Acid reflux is an uncomfortable condition that has a wide range of triggers, including being overweight, eating large meals, nicotine, cigarette smoke (passive and active), vaping, pregnancy, stress, age, certain medications, excess caffeine, extremely spicy foods, etc. Featuring symptoms such as heartburn, acid reflux is characterized by irritation and pain in the upper abdominal area or the chest.
It is possible to use a natural home remedy to treat the condition – you can use Aloe Vera for acid reflux. In this article, you will learn how to use Aloe Vera for GERD.
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Benefits of Using Aloe Vera for Acid Reflux
While most people are familiar with Aloe Vera benefits for the skin, not many people know that they can use the plant’s products to treat internal conditions. Using Aloe Vera for GERD offers the following benefits:
It Reduces Acid Reflux Symptoms Without Causing Adverse Effects
Aloe Vera is a natural acid reflux remedy that is extremely effective in eliminating GERD symptoms without causing adverse events that require withdrawal. It may be a more ideal alternative for people than PPIs (Proton-Pump Inhibitors). Consuming Aloe Vera for GERD is of great benefit considering that long-term use of PPIs is associated with a growing list of negative side effects.
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Its Antibacterial Properties Help Reduce Acid Reflux Occurrences
One of the widely-known benefits of the Aloe Vera plant is that it helps the body fight bacteria. When used internally, Aloe Vera will help lower instances of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), Candida, and H. Pylori – this reduces acid reflux cases.
The gas produced by the bad bacteria can lead to belching and bloating of the abdomen. Both will weaken the LES (Lower Esophageal Sphincter) closure. Also, the bad bacteria reduce the digestive function causing constipation which in turn compromises the LES closure.
Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) is responsible for keeping the stomach contents in their proper space. When it becomes weak, it will allow the stomach acid to reflux and leak through into the esophagus, causing unpleasant GERD symptoms.
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It Reduces Pain and Soothes Esophagus Lining
Aloe Vera plant has anti-inflammatory properties. This means that the plant can reduce the pain and soothe the irritated esophagus lining. This helps relieve heartburn.
It Promotes Healing
Acid reflux is known to damage the esophagus lining. By boosting your immune system, improving circulation, and reducing inflammation, Aloe Vera increases the rate at which your esophagus heals.
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It Improves Digestive Process
As noted earlier, poor digestion can cause acid reflux. Aloe Vera provides both amino acids and vitamins which help boost your digestive function and hence reducing acid reflux occurrences. The fact that the plant also boosts blood circulation in your digestive system also improves the digestive system’s capabilities.
Best Forms of Aloe Vera for Acid Reflux
When using Aloe Vera for GERD, you have to ensure that the Aloe Vera product you are using is designed for internal use only. To give you an example, you should avoid using Aloe Vera lotions since these are designed for external use only – while they can help with sunburns and other skin issues, the lotions can cause adverse effects if used internally.
You can purchase Aloe Vera for internal use in various forms, including Aloe Vera juice, gel, soft gel, and powder. If you have access to an Aloe Vera plant and a camping knife (or a normal knife) for harvesting the plant’s leaves, you can make your own Aloe Vera gel at home.
Both Aloe Vera gel and juice are the best options for heartburn treatment, though you can mix the powder form with water as well. These 3 forms come into direct contact with your esophagus, helping reduce the irritation caused by heartburn and promoting the healing of your esophagus lining.
While the Aloe Vera capsule and softgel can also be effective in the treatment of GERD symptoms, it is worth noting that they will not treat your esophagus directly. This means that this form of Aloe Vera for GERD may take longer before producing the desired results.
Related: How To Make Aloe Vera Gel
How to Use Aloe Vera for Acid Reflux
When using an Aloe Vera product to treat acid reflux symptoms, you need to note that the dosage will vary depending on the potency of the product, the product manufacturer, and who is using the product. Before using any product, you must consult the product label, a pharmacist, or your doctor for instructions on how to use the particular supplement to get maximum benefits and zero or minimal side effects. Below, we will offer suggestions on how to use Aloe Vera products to treat acid reflux:
- If your goal is to prevent heartburn, you can take Aloe before meals. You can also take Aloe Vera for treatment after the heartburn has begun.
