Heartburn, indigestion or acid reflux all describe a similar type of discomfort: a burning pain behind the breastbone. There are numerous prescription drugs for this problem, including Nexium and Prilosec. There are also dozens of home remedies. What if sparkling water could ease indigestion?
Soothing Heartburn with Fizzy Water:
Q. I have stumbled upon a remedy for my acid reflux: sparkling water. I drank some (because that’s all my daughter had available) and then noticed I didn’t have acid reflux all day. I sip one can of bubbly water a day, and it pretty much controls the reflux.
My question is: will this much sparkling water be harmful to me? I’m going to look for it in glass bottles so I won’t be drinking out of aluminum cans.
By taking your advice, I previously weaned myself off Nexium. It took about four months but I have not taken it in two years. Sparkling water and an occasional Rolaid seem safer than a PPI.
Carbonated Water for Indigestion:
A. Japanese researchers report that carbonated water alleviates indigestion, at least temporarily (Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology, Volume 58, No. 5, 2012). An old fashioned approach, half a teaspoon of baking soda in four ounces of water, generates carbon dioxide, the same gas that is used in sparkling water.
A glass every now and then should not pose a problem. Other ways to wash acid back into the stomach include sucking on hard candy, chewing sugarless gum or sipping chamomile tea. You can learn about home remedies for heartburn in our Guide to Digestive Disorders.
