also auf der rechten Seite liegst, bedeckt der Spiegel der Magensäure den unteren Speiseröhrenschließmuskel. Dies erhöht das Risiko von Säurereflux während des Schlafens.

Tips for preventing heartburn

The measures mentioned above also apply to the prevention of heartburn. Although you may find it easy to adjust your eating and sleeping habits accordingly, you probably don't want to give up tomatoes or citrus fruits for the rest of your life. If you have been affected by heartburn several times, it can be particularly helpful to pay attention to what foods you have eaten and how you felt afterwards. This may allow you to identify certain triggers that vary from person to person. If you are very overweight, losing weight will help to reduce the pressure in your stomach and therefore the strain on the lower esophageal sphincter.

Causes of heartburn

Heartburn is a major symptom of GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) and is caused by the reflux of stomach acid into the esophagus. All risk factors and causes of heartburn either increase the production of stomach acid and/or cause structural changes (relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter) that allow stomach acid to flow more easily into the esophagus.

In addition to the foods mentioned above, there are also various over-the-counter medications that can trigger heartburn. These mainly include ibuprofen, aspirin and naproxen. The following conditions and habits are also proven risk factors for heartburn:

  • Smoking can impair the function of the lower esophageal sphincter, causing acid to back up into the esophagus.[10]
  • Pregnancy can lead to increased pressure in the abdomen and affect the function of the sphincter.
  • In the same way, obesity can also lead to increased pressure in the abdominal area and thus cause heartburn.
  • In addition to GERD, heartburn is also a symptom of other primary diseases of the oesophagus, such as sacoidosis and scleroderma.
  • A hiatal hernia, where part of the abdomen lies in the chest instead of the abdomen, can impair the functioning of the lower esophageal sphincter and is a risk factor for acid reflux and therefore heartburn. The hiatal hernia itself does not cause any symptoms. It is only when the sphincter muscle fails that heartburn occurs.[11]

How does heartburn manifest itself?

The pain caused by heartburn is usually felt as a burning sensation behind the breastbone. The pain of heartburn can often be confused with the pain of a heart attack.

The pain may remain in the lower chest or radiate to the back of the throat, causing a sour taste. If there is acid reflux near the larynx in the throat, it can even cause coughing fits or hoarseness. Chronic untreated reflux over long periods of time can be so severe that the acid attacks the enamel on the teeth, causing tooth decay.

Even if the pain doesn't particularly bother you, you should never ignore heartburn:

If heartburn is ignored, recurring irritation and inflammation of the esophagus can lead to ulcers. These can cause severe bleeding. Reflux can also damage cells in the esophagus. This can lead to a condition called Barrett's esophagus. Barrett's esophagus is strongly associated with an increased risk of esophageal cancer.[12]

FAQ - Frequently asked questions about heartburn

What helps with heartburn?

Changing your sleeping and eating habits is the be-all and end-all in combating heartburn. Losing weight and giving up alcohol or smoking also help.

What to eat with heartburn?

Low-fat meals, mild types of fruit, herbs and generally alkaline (i.e. non-acidic) foods are particularly recommended for heartburn.

What does heartburn feel like?

Heartburn usually feels like a burning sensation in the center of your chest, behind the breastbone. This feeling can last for several hours and radiate into the throat. Heartburn usually occurs in the morning after waking up.

Where does heartburn come from?

Heartburn is caused by stomach acid that flows into the oesophagus and irritates the tissue there.

Sources

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  2. Castell, D. O., Murray, J. A., Tutuian, R., Orlando, R. C., & Arnold, R. (2004). Review article: the pathophysiology of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease - oesophageal manifestations. Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics, 20 Suppl 9, 14-25.
  3. Fujiwara, Y., Machida, A., Watanabe, Y., Shiba, M., Tominaga, K., Watanabe, T., Oshitani, N., Higuchi, K., & Arakawa, T. (2005). Association between dinner-to-bed time and gastro-esophageal reflux disease. The American journal of gastroenterology, 100(12), 2633-2636.
  4.  Johnson, T., Gerson, L., Hershcovici, T., Stave, C., & Fass, R. (2010). Systematic review: the effects of carbonated beverages on gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics, 31(6), 607-614.
  5. Murphy, D. W., & Castell, D. O. (1988). Chocolate and heartburn: evidence of increased esophageal acid exposure after chocolate ingestion. The American journal of gastroenterology, 83(6), 633-636.
  6. Holzer P. (2007). Taste receptors in the gastrointestinal tract. V. Acid sensing in the gastrointestinal tract. American journal of physiology. Gastrointestinal and liver physiology, 292(3), G699-G705.
  7. Chen, S. H., Wang, J. W., & Li, Y. M. (2010). Is alcohol consumption associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease?. Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B, 11(6), 423-428.
  8. Sakamoto, Y., Kato, S., Sekino, Y., Sakai, E., Uchiyama, T., Iida, H., Hosono, K., Endo, H., Fujita, K., Koide, T., Takahashi, H., Yoneda, M., Tokoro, C., Goto, A., Abe, Y., Kobayashi, N., Kubota, K., Maeda, S., Nakajima, A., & Inamori, M. (2011). Change of gastric emptying with chewing gum: evaluation using a continuous real-time C breath test (BreathID system). Journal of neurogastroenterology and motility, 17(2), 174-179.
  9. Khan, B. A., Sodhi, J. S., Zargar, S. A., Javid, G., Yattoo, G. N., Shah, A., Gulzar, G. M., & Khan, M. A. (2012). Effect of bed head elevation during sleep in symptomatic patients of nocturnal gastroesophageal reflux. Journal of gastroenterology and hepatology, 27(6), 1078-1082.
  10. Pandolfino, J. E., & Kahrilas, P. J. (2000). Smoking and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. European journal of gastroenterology & hepatology, 12(8), 837-842.
  11. Pandolfino J. E. (2007). Hiatal hernia and the treatment of Acid-related disorders. Gastroenterology & hepatology, 3(2), 92-94.
  12. Reid, B. J., Li, X., Galipeau, P. C., & Vaughan, T. L. (2010). Barrett's oesophagus and oesophageal adenocarcinoma: time for a new synthesis. Nature reviews. Cancer, 10(2), 87-101.