It was interesting to see that the much respected Dr Mercola recently commented on the fact that acid reflux is caused by too little stomach acid rather than too much.
Readers of my writings on this site may recall that I suggested the same thing quite a few years back…(before hundreds of pages of my thoughts on reflux on my initial site were lost in a cyber black hole!)

Some of Dr Mercolas comments are below and reinforce my thinking from years ago.

It’s important to understand that acid reflux is NOT a disease of too much acid being produced, but rather it’s a condition related more commonly to hiatal hernia – a condition in which the acid is coming out of your stomach, where it’s supposed to remain.

After food passes through your esophagus into your stomach, a muscular valve called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) closes, preventing food or acid to move back up. Gastroesophageal reflux occurs when the LES relaxes inappropriately, allowing acid from your stomach to flow (reflux) backward into your esophagus.

Heartburn is the primary symptom of acid reflux; a burning sensation that radiates up from your stomach to your chest and throat. It’s typically most bothersome at night, and tends to occur in connection with certain activities, such as:

*
After eating a heavy meal
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Bending over
*
Lifting
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Lying down, especially when laying on your back

Other symptoms include:

* Hoarseness
* A feeling that food is stuck in your throat
* Tightness in your throat
* Wheezing
* Asthma
* Dental problems
* Bad breath

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a term used to describe the variety of symptoms and forms of tissue damage resulting from chronic reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus.

Over 15 million Americans suffer from daily heartburn, the most common symptom of GERD. In addition to heartburn, other symptoms associated with GERD include regurgitation, chest pain, hoarseness, wheezing, and chronic cough.
GERD is a major healthcare problem with many sufferers reporting worse emotional well-being than patients with diabetes or high blood pressure. Normally, a muscular valve at the end of the esophagus called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) keeps stomach contents from refluxing into the esophagus. However, in GERD, the LES is weak or relaxes too frequently, allowing stomach contents to flow freely into the esophagus. Left untreated, GERD can lead to a variety of esophageal complications including inflammation, ulceration, bleeding, and strictures. In addition, GERD patients are at risk to develop a pre-cancerous condition known as Barretts esophagus.

The Full-Thickness Plicator Procedure is a non-surgical, endoscopic GERD treatment based on the proven principles of anti-reflux surgery. The procedure allows the physician to create a full-thickness plication at the gastroesophageal junction under direct endoscopic visualization; enhancing the competency of the gastric cardia and restoring the normal anti-reflux barrier. Patients are treated on an outpatient basis and usually are able to return to normal activities the following day.

Drinking carbonated soft drinks and being overweight may be the two most prevalent causes of nighttime heartburn, according to a new study.

Heartburn at night, or nocturnal gastroesophageal reflux, is quite common. An estimated 44 percent of Americans suffer from it at least once a month. In the new study, researchers at the University of Arizona, Boston University, Johns Hopkins and the University of Minnesota surveyed more than 15,000 patients to try to determine the reasons for the pain. Their results were published in the May issue of the journal Chest. Nighttime heartburn can be more serious than the daytime type. It tends to be longer lasting, causes more damage to the esophagus and has a greater risk of leading to esophageal cancer. “At night it can be happening without your realizing it,” said Dr. Stuart F. Quan, a co-author of the paper and professor of medicine at the University of Arizona.

“The acid reflux doesn’t necessarily wake you up. So there is that much more exposure time.” In addition to high body mass index, a common indicator of obesity, and consumption of one or more carbonated drinks a day, the study found other good predictors of nighttime heartburn: snoring, hypertension, asthma and the use of some sleeping pills