- Softgels are likely to be taken multiple times each day with water. Many times, the soft gels are taken before meals to help with digestion and also prevent heartburn.
- Aloe Vera gel, juice, and powder (mixed with water) can be taken before meals to prevent heartburn or as a remedy after heartburn occurs.
- You can make refreshing drinks using Aloe Vera juice, gel, and powder. These 3 products can be mixed with juices that won’t promote acid reflux.
Note: If you experience any discomfort or side effect, you should discontinue the use of Aloe Vera and consult your doctor. The doctor may decide to change the treatment regimen.
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Warnings and Risks When Using Aloe Vera for Acid Reflux
Aloe Vera is generally considered to be safe. However, you must pay close attention to the warnings and risks outlined below. This should help you avoid dealing with adverse effects:
- Women who are pregnant should avoid using Aloe Vera internally. Aloe Vera can stimulate uterine contractions, leading to miscarriage. Also, the plant can increase the risk of skeletal abnormalities and embryonic death.
- While children and infants can use Aloe Vera for face and other external areas, they should not be fed Aloe Vera products without the doctor’s supervision.
- Aloe Vera products can interfere with other medications. Therefore, if you are using other medications, do not take Aloe products for acid reflux without consulting your doctor.
- If you are diabetic and you are using other medications to regulate your blood glucose, consult your doctor before ingesting Aloe Vera products. Aloe Vera can lower your blood glucose to dangerous levels.
- If you are planning to have surgery, do not take Aloe Vera. The plant can reduce blood clotting.
- Certain forms of Aloe Vera may cause diarrhea. Unless you are constipated, avoid all forms of Aloe Vera which have the latex component.
- While Aloe Vera does have medical benefits, it is also known to worsen certain medical conditions. The plant can worsen ulcerative colitis, hemorrhoids, and Crohn’s disease. Therefore, if you have these health issues, you must avoid using Aloe Vera.
- For people who are allergic to the lily family plant group, consuming Aloe Vera may cause side effects.
Are There Other Treatment Options for Acid Reflux?
After going through the risks and warnings mentioned above, you could have realized that Aloe Vera may not be an ideal solution for your acid reflux problems. If you are currently pregnant, have diabetes, or have a condition that makes the natural solution unsafe for you, you can consider using over-the-counter (OTC) medications.
OTC medications used for acid reflux will either block the stomach acid or reduce the amount of stomach acid produced by your body. The OTC options you can use include:
- Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs)
- Antacids
- H2 receptor blockers
- In extremely severe cases, acid reflux may be treated with surgery
Before using over-the-counter medications, you must consult your pharmacist or your doctor. This will help you determine the safest dosage and how long you can use the OTC medication without having to deal with negative side effects.
FAQs
Q: When Should I Take Aloe Vera for Acid Reflux?
When you take Aloe for acid reflux will vary depending on the product you are using and whether you need to treat or prevent heartburn. If you are using softgels to treat acid reflux, you may need to take the Aloe Vera products several times a day with water. If you are taking Aloe Vera gel, juice, or powder (mixed with water), you can take the products before meals to prevent acid reflux, or after you discover you are having acid reflux symptoms to help with treatment.
Related: Aloe Vera For GumsQ: Is Aloe Vera Juice Acidic or Alkaline?
Aloe Vera juice is alkaline.
If your body features a highly acidic PH, it will be more prone to health complications and hence it is important to maintain a balanced PH. This is where consuming Aloe Vera juice comes in. One of the Aloe Vera juice benefits is that it has an alkaline effect. It alkalizes the body, helping you balance the overly acidic dietary habits.
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Aloe Vera is a toner and super healer in the digestive tract – from your esophagus to the large intestines. The plant contains special polysaccharides that make nutrients more bioavailable in your stomach. It also reduces hydrochloric acid production in the stomach. All this makes Aloe Vera an ideal option for people dealing with acid reflux and digestive issues.
In this article, we have shown you how to use Aloe Vera for GERD. However, for you to be safe, be sure to consult with your doctor before adding Aloe Vera to your GERD treatment regimen.
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