Acid reflux and heartburn are gastrointestinal side effects that some people experience during GLP-1 treatment. Understanding the causes helps manage them effectively.
Why reflux happens
GLP-1 relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter, which is the valve between the esophagus and stomach. When that valve relaxes too much, stomach acid rises into the esophagus, causing the feeling of heartburn.
Additionally, because GLP-1 slows gastric emptying, stomach contents stay there longer, increasing pressure on the lower sphincter.
What worsens it
Large meals, fatty foods, chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, and eating late at night are known factors that worsen reflux. In people on GLP-1 treatment, these factors are even more relevant because the digestive system is already slower.
What helps
Eating smaller, more frequent meals, avoiding eating 2 to 3 hours before lying down, elevating the head of the bed by 15 to 20 centimeters, and identifying which foods trigger your symptoms.
When to consider medication
If lifestyle changes are not enough, proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole can be considered. These reduce acid production and can be used short or long term as directed by your doctor.
How PeptPro helps
PeptPro lets you log gastrointestinal symptoms with date, time, and intensity, linked to your dose and meals. See the app here.
You can identify which foods or behaviors coincide with worse reflux episodes. This pattern is very useful to bring to your appointment with your doctor or nutritionist.
If you are considering medication for reflux, having a log of when your symptoms flare makes the conversation with your doctor more productive. Start tracking here.
