If you have ever suffered from acid reflux I am sure you have often wondered what the causes of acid reflux are. Perhaps it is your diet, your lifestyle or maybe you were born with the disease. We can speculate on many factors which could be the cause of acid reflux. However, despite many studies into the disease, a definitive cause of acid reflux has yet to be pinned down. Most researchers do agree, though, that the process of eating and digesting food is the most likely primary factor in causing acid reflux.

When food enters the stomach, the body creates acid in order to break down the food during the process of digestion. If there is too much acid in the stomach then this can cause the problems associated with acid reflux. One of the reasons for having too much acid is simply eating foods that are high in acidity such as fatty and fried foods. This causes additional acid in the stomach to that which has already been produced to break down the food. The result is that some of this acid is pushed back up through the chest and into the LES (Lower Esophageal Sphincter) causing the painful burning known as heartburn. As well as fatty foods, sufferers of acid reflux should try and avoid chocolates, citrus fruits, tomatoes and caffeinated drinks.

If you suffer from acid reflux or heartburn I am sure you have noticed the symptoms can be at their worst after having eaten a large meal. As well as eating high acid foods, overeating is one of the primary causes of acid reflux. If the stomach needs to break down an unusually large amount of food then a lot of acid will be produced. This is when the feeling of stomach contents coming up through the throat is felt.

So, as we have discussed eating too much can cause short term, immediate symptoms of acid reflux and heartburn. However, it can also be one of the main long term causes of acid reflux since it usually means the person is or is becoming overweight. Having too many extra pounds on your body causes pressure on the stomach and esophagus. This can cause the LES to open and let acid through into the esophagus.

Other identified causes of acid reflux are smoking, drinking, food allergies and even certain medications. Even lying down can help to cause acid reflux since the effect of gravity keeping acid down is negated. Changing your diet, however, is likely to have the biggest effect at stopping acid reflux.

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