Diet and Barrett’s Esophagus
Many of the dietary recommendations for Barrett’s esophagus are similar to the diet recommended for patients with GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease).
Here are some recommendations for reducing GERD and decreasing the amount of acid and food exposure in the esophagus
Stay upright for 3 hours after eating – this will allow your food to digest more completely and reduce the amount of reflux you have when you lay down
- Elevating the head of the bed – this can also decrease the amount of reflux that occurs when you lay down as gravity will help keep food in your stomach. Propping on pillows may not be as effective as putting blocks, books, or bricks under the upper posts of your bed. A big pile of pillows can cause you to hunch over, which may increase reflux
- Eat a low-fat diet – lower fat meals will digest more quickly, so you’ll have less reflux
- Don’t smoke – while smoking is more strongly associated with squamous cell cancer of the esophagus, it can also contribute to esophageal adenocarcinoma, which is the kind of esophageal cancer related to BE
- Reduce caffeine intake – caffeine relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter, which is the muscle at the bottom of the esophagus. When this muscle is relaxed, you’re more likely to have reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus. A little caffeine is probably okay, but multiple cups of coffee a day is too much. Remember that a standard size cup of coffee is actually pretty small, so one giant cup of coffee is actually equal to 2 or 3 cups of coffee! Many carbonated sodas also contain caffeine and tea (hot and iced) also contain some caffeine. To find out the caffeine content of beverages, a quick internet search for ‘caffeine content’ will pull up several sources, such as this one: http://www.cspinet.org/new/cafchart.htm
- Alcohol – drink in moderation. Alcohol relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter and can increase reflux. However, there are some studies that suggest moderate wine or alcohol intake can lower the risk of Barrett’s and esophageal adenocarcinoma (this will be addressed in a separate post)
- Weight loss – weight loss will also help improve reflux symptoms. Obesity increases the risk of both Barrett’s esophagus and esophageal cancer
- posted by Kerry Dunbar, MD
Tags: diet
May 16th, 2009 at 6:20 am
Since January of 2009, I don’t have reflux symptoms at all anymore. I have a hiatal hernia and I lost about 25 pounds since January of 2009 (I was diagnosed in February 2009 with BE). My question is, do I need to avoid all of these things without having any reflux at all. I actually read a couple of articles saying that coffee and tomatoes actually decrease your chances of certain cancers including esophageal, so I started drinking coffee and eating tomatoes again but I need feedback on these issues.
June 13th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
This is great information. My Father is suffering right now and so far I have been able to cut out his coffee and he has lost a bit of weight … let’s keep our fingers crossed.
Denise
June 23rd, 2009 at 10:49 am
Dear Annie – That’s great that you’ve lost weight! Weight loss, even a few pounds, can significantly help reflux symptoms. Tomatoes are very healthy and I’ve also seen some articles saying that the vitamins and other compounds in them can reduce cancer risk as part of a healthy diet. The results for coffee are less clear. Some patients will still have ’silent reflux’ even when their GI symptoms like heartburn and regurgitation improve. I still have patients minimize coffee when their symptoms improve, although some coffee is ok. So you should talk to your gastroenterologist and see what her/his opinion is also. K Dunbar, MD
August 6th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
Annie, I have been suffering from acid reflux for years and I never realized it was because of the foods I ate! I used the phentramin for a few months and I’m not really sure how much it helped since I had to use willpower too! But I switched from 3 southern meals a day to 5-6 small um… california meals a day ~haha~ and I think my metabolism is healthier!
August 10th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Dr. Dunbar,
Hello! Thank you for the information regarding Barrett’s. I’ve recently developed duodenal ulcers (3 in total) and on a recent follow up from a hospital admission, I’ve been diagnosed, via biopsy, with Barrett’s. As one might imagine, this has me concerned. I am a former smoker (quit 4 years ago), a very rare drinker (maybe four to five times/year), of average to below average weight (148lbs at 64″), and a I have a fairly good diet with little red meat intake and even less junk food. As such, I am concerned with this development at my age of 41.
The internet is filled with varied and interesting sites regarding Barrett’s, so I thought you might clear up the info regarding food items I need to avoid and things I might increase in order to avoid complications – especially cancer, as this has me worried given my age.
Many thanks for your time and consideration!
Respectfully,
Dan Sanford, M.Ed
Teacher
September 21st, 2009 at 11:48 am
I need to cut down on coffee myself. These habits are so difficult to get rid of sometimes.
But I got to try.