Carbonated water helps reduce the symptoms associated with indigestion
Carbonated water helps reduce the symptoms associated with indigestion (dyspepsia) and constipation, based on a recently available study in the European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (2002; 14: 9919).
Dyspepsia is actually characterized by a group of indications such as discomfort or perhaps pain within the upper abdomen, early on feeling associated with fullness after eating, bloating, belching, nausea, and sometimes vomiting. Approximately 25% of people living in Western societies are afflicted by dyspepsia every year, and the condition is the reason for 2 to 5% of all visits to primary treatment providers. Insufficient motion within the intestinal tract (peristalsis) is believed to be an important reason for dyspepsia. Additional gastrointestinal problems, such as irritable bowel syndrome and constipation, frequently accompany dyspepsia.
Antacid medicationsover the counter acid neutralizers, doctor prescribed medications that block stomach acid generation, and medicines that activate peristalsisare primary therapies with regard to dyspepsia. Nevertheless, antacids can easily impact the digestive function and also absorption of nutrients, as well as there exists a possible relationship involving long-term use of the acid-blocking drugs and increased probability of stomach cancer. Other health care services recommend diet modifications, including eating smaller recurrent meals, reducing excess fat consumption, and figuring out and staying away from distinct aggravating foods. With regard to smokers with dyspepsia, giving up smoking is also advocated. Constipation is dealt with with increased water and fiber intake. Laxative medicines are also prescribed by a few doctors, while some might analyze with regard to food sensitivities and also imbalances in the bacteria of the intestinal tract and deal with these to ease constipation.
In this study, carbonated water was compared with plain tap water because of its effect on dyspepsia, constipation, and general digestive function. Twenty-one people with indigestion as well as constipation were randomly designated to drink a minimum of 1. 5 liters daily of either carbonated or plain tap water for at least 15 days or till the conclusion of the 30-day trial. At the beginning and also the end of the trial all the individuals were given indigestion as well as constipation questionnaires and testing to gauge stomach fullness right after eating, gastric emptying (movement of food out from the stomach), gallbladder emptying, as well as intestinal tract transit period (the period for ingested ingredients to travel from mouth area to anus).
Scores about the dyspepsia and constipation questionnaires ended up significantly better for all those treated using carbonated water than for those who consumed tap water. Eight of the 10 individuals in the carbonated water group had noticeable improvement in dyspepsia ratings at the conclusion of the trial, two experienced no change and one worsened. In comparison, seven of eleven people within the tap water group had deteriorating of dyspepsia ratings, and only four experienced betterment. Constipation ratings improved with regard to 8 individuals and worsened for two following carbonated water treatment, while ratings for five people improved and six worsened within the plain tap water group. Extra evaluation revealed that carbonated water particularly reduced early stomach fullness and elevated gallbladder emptying, while tap water did not.
Carbonated water has been used for hundreds of years to treat digestive system issues, however virtually no research exists to aid its effectiveness. The actual carbonated water used in this particular test not merely had much more carbon dioxide than actually tap water, but also was observed to have much higher levels of minerals including sodium, potassium, sulfate, fluoride, chloride, magnesium, and calcium. Other scientific studies have established that both the bubbles associated with carbon dioxide and the existence of high amounts of minerals can certainly increase digestive function. Further research is required to ascertain whether this mineral-rich carbonated water would be more efficient at relieving dyspepsia than would carbonated plain tap water.
