Re: Carb/Protein Shake and Acid Reflux

[Guest guest]

, I probably should step and reply to this since I am a

Gastroenterologist and treat this condition every day.

Both Jim and got it right.

Reflux, Gerd, Heart Burn, or whatever else you want to call is is not caused by

spicy foods or acid foods but rather by a defective valve at the entrance to the

stomach and gravity. Liquids, as we all know, do not flow upwards but seek the

lowest level.

As I explain to my patients, imagine that your stomach is a bottle which has

liquid in it. If you lie it on its side what will happen?

If it has a good top that is on tight nothing will happen. If on the other

hand if the top is leaky or not on at all, the contents of the bottle will

spill out of the bottle and onto the table. The more there is in the bottle the

more there is to spill.

The same occurs with the stomach. There is a valve at the top of the stomach

which is supposed to stay closed at all times except when food or beverages are

swallowed and then it opens just long enough to allow contents of the esophagus

to empty into the stomach after which it closes.

If the valve is functioning properly you should be able to eat and drink and

then stand on your head with no reflux. Unfortunately there are many reasons

why many individuals develop a leaky or non functioning valve. For the sake of

brevity I will not go into these reasons for now.

I recommend to my patients, who complain of GERD, among other things, to not lie

down for at least two hours after eating.

Ralph Giarnella MD

Southington Ct USA

>

> Subject: Carb/Protein Shake and Acid Reflux

> To: supertraining

> Date: Wednesday, November 26, 2008, 11:31 AM

> I was wondering if anyone else has had an experience similar

> to this:

>

> I get up very early to work out. Before and during the

> workout, I take a

> " shake " that includes whey protein and

> maltodextrin, highly diluted. After

> the workout, I take another shake that includes whey

> protein, casein,

> maltodextrin, and creatine monohydrate. Then, I shower and

> take a 45 minute

> nap, before getting ready for work. Within 20-30 minutes

> of hitting the

> sack, I get acid reflux. My throat gets irritated, and I

> start coughing.

> That does not happen if I'm running late, and I

> don't have time to sack

> out. Moreover, it stops as soon as I get out of bed. I

> would expect to get

> acid reflux if I were eating spicy foods. But it's

> hard to imagine anything

> more bland than a protein/carb shake. There is, of course,

> the obvious fix:

> (A) Don't take the shake or ( Don't hit the sack.

> However, I would be

> interested in knowing whether there is another

> " fix. " I'm especially

> curious to know what might cause that. To me, its

> counterintuitive.

>

> --

> J. Pitruzzello, Ph.D.

> Chicago, Illinois