Like our reader below we are coffee lovers. There is nothing like a hot cup of Joe on a cold morning. Fortunately, we do not suffer indigestion from coffee, but this person does. Is there anything that can be done to neutralize the acid in coffee so that it doesn’t trigger heartburn?
Q. I am a coffee lover. I can attest to the benefits you have written about regarding its ability to help maintain bowel regularity.
I also suffer from heartburn. Coffee makes it worse. What can you recommend?
A. This reader is referring to an article we wrote recently titled:
Why Does Coffee Make You Poop With Regularity?
There is actual research showing that coffee (regular or decaffeinated) can encourage bathroom activity.
That is cold comfort, though, if you experience indigestion from coffee. Here is our suggestion for this reader.
Prelief to the Rescue for Indigestion from Coffee?
You might try a product called Prelief. It contains calcium glycerophosphate.
According to the marketing:
“Calcium glycerophosphate reduces the acid by up to 95 percent in your favorite foods and beverages; Works on the food, not on you.”
Many years ago we met the man who developed Prelief. Alan Kligerman is one of those people who comes up with brilliant ideas and then acts on them. He also developed Lactaid. It contains the lactase enzyme to help people digest the milk sugar lactose. Then there’s Beano, which was also his brain child. Learn all about this anti-flatulence product at this link.
Will Beano Counteract Gas from Eating Beans?
We have no relationship with the companies that market Beano, Lactaid or Prelief, so do not worry about a conflict of interest.
Indigestion from Coffee, Wine and Tomatoes? Will Prelief Help?
We know that lots of people react badly to acidic foods. We’re not sure why. After all, even without such foods your stomach is highly acidic. We have not found many clinical trials to support the use of calcium glycerophosphate for indigestion.
That said, Jane Brody, the Queen of medical journalism, wrote this in the New York Times back on September 25, 1996.
“The occasional heartburn sufferer can rely on antacids like Tums, Rolaids, Maalox and Mylanta for fast relief. Those who know which foods are likely to cause symptoms can avoid those foods or try a newly marketed product, Prelief, that is swallowed before eating them or sprinkled on them. Prelief, developed by the same company that invented Lactaid and Beano, is a calcium-based dietary supplement (not a drug) that lowers the acidity of foods and beverages, including coffee.”
Prelief for Teeth?
Dentists have been studying this compound as a way of preventing tooth decay. In one study, the investigators found that adding calcium glycerophosphate to soft drinks greatly reduced experimental tooth enamel erosion caused by these acidic beverages (Journal of Applied Oral Science, July-Aug. 2012). Presumably, this suggests it can also reduce the effects of acid and indigestion from coffee.
