RefluxRaft is a US alginate gel made by two ENT surgeons. It works the same way as Gaviscon Advance: it forms a seaweed-based raft that floats on your stomach contents and physically blocks reflux. It’s sugar-free, low in sodium, comes in three flavors, and is one of the easier ways for Americans to get a real alginate without importing anything.
My honest verdict: it’s a good option, especially if you’re in the US, pregnant, or watching your salt. The two catches are that the amount of alginate per dose isn’t disclosed, and RefluxRaft itself hasn’t been tested in a published clinical trial. If you have silent reflux (LPR) and can get Gaviscon Advance, that still has the stronger evidence.
Key Takeaways
- RefluxRaft is a sodium alginate gel that forms a physical barrier against reflux. It doesn’t suppress or neutralize acid.
- It was founded by ENT specialists Dr. Spencer Payne and Dr. James Daniero.
- There are three versions: Lemon Ginger (with DGL and ginger), Berry Burst, and Midnight Berry PM (with 1 mg melatonin).
- Each serving has 28 mg sodium, roughly half the sodium of Gaviscon Advance per teaspoon.
- The alginate is listed as a “proprietary complex,” so you can’t compare its strength directly with Gaviscon Advance’s 1,000 mg per 10 ml.
- Alginates as a class have strong trial evidence. RefluxRaft specifically has no published trials.
- It’s sold as a dietary supplement in the US, not a licensed medicine.
- Like any alginate, it controls reflux for a few hours. Diet decides how much reflux there is to control.
What Is RefluxRaft?
RefluxRaft is an alginate gel sold in 10 oz squeeze tubes, with around 60 servings per tube. According to the company, it was started by ENT specialists Dr. Spencer Payne and Dr. James Daniero after years of treating patients with chronic reflux. Dr. Daniero is an active LPR researcher who has published on how to manage the condition [Daniero et al., Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America, 2025], so this isn’t a celebrity-wellness product. It comes from people who see reflux patients every week.
In the US, it’s sold as a dietary supplement rather than a licensed medicine like UK Gaviscon Advance. That means its claims aren’t reviewed by the FDA, and the label carries the standard “not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease” wording.
How RefluxRaft Works
Sodium alginate comes from brown seaweed. When it meets stomach acid, it turns into a thick gel. Trapped gas makes that gel float, so it sits on top of your meal like a lid, right where reflux starts.
This matters because it’s a completely different approach from antacids and PPIs. It doesn’t change your stomach acid. It stops stomach contents coming up. In imaging studies, an alginate raft pushed the “acid pocket” at the top of the stomach below the diaphragm in 71% of patients, compared with 21% on a plain antacid [Rohof et al., Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 2013].
For silent reflux, that blocking effect is the whole point. LPR damage comes largely from pepsin, which rides up with reflux whether it’s acidic or not. Stopping the reflux stops the pepsin. I go into this in alginates for acid reflux.
One thing RefluxRaft’s own label points out: it works best when stomach acid is present, so results may vary if you’re on acid-reducing medication. That’s true of alginates generally, because acid is what triggers the gel to form.
The Three Flavors Compared
Lemon Ginger
The original. Alongside the alginate, it contains ginger root and deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL). DGL is a soothing, coating ingredient I cover in DGL for acid reflux and LPR. Ginger speeds up stomach emptying. In one study, it roughly halved gastric emptying time in healthy volunteers [Wu et al., European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 2008]. Faster emptying can mean less reflux, although some people find ginger itself irritating, so test it.
See RefluxRaft Lemon Ginger on Amazon
Berry Burst
Alginate with blueberry and açaí powder for flavor. No ginger or DGL. This is the one I’d suggest if you want the simplest formula, or if ginger doesn’t agree with you.
See RefluxRaft Berry Burst on Amazon
Midnight Berry PM
The night-time version adds 1 mg of melatonin. There is some evidence for melatonin in reflux. In a randomized trial of 78 GERD patients, adding 3 mg of melatonin to omeprazole improved heartburn and symptom scores more than omeprazole alone [Malekpour et al., Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology, 2023]. That was a higher dose taken with a PPI, so it doesn’t prove 1 mg in a gel does the same, but the idea is reasonable. Night-time is when an alginate earns its keep anyway, because lying flat makes reflux to the throat much easier.
If you’re on other medication, are pregnant, or don’t want melatonin every night, check with your doctor or stick to Berry Burst at bedtime.
See RefluxRaft Midnight Berry PM on Amazon
What I Like About RefluxRaft
- It’s a real alginate. Unlike US pharmacy Gaviscon, which is mainly an aluminum-magnesium antacid, this works by blocking reflux.
- Low sodium. 28 mg per serving. Gaviscon Advance is high in sodium, which matters if you have high blood pressure, heart problems, or you’re taking it four times a day.
- No sugar or artificial sweeteners. Gaviscon Advance is sweetened with saccharin, which some readers prefer to avoid.
- No aluminum. So no constipation from that source.
- Easy to get in the US. No importing, no customs, no wondering whether you’ve got the right bottle.
- Marketed as pregnancy-safe. Alginates are a common first choice for heartburn in pregnancy. See acid reflux and pregnancy, and check with your midwife or doctor first.
- Multiple flavors. Taste matters when you’re taking something three or four times a day for months.
Where It Falls Short
- Undisclosed alginate dose. The alginate is listed as a “proprietary sodium alginate complex.” Gaviscon Advance tells you exactly what you’re getting: 1,000 mg per 10 ml. Raft strength depends heavily on alginate content. In a lab comparison of alginate products, the strongest raft lasted about 93 minutes while weaker ones lasted 5 to 27 minutes [Dettmar et al., Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy, 2018]. Without the number, you can’t judge where RefluxRaft sits.
- No product-specific trials. The alginate science is solid. A meta-analysis of 14 randomized trials found alginates more than quadrupled the odds of GERD symptom relief compared with placebo or antacids [Leiman et al., Diseases of the Esophagus, 2017]. And Gaviscon Advance has a randomized trial in LPR specifically [McGlashan et al., European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, 2009]. RefluxRaft is borrowing that evidence rather than generating its own.
- Extra ingredients aren’t for everyone. Ginger, citrus flavoring, berry and melatonin all have a purpose, but anything beyond the alginate is one more thing that could bother a sensitive throat.
- Cost. At around $33 a tube and 1 to 2 teaspoons a dose, regular after-meal and bedtime use gets through a tube in a few weeks.
- Mixed reviews. It sits at around 4.1 out of 5 stars from over 1,000 Amazon ratings at the time of writing. Most complaints I’ve seen are about taste or not noticing a difference, which is common with alginates when people take them at the wrong time.
RefluxRaft vs Gaviscon Advance vs Reflux Gourmet
- Gaviscon Advance (UK): 1,000 mg sodium alginate per 10 ml, licensed medicine, LPR trial evidence, higher sodium, contains sweeteners. Has to be imported in the US. Gaviscon Advance on Amazon.
- RefluxRaft: undisclosed alginate amount, supplement, low sodium, sugar-free, three flavors, US-made and easy to buy.
- Reflux Gourmet: plant-based alginate gel, also a US supplement, also no published trial. Reflux Gourmet on Amazon.
I’ve done full head-to-heads in Gaviscon vs Reflux Raft and Reflux Gourmet vs Gaviscon. If you want the original, see how to get Gaviscon Advance in the US.
Who Should Try RefluxRaft?
It’s a good fit if:
- You’re in the US and want an alginate without importing
- You need to keep sodium down
- You want to avoid artificial sweeteners or aluminum
- You’re pregnant and your doctor is happy for you to use an alginate
- You’ve struggled with the taste of Gaviscon Advance
I’d lean toward Gaviscon Advance if:
- You have LPR and want the product with trial evidence in throat symptoms
- You want to know exactly how much alginate you’re taking
- You’ve tried a supplement-grade alginate and it didn’t seem strong enough
How to Take RefluxRaft for Best Results
The label says 1 to 2 teaspoons (5 to 10 ml) after meals and/or before bed. To get the most out of it:
- Take it after eating, not before. The raft needs a meal to float on.
- Prioritize the bedtime dose. Take it as the last thing before bed. That’s when reflux reaches the throat most easily. Pair it with stopping food a few hours before bed. See how long before bed you should stop eating.
- Don’t drink straight afterwards. Give it at least 30 minutes so you don’t break the raft up.
- Use the full 10 ml if you have LPR. With an undisclosed alginate dose, I’d use the top of the range for throat symptoms.
- Space it from medicines. Leave about 2 hours between any alginate and other tablets.
- Give it 6 to 8 weeks. Throat symptoms take time to settle.
An Alginate Is Only Half the Plan
This is the part most product reviews skip. RefluxRaft can block reflux for a few hours after each dose. It can’t change what’s going into your stomach, how much acid and pepsin you’re producing, or what reactivates pepsin that’s already in your throat. That’s down to food.
In my consults, the people who do best with an alginate are the ones who’ve also sorted their diet. The Wipeout Diet Plan is what I give them for that. An alginate plus the right foods is a far stronger combination than either on its own.
