Apple Cider Vinegar Treatment for Acid Reflux

My friend you are so right , , , it works wonders! but on times when I eat the wrong snack going to bed and I have no ACV I have used the old black fish and chips vinegar and it worked instantly; Sometimes, out of desperation, I have downed the vinegar from bottled Garlic, herring and other preserved products and got instant relief.

I just started this today, because my Omeprazole is no longer working for me. Too soon to know if it's helping. I have one question. Should I stop taking the Omeprazole if I continue, or use both.

Hi Julie...ACV is good for many things and it will certainly help with reflux symptoms. Your problems are probably caused by low stomach acidity -- not too much acidity.

But ACV is not the cure for reflux. I define a cure as when you take a substance or nutrient for a while and your symptoms go away. And then, when you stop taking that nutrient, the problem does not come back. If you take ACV then you are just treating the symptoms by just increasing stomach acidity -- but you are not treating the core reason for your reflux problem, which is lack of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. So that's why when you stop taking the ACV the reflux usually comes back because you still have the low stomach acid problem.

When you supplement ACV or even ordinary vinegar you are simply adding or increasing the acidity of the gastric acid. This certainly helps to increase the acidity of the stomach but doesn't actually heal your problem -- which is due to lack of hydrochloric acid in the stomach.

So do you want to heal your problem completely or do you prefer to take ACV for the rest of your life to accommodate your symptoms ?

If you have low stomach acid then taking Omeprozole -- a gastric acid inhibitor -- will lower your stomach acid levels even more. This is probably the worst thing you could take if you already have low stomach acid problems.

If you want to actually confirm whether you have low stomach acid(causing the reflux problem) then you should ask your doctor for the Heidelberg Test. This test measures the actual strength of your stomach acid.

To cure your stomach acid problem you should follow the protocol shown here on EC.

Hi! Do you have to use warm water with ACV for acid reflux? I have been suffering for a month now and the medicines I tried like omeprazole and pantopraloze only made my feeling worse after a temporary relief. I always feel week all day, would like to vomit, I can't wait and I have nausea. I tried 1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar in warm water upon waking up this morning and it has already improved my condition. I pray that this would be the cure for me. -)

Hi Vanessa, I have been using both warm and room temperature water with the apple cider vinegar. Now that it's winter, I am craving hot water with ACV! Good luck to you. I truly hope it works for your acid reflux.

Do you drink the ACV with empty stomach or with food?

Make sure to start with a smaller amount of ACV and build up. Also be sure to mix with juice or water and not to take it straight, as evidently some folks have trouble with the acidity.

It's never recommended to take ACV straight. It's highly acidic, which is why you had a bad reaction. Always dilute it with water (e.g. 1 tsp per 8 oz of water).

Yea, taking a straight gulp of Apple Cider Vinegar is like gulping a glass of lemon juice. I am glad to hear you survived, that was a courageous move!

hahaha! Thats awesome, no worrys I tried the same thing. The minute it hit my tongue I spit and was having difficulty breathing. Try mixing it with water.. but I just found it funny cause I made the same mistake lol

You can also take ACV in capsule form to bypass the esophagus if there's an issue there.

I have acid reflux and take prescription meds which does not seem to do anything. Is apple cider vinegar safe and effective. How much should you take and when? Please help, I am really desperate.

Dear Mr., I would like to ask you a couple of questions regarding your treatment. My husband has been on Nexium prescribed by doctors for a few years until his health became horrible, we had no idea where all those issues were coming from until I decided to check Nexium side effects. He stopped the pills and started ACV treatment 3 days ago, 1 tbsp twice a day before meal but doesn't feel any relief yet. So I would appreciate if you share with us your dosage and for how long you had to take it until it worked. Thanks in advance.

Hi I saw your message and was hoping for some advice. I took Diatomaceous earth and developed severe acid reflux which has been going on for 4 days alla day. I have laryngopharyngal reflux so it goes straight up and even affects my voice. I've tried zantac, backing soda and ACV all offer just temporary if any relief. I'm terrified.. ACV used to work for normal heartburn but I feel like something has gone completely wrong. Any advice is very welcome.

Anna, improving digestion is key to acid reflux, which is from low stomach acid and food not getting digested. Consider adding probiotics and probiotic rich food, variety is good, kefir, miso, kombucha, unpasteurised sauerkraut and other fermented foods. You could aid digestion with digestive enzyme tablets, and fresh pineapple and pawpaw/papaya. Iodine, required for many functions, including the forming of stomach acid. Try kelp tablets, or I take lugols iodine myself. Research and start slow. Marshmallow is a mucilage plant, buy capsules or use it to make tea. Aloe vera juice from the health food store. Snack on apples, apples have quieted acid reflux attack and gall bladder attack. Keep the acv, it contains many benefits, but add the baking soda and water, twice a day per Ted's protocol. Don't eat for one hour afterwards. The baking soda adds to your bicarbonate stores required for second stage digestion. Keep a food diary to monitor meals and food medicines, and their effects and benefits. See what helps and what hinders, probably unsoaked grains (bread, wheat products) proper sourdough should be ok, dairy may also be an issue, because of the lactose. Cultured dairy, like kefir, would be ok. If you do the fermented food route, start only small amount at first, there will likely be detox effects as the good bacteria kill off the bad bacteria they release toxins as they die. This is shown to you as intestinal discomfort and initial loose stools. This will settle down though, and will be much minimised with this suggestion. Coconut oil can be introduced with the same start low and slow method. Can start one teaspoon/day. May also look at herbs and supplements to strengthen the valves in the gi tract. Best to you on your good health journey.

