title: Improvement of gastroesophageal reflux disease after initiation of a low-carbohydrate diet: five brief case reports.
abstract: The 5 individuals described in these case reports experienced resolution of GERD symptoms after self-initiation of a low-carbohydrate diet. Their observations suggest that carbohydrate restriction may have contributed to their symptom relief. However, this conclusion is confounded by concurrent reduction of caffeine intake in 3 of the individuals and reduction of acidic and high-osmolal food intake in all of them. Observations from some of these individuals suggest that carbohydrates may be a precipitating factor for GERD symptoms and that other classic exacerbating foods such as coffee and fat may be less pertinent when a low-carbohydrate diet is followed. However, these conclusions are preliminary. These findings primarily suggest that prospective research should be performed on the effect of low-carbohydrate diets on GERD symptoms. Trials that control for all of the confounders mentioned above and that contain objective endpoints are needed to further investigate these issues.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Veterans' Affairs Medical Center, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: W S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Yancy
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Provenzale
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Westman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000178:diet therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates