Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. All of the 176 gastroesophageal disease patients who took a supplement with melatonin, tryptophan, vitamin B12, methionine, vitamin B6, betaine and folic acid experienced cessation of GERD symptoms.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a condition where the muscle connecting the esophagus to the stomach does not close properly. Stomach contents leak back up into the esophagus, causing heartburn and acid indigestion (1). An estimated 44% of US adults experience GERD symptoms monthly, (2), costing our healthcare system $24 billion per year (3).
Ways to help with GERD include increasing fiber intake (4,) as well as fruits and vegetables (5). Now a new study (6) has found that melatonin, B-vitamins and amino acids may also help.
In the study, 176 patients took a combination supplement containing melatonin (6 mg), tryptophan (200 mg), vitamin B12 (50 micrograms), methionine (100 mg), vitamin B6 (25 mg), betaine (100 mg) and folic acid (10 mg), while 175 patients were given 20 mg of omeprazole, a common prescription medication for GERD. They took one capsule of their designated supplement for 40 days after dinner. The average age of the entire group was 44 years of age, with the range being from 18 to 88 years of age. The patients recorded their GERD symptoms on a scale of 1 to 5, with the desired result to be a 24-hour period without any GERD symptoms.
The researchers found that all of the patients in the melatonin group experienced a 24-hour cessation of GERD symptoms in as little as 7 days into the study, including 90.3% of the group having significant improvements in sleep quality by the end of the study. In the omeprazole group, 65.7% of patients experienced 24 symptom-free straight hours 9 days after treatment started, but 2.3% experienced only “partial improvement” and the rest (32%) did not achieve the 24-hour mark at all in study, clearly showing that the supplement containing melatonin was more effective than omeprazole in improving GERD symptoms.
Combining these results with a new report showing GERD medications like omeprazole (a class of medications called “proton pump inhibitors”) to increase the risk of fractures by 29% (7), the melatonin combination supplement becomes even more appealing.
For the researchers, “The results obtained show that a therapy using a dietary supplement with melatonin, vitamins and amino acids promotes regression of GERD symptoms.”
Source: Pereira, Ricardo de Souza. “Regression of gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms using dietary supplementation with melatonin, vitamins and aminoacids: comparison with omeprazole.” Journal of pineal research 41, no. 3 (2006): 195-200.
© 2006 The Author, © Journal compilation 2006 Blackwell Munksgaard
Posted October 24, 2013.
Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Danville, CA. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com
References:
- “Heartburn, Hiatal Hernia, and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)” from the National Institutes of Health Website.
- Fass R. Epidemiology and pathophysiology of symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease. Am J Gastroenterol 2003; 98:S2–S7.
- Brooks RA. Cost of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease to the employer: a perspective from the United States. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2007;26(6):889-98.
- J. A. Satia, et al. (2005). “Dietary intake and the risk of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: a cross-sectional study in volunteers.” Gut 54(1): 11-7.
- Thompson OM. Vegetable and fruit intakes and risk of Barrett’s esophagus in men and women. Am J Clin Nutr 2009 89: 890-896. First published online January 14, 2009; doi:10.3945/ajcn.2008.26497.
- de Souza Pereira R. Regression of gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms using dietary supplementation with melatonin, vitamins and amino acids: comparison with omeprazole. J. Pineal Res. 2006; 41:195–200 Doi:10.1111/j.1600-079X.2006.00359.x.
- “Risks: Acid Reflux Drugs Tied to Bone Fractures” – NY Times May 13, 2011.