Tina, Lifelong acid reflux can be cured by eating probiotic rich foods like home-made kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut and lacto-fermented veggies. Kefir especially is incredible since it goes into the gut and re-colonizes by adding more good bacteria to your body. Much needed!

See here http://culturedfoodlife.com/ to make cheaply at home, or buy BUBBIES brand sauerkraut and dill pickles since they are loaded with probiotics.

Take ACV too.

You should feel brand spanking new in no time.

Tina

hi po.. Anu po gusto nyo itanong about sa (GERD)?? im from philippines to! ^_^

Hi Sealbeachluvr... The reason ACV has worked to help with your Reflux problem is because ACV is acid. To help you understand this, a short simple description on how digestion works will help.

* When food enters the stomach, the hydrochloric acid secreted by the stomach normally works to kill all the bacteria and the protein-digesting stomach enzymes(pepsin) partially digest the food with the muscles around the stomach helping to mash and breakup the food. The purpose of this stage is to fully prepare the food for the next stage -- main stage duodenal digestion in the upper intestines.

* When the stomach acid is at the correct strength -- and only when it is at the right acid strength -- a hormone is released into the blood called secretin which in turn triggers the secretion of the pancreatic enzymes in a solution of bicarbonate(alkaline) into the duodenum for main stage digestion.

* If the stomach acid or food chyme mixture in the stomach is not at the correct acid strength (low acid) then the pancreatic enzymes and juices will not be triggered and released for main stage digestion(alkaline) in the duodenum and the acid food mixture (chyme) will just sit there in the duodenum stagnating, rotting and fast breeding bad pathogens with associated spread of pathogens into the upper intestines leading to further problems later. This also causes reflux.

* Another twist to this problem is if your body also lacks bicarbonates. As already described, your pancreas needs stores of bicarbonates to neutralize the acid food coming into the duodenum from the stomach. So if you are lacking bicarbonate stores, the acid food passing into the duodenum will not be neutralized and, again, acid intestine and reflux will be the result.

Therefore two things become apparent:

* You must ensure that your stomach acid levels are at their correct strength and amounts for proper and complete digestion to occur.

* You must have adequate stores of bicarbonates in the pancreatic juices to fully neutralize the acid chyme or food when it passes from the stomach into the duodenum for main stage digestion.

It is also fairly obvious to me that the reason ACV helps against acid reflux is because it is acid -- so this helps to increase your stomach acidity which is what you need to do.

You have already said that your doctor gave you some pills for your reflux. Generally doctors give PPIs (proton pump inhibitors) which actually work to massively inhibit stomach acid because doctors always seem to incorrectly assume that reflux is caused by too much stomach acid, when in fact the direct opposite is true in 90% of reflux problems -- which is usually caused by too little acid in the stomach -- as I have already described above.

To help remedy your problem:

* Take betaine hydrochloride tablets at mealtimes. The way to find the correct dose of betaine(and thereby find the correct stomach acid strength) is to increase the dose slowly by one tablet at mealtimes until there is an acid feeling. Then cut back by one or two tablets. Later you will again get an acid feeling so cut back again. Do this until you no longer have to take the betaine hydrochloride tablets -- your stomach acid is now normal.

* Take pancreatin enzymes to ensure proper digestion in the duodenum.

* Take 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt with water once or twice a day outside mealtimes. The chloride from the Sea Salt helps to generate hydrochloric acid (HCl) which may be lacking in your stomach. Sea Salt also provides your body with other useful minerals.

* Take 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate(Arm & Hammer brand is fine) with water a half an hour after you finish each of your daily meals when all the food has moved out of the stomach into the duodenum. This greatly aids alkaline main stage digestion in the duodenum and also helps to replenish bicarbonate stores in the pancreas. This will also act to reduce the reflux and will also help to reduce the burning acid pain.

* To increase your appetite take B Complex vitamins everyday.

Why have several people said they drink the avc and water with a straw?

Warning: Not everyone who has Acid Reflux or GERD suffers from "too little stomach acid, " which is the reason that is usually given for taking ACV. Some people simply DO have TOO MUCH acid production, and ACV will make it worse. I tried ACV and it never did anything but give me heartburn and increased reflux.

