CarbAddictionDoc 3: ACID REFLUX TRIGGERED BY SUGAR...leading to Barrett's esophagitis

Dr Rob Cywes
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