If you have drank bottled water and noticed any acid reflux or things like heartburn you might be wondering if the bottled water can cause acid reflux?
Usually bottled water will not cause acid reflux. But there are some situations where drinking bottled water might make your acid reflux symptoms worse.
Below we will go into this in more detail.
Can Bottled Water Cause Acid Reflux?
Typically for most people bottled water will not cause or worsen acid reflux symptoms such as heartburn but there are some cases where you have drunk bottled water and your acid reflux is worse.
People who have more severe or sensitive acid reflux like GERD or LPR are more prone to notice this but someone with more minimal acid reflux is less likely to experience this.
Drank Water During Eating
The most likely case where drinking bottled water might cause acid reflux is if you have taken it during or soon after eating.
When you drink a lot during eating it will cause the stomach to expand more and this puts more pressure on the stomach and the valve above the stomach known as the LES. If there is too much pressure on this valve it can open when it shouldn’t. This leads to acid refluxing up the esophagus where it shouldn’t. This often will cause or worsen acid reflux symptoms.
Stomach Valve Opening
Another case when this can happen is for people where there LES opens or relaxes when it shouldn’t. The LES plays an important role in the digestive system and is designed to keep the acid down and inside the stomach.
Though for some people the LES might remain open or relaxed more than it’s meant to, for one reason or another. So even if the stomach is empty the LES valve may open after drinking water and this can lead to acid reflux symptoms.
Waters Acidity
Another thing to consider is the acidity of the water. Most water pH ranges from a 6-8 pH though there are exceptions. A water that has a higher acidity may be more likely to irritate acid reflux symptoms. While this is quite uncommon even at the more acidic part of the range it could happen to some people.
For example, let’s say the typical water you drink is an 8 pH which is considered alkaline. Drinking that alkaline water will often help calm any acid reflux symptoms you might have.
But let’s say you buy some bottled water that you don’t usually drink that has a 6 pH. While this might not seem like a big deal the 6-pH water is 100 times more acidic than the 8-pH water. This is quite a noticeable difference that your body and digestion system might not be used to.
This sometimes can lead to digestion issues or acid reflux for more sensitive people or people with more severe acid reflux. Keep in mind for the average person or someone with more minimal acid reflux this is much less likely to be the case.
For more advice on what to drink for acid reflux be sure to check out my Wipeout Diet Plan.
Drinking Water too Quickly
If you drink a lot of water too quickly (in under 5-10 minutes) this can sometimes cause acid reflux.
That’s because if you drink it too quickly it can expand the stomach, and this increases the chance for the valve above the stomach to open and cause acid reflux and things like heartburn.
For more on this check our article – can drinking a lot of water cause acid reflux.
Water Temperature
A final thing I want to mention about bottled water causing acid reflux is the temperature of the water.
Believe it or not if you have bad acid reflux that affects the throat like silent reflux or even GERD very cold water can irritate the throat and digestive tract lining which can make symptoms worse for some people. While this is not typical it does happen at least to some people.
Keep in mind cold water might have an immediate cooling effect on your throat and digestive tract but once this has worn off it may leave things a little more sensitive and irritable. It ‘s best to opt for room temperature bottled water when possible.
Carbonated and Flavored Water
Everything we have mentioned above has been regarding plain still bottled water. If you opt for carbonated water or flavored water both are much more likely to cause acid reflux problems.
That’s because both are much more acidic than still bottled water. Also, anything carbonated puts more pressure on the stomach which increases gas and pressure in the stomach which often can lead to worsened acid reflux due pressure imbalance, burping etc.
Is Mineral Water Good for Acid Reflux?
Typically, mineral water is a good choice for acid reflux because drinking it can help dilute the stomach acid which in turn should lessen acid reflux symptoms.
One thing to consider is the acidity of the water. Water that is more alkaline will be more likely to be good for acid reflux. If you aren’t sure about the acidity of the water check the bottle and look for the pH rating.
The higher the number the more alkaline the water is and the more it will help neutralize the stomach acid. For reference any water higher than a 7 is alkaline and any under a 7 is acidic. Ideally opt for a water closer or higher than an 8 pH to get the best benefit.
Interesting Related Questions
Is Bottled Water Acidic?
Some bottled water can be acidic, and some can be alkaline. Just check the bottle of the water for the pH rating. Anything above 7 pH is alkaline and anything below is acidic.
Can Drinking Bottled Water Cause Stomach Problems?
Typically drinking bottled water will not cause stomach problems. Though there are some cases where drinking water might worsen or flare up acid reflux symptoms. While it’s not too common it does happen to certain people.
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