The truth is, pouring acid on top of acid is NOT always a good idea, no matter what anyone here says. If your problem is excess stomach acid, your condition will get worse. Just take the omeprazole, fo heaven's sake. :)

Absolutely! I tried the ACV (the mother kind) and it made my problem much worse. I have to take nexium because of a stomach surgery I had a few years ago. I have plenty of acid believe me... Lol. Acid reflux is absolutely no fun, especially if it happens in the middle of the night and goes up your nostrils or into your brochials. That happened to me two nights ago even with the Nexium that I take.

I am now onto a few things that I am trying for another condition. One of the things I am using is Tumeric and first tried it last night. Last night was the first night without any reflux symptoms at all! I am hoping I stumbled onto something that also works for my stomach.

Hi I read your response to the other person, and I have so many questions for you, I was diagnosed with acid reflux like five weeks ago, and I am taking Omeprazole, I don't feel much better, I have no burning sensation or heartburn but I feel like I have food all day long in my troath, I have cut on diet coke and caffeine and try to eat smaller portions. But I don't feel much better, How do I know if I have low acid or high acid? should I just try the apple cider vinegar and see if it works, another person said that not everyone has low acid, so I am confused, what do you recomend I should do? I am really desperate of course.

Thank you in advance for your help. Marisa

I'm also confused by this. How would I know if I have low stomach acid? I've been having acid reflux for the past week due to poor eating habit. (I had low appetite and didn't take my meal on time). I ate pizza last night and had the worst reflux episode. My throat was burning and I couldn't sleep comfortably.

Should I try ACV before meals and sodium bicarbonate after meals? Should I also cut down on grains and carbs? I should add, I took ginger tea after I experienced the reflux and it strangely remedied the symptom. Please help, I'm in dire need of a solution. I was perfectly healthy and fine until 2 weeks ago. Thanks in advance.

Because ACV is an acid, and can damage tooth enamel.... drinking it through a straw minimizes contact with your teeth.

Cherries always give me Acid reflux. ACV in warm water with manuka honey really helps.

Simple answer. Granny smith green apple. Only that kind will work. If u don't eat apples, 1st time will feel like you're gonna hurl. U won't. Eat what u want, late as u want. Also, chck food labels for high fructose corn syrup, or sometimes called "corn syrup". In everything from bread to "natural" tea. Its fake sugar made cheap and benefits corporate america. So big name folk all have it. Bbq sauces, katsup, even salad dressing. Since 80s with "new coke". "Old coke" returned but with fake sugar. Causes belly fat, acid reflux, etc. Once u could eat what u can't now all the sudden since about 90s? Thats when kid obesity shot up. it also doesn't fill u up, so u eat more. Mcdonalds leads the way. Increased lines from its addictive nature. Hfcs is the new cigarette.

Would you not go for operation for muscle on top of stomach to tighten it? I have seen it done and it is very successful and the patients seems to be perfect after it.

This is in response to Reginald from Texas. Yes, the ACV and water tastes bad, but add some honey to taste and it actually tastes pretty good. Honey is very benificial. I put 1 tablespoon of ACV, the mother kind, to 8 oz. of spring water. I heat about 4 oz. and then add 1 teaspoon of honey. (I save the other 4 oz. for later in the day. ) The honey will then dissolve better. Enjoy! :)

Be very careful of long you take Omeprazole the long term side affects can be very bad.

Just a side note from what "sistasuzy" wrote:

It is actually better if you leave the water until after your food is digested, if you drink too much water you will dilute the acidity of the HCl in your stomach and you will not digest properly. The current recommendations with those that have GERD are to eat meals and drink very little during those meals. After the meal has been completely digested, drinking water is helpful with residual reflux, however, the whole idea is to *digest* the food. Also, as I have written before, bicarb is regularly used as a cheap reflux aid, but baking soda (bicarb) lowers the acidity (raises the pH) too quickly and signals the proton pumps to produce more acid. The best remedies for "neutralizing" stomach acid are typically, Calcium Carbonate (tums) and Aluminum and Calcium Hydroxide (mylanta). Matt, Pharm D. MSCIS

I actually caused my own problem with acid reflux, here's how. I drank (yes I did) a 16 oz glass of apple cider vinegar by pinching my nose and drinking it down all at once. I got a sore throat that night, and later woke up when acid splashed up into my throat beginning my now constant problem. Got an appointment at the clinic (after ruling out heart attack) proscibed me nexium (wait for about a month and see what happens) Since I'm on atacand HCL and Simvastatin, I checked the interactions when I got home and found there were problems with the mixture so I stopped taking the meds and passed the info to the clinic (who hadn't checked for this in advance). Now I'm looking to find a natural cure for my self induced acid reflux (surmise I did some damage to the asophagus since it now constantly leaks acid into my throat between meals). Any advice?

Did you use apple cider vinegar with the mother? I got mine from whole foods. I took 4 tablespoons twice a day before your lunch and dinner and then a drink water and I had a piece of bread then I sat down had my light meal. I also drank almost a half a gallon for a little bit more water everyday for 3 weeks. I also stayed away from dairy which can cause acid reflux!

I was in the same situation as you. Then I learned about super greens. Go to your health food store and buy super greens. After 3 days of super greens my heartburn was gone. It is all about balancing your ph level in your body.