Doctor's Analysis: A Natural Treatment for GERD?

If you suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease, commonly known as GERD, you're not alone. More than thirty percent of people in the U.S. population are affected by this condition to some degree. The symptoms of this disease can be debilitating in some cases, causing heartburn on a daily basis and even mimicking a heart attack. The traditional treatments include lifestyle modification and use of antacids, proton pump inhibitors, and H2 blockers to decrease acid production. Unfortunately, use of these medications can have significant side effects including decreased absorption of certain vitamins and minerals. These medications can also alter normal digestion by reducing the availability of acid to the stomach which is needed to stimulate production of digestive enzymes. In addition, it's not recommended that these medications be taken on a long term basis. Recently, a natural treatment for GERD has received attention in the form of a d-limonene, a natural extract derived from orange peel.

D-limonene is an all natural biochemical found in a variety of citrus oils and is used by the food industry as a flavoring agent. Not only has this substance been investigated for its potential role as a natural treatment for GERD, it's also being studied for its role in cancer prevention. With regards to treatment of GERD, d-limonene is thought to coat the esophagus, providing a barrier to the stomach acid that is regurgitated during active episodes of GERD. Studies have shown that patients given d-limonene reported reduction in the severity of their heartburn symptoms with more than three quarters experiencing complete relief of their symptoms after receiving the supplement. Surprisingly, relief from heartburn lasted well after stopping d-limonene with some experiencing relief lasting several months. No adverse reactions were noted in people taking the supplement.

What dose of d-limonene is thought to be effective in the natural treatment of GERD? Studies have generally used a 1000 mg tablet taken every other day for a period of three weeks. Although d-limonene may be difficult to find at your local vitamin store, it's available online at several sites. One such preparation containing d-limonene is called Natural Esophaguard. Some natural food markets may carry d-limonene in supplement form.

Analysis:

D-limonene appears to be a safe supplement that has shown some potential for reducing the symptoms of GERD. Because of its low potential for toxicity and its apparent benefits in some chronic GERD sufferers, it may be worth a several week trial to see if it will reduce your need for H2 blockers and proton pump inhibitors. Before doing this, be sure to check with your doctor to make sure your symptoms have been correctly diagnosed as other more serious diseases can give symptoms similar to GERD. Could d-limonene be a natural treatment for GERD? It certainly looks promising.