This Is Why You Suffer More From Heartburn As You Get Older (And What to Do About It)

Burning pain behind your breastbone, a sour or bitter taste in the back of your throat. Heartburn is no fun. The older you are, the greater the chance of this ailment. How does this happen, and what can you do about it?

Stomach acid is a strong acid that your stomach produces itself and plays an important role in the digestion of food. It breaks down proteins and deals with harmful bacteria. As long as the acid stays in place, there is nothing wrong. But if the stomach acid rises up into the esophagus, it can cause burning symptoms. It can also cause you to burp a lot .

Anyone can get heartburn, but it’s more common as you get older. There are three reasons for this, HuffPost reports. One major reason is that the muscles in your esophagus naturally weaken over time. In addition, your digestive system slows down as you get older, giving you more time for acid to go the “wrong” way.

Heartburn can also be a side effect of medications for high blood pressure or erectile dysfunction, which are often prescribed at an older age. Finally, weight gain can play a role. Obesity is linked to slower digestion. Weight gain with age is common, partly because metabolism slows and muscle loss occurs.

Are you completely at your own mercy? Not quite. According to gastroenterologists Dr. Mikhail Yakubov and Dr. Ali Kazemi and microbiome scientist Dr. Vivek Lal, there are things you can do to reduce your risk of heartburn. First, a no-brainer: If your medications have heartburn as a side effect, you can ask your doctor about switching. The doctors also say that maintaining a healthy weight reduces your risk.

They advise identifying your triggers. Lal: “Common culprits include spicy foods, coffee, citrus fruits, chocolate, and alcohol. Try to avoid these for at least two weeks, then reintroduce them one by one to determine the cause of your symptoms.” There are also certain foods you’d rather not eat on an empty stomach .

Lal adds that eating smaller, more frequent meals instead of large portions can also help. This, he says, reduces pressure on the stomach because it won’t be as full. Ideally, you should eat your last meal at least two hours before bed. If all else fails, Kazemi suggests propping your upper body up 30 degrees with a pillow and not lying down after eating.

If none of this helps, you can start taking medication in consultation with your doctor. However, it is true that heavy antacids can have serious side effects. For example, the use of heavy antacids leads to an increased risk of osteoporosis, intestinal infections and kidney failure, Groningen professor Rinse Weersma warned earlier .

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