It seems that everyone has their own home remedy for heartburn.  One that comes up often is using milk to relieve the painful symptoms.  Does milk help heartburn?

Heartburn is a very common problem that can range from mildly irritating to a downright painful constant annoyance. However, there are several solutions for heartburn that you can utilize right at home. Nevertheless, these recommendations are for people who suffer mild to moderate heartburn on an irregular basis. If you repeatedly experience heartburn or experience severe heartburn, consult a doctor as this can be a sign of a more serious condition, such as acid reflux disease, that requires more drastic steps than simply imbibing a home remedy.

Herbal Remedies – Although scientifically suspect, certain herbal remedies have been shown to help the effects of heartburn. A common herbal supplement is a pill called Iberogast which contains several herbs such as Angelica, chamomile, caraway, licorice, lemon balm, peppermint and milk thistle. Again, evidence for this product’s effectiveness is based only on anecdotal evidence and is not scientifically proven to treat heartburn. The little research conducted on this supplement so far remains inconclusive as to how this herbal remedy combats heartburn.

Chewing Gum – Although a seemingly small solution, chewing gum is a pretty effective heartburn stopper as it stimulates the production of saliva, a natural antacid that quells gastric acid. Plus, chewing gum also makes you swallow more often, pushing stomach acid back in place. Popping a piece after dinner is highly recommended to not only help settle an upset stomach but to clean your teeth.

Prevention and Avoidance – Perhaps the best home remedy for dealing with heartburn is to simply avoid many of the triggers that cause heartburn. For people who suffer from infrequent heartburn, avoiding certain foods is the best way to keep your heartburn in check. Foods that are peppermint, caffeine, sodas, chocolate, citrus fruits and juices, tomatoes, onions and high in fat. All of these products are either high in acid, causing an increase in your stomach’s pH levels which results in heartburn, or relaxes the sphincter that separates your stomach from your esophagus, allowing gastric acid to be released. Furthermore, having a diet rich in fiber helps keep your digestive track healthy and active, allowing food to quickly shuffle out of your stomach. Reducing portion size is also beneficial for heartburn as an overly full stomach entails an overly acidic stomach as the organ naturally produces extra gastric acid to help with digestion.

Milk – Okay, the question we really want to answer is, ‘does milk help heartburn?’  Perhaps one of the most common remedies for heartburn, milk does have some short term benefits when it comes to limiting heartburn. However, this is mainly accomplished by milk acting as a buffer for the surging gastric acid that causes heartburn. In fact, the fat and protein in milk actually stimulates the production of stomach acid rather than causing it to subside. Nevertheless, consuming milk on a regular basis shouldn’t be discounted for this aspect as the benefits of milk far outweigh this possible side effect.