CarbAddictionDoc 3: ACID REFLUX TRIGGERED BY SUGAR...leading to Barrett's esophagitis
CarbAddictionDoc
Youtube channel
July 27, 2021
When we eat carbs, whether sugar or starch…
-starts in mouth
-we chew on that sugar
-in high concentrations affects or oral & nasal cavities
-damages our gums
-lining of mouth & nasal cavity
-down esophagus into stomach
-encounters acid
Sugar has inflammatory effects in stomach
Causes:
-over production of gastric acid
(especially when insulin resistant)
-relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter
(1-way valve controls fluids
into stomach)
When overeat…
-stomach squeezes both downward and upward
-get gastroesophageal reflux:
~both acid & sugar go up
into esophagus
~change lining of cells in
the lower esophageal sphincter
Acid, from stomach, burns the squamous mucosal cells
-the body, to protect itself, says
“let’s change these squamous cells
into columnar cells”
(same as in stomach)
The change to columnar epithelium: resistant to acid…
-but are unstable cells
-when acted upon by sugar & acid
-can become precancerous
-called: Barrett’s esophagitis
-patients get cancer from this
Acid suppression helps some, but…
-is not needed if you don’t eat sugar
-because the sphincter
returns to normal
-common for high sugar diets to lead
to gastroesophageal reflux disease
-eventually get Barrett’s esophagitis
If you have Barrett’s esophagitis:
-may use very toxic pill to cut reflux acid production:
-Prilosec
-PPI’s (proton pump inhibitors)
-H2 blockers (now prohibited in US)
-all to deal with the toxic drug: sugar
Carbohydrates are, by far, the most common cause of:
-gastroesophageal reflux disease
How do we get carbs into our body?
-vegetables
-fruits
-processed foods