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Reflux and anxiety: is there a correlation?
July 12, 2024
Everyone gets heartburn from time to time. When this uncomfortable symptom shows up frequently, however, it could be a sign of other problems.
Among the various factors that can influence reflux, anxiety is one of those that deserves the most attention. The connection between anxiety and gastro-oesophageal reflux is a subject of growing interest, and in the following guide we will try to understand the reason for this correlation more clearly.
In the final part of the article we will also focus on the steps that can help ease the symptoms of these complaints, so as to help improve the quality of life of those who experience them.
Anxiety and gastro-oesophageal reflux: what are the symptoms
Before looking more closely at the correlation between gastro-oesophageal reflux and anxiety, it is essential to clarify the main symptoms associated with these two problems.
Symptoms of reflux
Gastro-oesophageal reflux is a condition in which the gastric juices of the stomach rise back up into the oesophagus, causing the following symptoms:
Heartburn
Nausea or stomach ache
Chest or abdominal pain
Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
Vomiting
Bad breath
This is a condition that affects a good share of the adult population and that generally appears after eating very heavy meals. There are individuals, however, in whom reflux is constant. In these cases we speak of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, and in-depth investigations are needed to understand what is causing it.
Symptoms of anxiety
Compared with the symptoms of reflux, anxiety tends to show itself differently from person to person, but generally the symptoms of an anxious person are:
A racing heart rate
Nervousness or restlessness
Muscle twitching
A feeling of physical and mental tension
Rapid breathing or hyperventilation
A sense of dread or constant impending fear
Difficulty concentrating
Digestive problems, such as gas, diarrhoea or constipation
Insomnia
Sudden panic attacks
Can gastro-oesophageal reflux cause anxiety?
Although it is not possible to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between stress and gastro-oesophageal reflux, there are now several studies showing how common it is to find patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux who also experience anxiety. The two conditions appear to influence each other in a bidirectional way and to do so in several ways.
First of all, anxiety can lower the pressure of the lower oesophageal sphincter, allowing stomach acid to rise back into the oesophagus and causing that awful burning sensation typical of people with reflux. This sensation may also be felt more intensely by people with anxiety, because stress generally tends to amplify the perception of pain.
At the same time, people with stress and gastro-oesophageal reflux appear more likely to develop night-time anxiety, because heartburn tends to occur more frequently in the evening, when you lie down, preventing proper rest and therefore contributing to a build-up of tiredness and stress — the main drivers of anxiety and insomnia.
Symptoms of anxiety-related reflux: how to ease them
To understand how to ease the symptoms of stress-related oesophagitis, you need to take the severity of the problem into account. If a patient has been diagnosed with a hiatal hernia brought on by stress, then they will necessarily need to see a doctor to work out how to find relief.
If, on the other hand, the sensation is the chest pain typical of anxiety that triggers reflux, then a few changes in lifestyle may already help. Our advice is to:
Avoid foods and drinks that can trigger reflux (fried foods, citrus fruits, chocolate, mint, garlic, onions, caffeine and alcohol)
Get into the habit of eating small, frequent meals to reduce the pressure on the stomach.
Maintain a healthy body weight
Avoid lying down straight after meals
Raise the head of the bed or sleep with more pillows
Stop smoking
Practise relaxation techniques such as yoga
Anxiety-related oesophagitis: how food supplements can help
Food supplements can play an important role in easing the discomfort of gastro-oesophageal reflux and anxiety because they work on several fronts. In particular, they can help support the management of anxiety and stress which, as we have seen above, are known aggravating factors for reflux.
Supporting the levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, thanks to specific nutrients, can help improve mood, encourage relaxation and reduce excessive gastric acid production.
That is why we have developed food supplements which, thanks to their unique combination of natural ingredients, can be a real help in supporting your psychological and physical wellbeing. These are food supplements based on Griffonia, a natural source of 5-HTP, a precursor of serotonin, Vitamin B6, which contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system and to normal psychological function, Moringa, a plant that helps support digestion and metabolism, Agrimony, known for supporting emotional calm, and Oat extract, which contributes to relaxation and the management of everyday stress.
This powerful combination proves to be an excellent natural remedy to help ease anxiety, but also an ally in finding respite from the symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux, improving overall quality of life.