Conclusion
RefluxRaft is a well-made, doctor-founded alginate that does what it says: it forms a raft that blocks reflux. It’s low in sodium, free of sugar and artificial sweeteners, and easy to buy in the US, which makes it a sensible choice for a lot of people. Its weak points are the undisclosed alginate dose and the lack of trials on the product itself. If you have LPR and can get Gaviscon Advance, that still has the edge on evidence. If you can’t, or you need something lower in sodium, RefluxRaft is a solid alternative. Start with Berry Burst for the simplest formula, or Midnight Berry PM for bedtime.
Whatever alginate you choose, it works best alongside the right diet. The Wipeout Diet Plan is my complete plan for cutting reflux at the source, with the full food list, a 2-week meal plan and the reasoning behind every choice. I built it first for silent reflux, the stubborn throat-based kind, but it targets the same root causes, so it works just as well for GERD and everyday heartburn.
If you’d prefer a lighter starting point, the Wipeout Food Reference Guide lists the foods and drinks that are safe for acid reflux and LPR, along with their pH values.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does RefluxRaft actually work?
It uses sodium alginate, which has strong evidence for blocking reflux, so it should work as long as you take it after meals and at bedtime. There are no published trials on RefluxRaft specifically, and the alginate dose isn’t disclosed, so it’s hard to say how it compares with Gaviscon Advance.
Is RefluxRaft better than Gaviscon?
It’s better than US pharmacy Gaviscon, which is mainly an antacid. Compared with UK Gaviscon Advance, it’s lower in sodium and sweetener-free, but Gaviscon Advance has a known 1,000 mg alginate dose and trial evidence in LPR.
Is RefluxRaft good for silent reflux?
Alginates are one of the best tools for silent reflux because they block the reflux that carries pepsin to the throat. RefluxRaft is a reasonable choice for LPR, especially at bedtime. Use the full 10 ml dose and combine it with a low-acid diet.
Can I take RefluxRaft while pregnant?
RefluxRaft is marketed as safe in pregnancy, and alginates are commonly used for pregnancy heartburn. Check with your midwife or doctor first, and be cautious with the melatonin version.
Which RefluxRaft flavor is best?
Berry Burst has the simplest formula. Lemon Ginger adds DGL and ginger, which some people find helpful and others find irritating. Midnight Berry PM adds 1 mg melatonin for night-time use.
Can I take RefluxRaft with omeprazole?
Yes, alginates are often used alongside PPIs. The label notes results may vary with acid-reducing medication, because acid helps the raft form. Leave about 2 hours between RefluxRaft and other tablets.
How much sodium is in RefluxRaft?
28 mg per serving, plus 19 mg of potassium. That’s roughly half the sodium of Gaviscon Advance per teaspoon.
Research & References
- [Daniero et al., Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America, 2025] — Review by RefluxRaft co-founder Dr. James Daniero on decision-making in the management of laryngopharyngeal reflux.
- [Rohof et al., Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 2013] — An alginate-antacid raft displaced the post-meal acid pocket below the diaphragm in 71% of GERD patients versus 21% on antacid alone, and reduced acid reflux episodes.
- [Wu et al., European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 2008] — 1,200 mg ginger shortened gastric half-emptying time from about 27 to 13 minutes in 24 healthy volunteers and increased antral contractions.
- [Malekpour et al., Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology, 2023] — In a randomized trial of 78 GERD patients, adding 3 mg sublingual melatonin to omeprazole for 4 weeks improved heartburn, epigastric pain and symptom scores more than omeprazole plus placebo.
- [Dettmar et al., Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy, 2018] — Lab comparison of alginate products; Gaviscon Advance had the highest raft alginate content and maintained neutralization for about 93 minutes, versus 5 to 27 minutes for weaker products.
- [Leiman et al., Diseases of the Esophagus, 2017] — Meta-analysis of 14 randomized trials finding alginates increased the odds of GERD symptom resolution more than fourfold versus placebo or antacids.
- [McGlashan et al., European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, 2009] — In 49 LPR patients, Gaviscon Advance after meals and at bedtime significantly improved symptom and throat examination scores versus no treatment.
David Gray
12 years living with LPR · Consultant & researcher
I've lived with LPR for twelve years — the misdiagnoses, the PPI courses that did nothing, the slow work of figuring out what actually helps. Wipeout Reflux is where I translate the research into plain terms for people stuck in the same place. Every claim here is sourced to peer-reviewed work, and I consult one-to-one with LPR sufferers.