Kava and antacids

[Edward]

I've looked all over and can't find anything relating to this. Can you use antacids before, during or after drinking kava? I had a pasta salad for lunch and it was repeating a little so I had some antacids about 6pm, not due to drink kava until probably 8.30 or 9pm so I'm sure it would be fine by then but interested in the question.

 

[The Kap'n]

You're totally fine. I sometimes live off of antacids and kava works as inconsistently as usual.

 

[Edward]

@Kapmcrunk great, thanks.

 

[Jerome]

Funny, I was thinking last night if somehow increasing stomach acid might increase absorption. Like by using a little vinegar, or bitters, or just a small spicy dish...

 

[Edward]

@Jerome I don't know anything about that, higher stomach acid levels usually cause more problems than they solve. I was just wondering because I didn't want an interaction of some kind.

 

[Squanch72]

Yep like Kap, I take a lot of antacid, for some reason migraines bring on acid reflux. So I chew plenty of antacid during the week and it never interferes with my kava.

 

[Sam Handwich]

I have found on a few occasions that kava itself can help with acid reflux, not long term but a shell seems to quell the pain at least as long as a few tums.

 

[Jerome]

I've been convinced recently by a few people and some reading that acid reflux is caused by excessivly low stomach acid. When stomach acid is too weak, it doesn't trigger your esophageal sphincter to close thus allowing some powerful stomach acid into the more sensitive esophagus.

 

[Sam Handwich]

That's exactly right, I was once very sceptical of this theory until I had a horrible bout of heartburn that antacids couldn't touch. After some research and out of desperation I tried downing an ounce of apple cider vinegar, followed by another ounce about 30 minutes later. It worked! I was really surprised. It doesn't taste great but it really works, it would be worth a shot and I'm sure vinegar and kava would be fine together.

 

[The Kap'n]

If you're unlucky like me you end up drinking the apple cider vinegar, continue to have heartburn, and have to live with the aftermath of having just drank apple cider vinegar. I wanted it to work so bad. Gave it an honest shot. Some of us just shouldn't have thought drinking mass quantities of coca-cola in their younger years was an intelligent move...it was not.

 

[verticity]

... I'm sure vinegar and kava would be fine together.

You don't literally mean "together" I'm sure...

 

[verticity]

But theoretically, since kavalactones are more soluble in "gastric juices", i.e. an acidic environment, than in plain water, if you reduced the acidity of your stomach juices a lot it could slow the absorption of kavalactones. I don't know if a couple antacid tablets would be enough to have that effect. Probably not based on peoples' experiences above.

 

[Ligermeat]

But theoretically, since kavalactones are more soluble in "gastric juices", i.e. an acidic environment, than in plain water, if you reduced the acidity of your stomach juices a lot it could slow the absorption of kavalactones. I don't know if a couple antacid tablets would be enough to have that effect. Probably not based on peoples' experiences above.

So by that logic, would orange juice be a' good instead of da water for prep? I know da orange juice is great for masking kava's nasty taste. If dis awud be so, it would be a win-win mon.

 

[verticity]

So by that logic, would orange juice be a' good instead of da water for prep? I know da orange juice is great for masking kava's nasty taste. If dis awud be so, it would be a win-win mon.

No, actually, because ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) destroys kavain. Lemonade would work. I have used lemonade mix in my kava for that purpose.

 

[Ligermeat]

No, actually, because ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) destroys kavain. Lemonade would work. I have used lemonade mix in my kava for that purpose.

Maybe next time i might use a little of da lemon

 

[verticity]

Maybe next time i might use a little of da lemon

Or you could try da lime an da coconut

 

[Edward]

Surely da lemonade has da vitamin c though no mon? @Deleted User01 did mention mixing micro (or maybe it was instant?) in ginger ale. Sounds nice. I've started drinking ginger ale between shells and it seems to help a lot for me with da nausea.

 

[Muddy]

I'd like to share my experience with acid reflux as it may save some of you a lot of pain and head scratching. Some 3 years ago, out of the blue, I started to get terrible heart burn, indigestion and the feeling of being bloated after eating. My diet was no different, the usual porridge in the morning, wholemeal bread sandwiches in the day and a meal with meat, spuds and 2 veg, a pasta dish or a curry at around 7PM. Then one day reflux descended on me. I couldn't sleep at night, had to lay propped up, and no amount of indigestion medication worked. I thought I had an ulcer or something and so did the GP when I visited. But after an endoscopy and ulcer ruled out. Long story short, I was put on Lansoprozale (a PPI) and that was it. Well the PPI only lessened the symptoms a little, and the problem persisted. Nothing I tried, be it acid cider vinegar, charcoal pills, or tinkering with my diet helped. Then I read a book that cracked it.

Out of desperation I bought a book by Dr Norman Roubillard, found out about the problem (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth SIBO) and followed his suggestions. The problem didn't go away immediately, but very quickly the symptoms abated and within a week I was able to come of the PPI medication, which at this point I'd been taking for over a year. His premise is that most people with acid reflux have a diet that is heavy in carbohydrates and many of these foods ferment in the gut causing a gas build up that causes bloatedness, the feeling of wanting to burp but not being able to, and stomach acid to back up into the oesophagus. He lists foods according the their fermentation potential and if these are avoided the problem pretty much disappears. This was true for me.

Dr Roubillard has a website here: http://digestivehealthinstitute.org/
Lots of information about the condition but I'd suggest getting his book. It got me out of a very dark place.
If you need to change your symptoms real quick, the paleo diet will also get you there in a couple of days. But I like my carbs, so mostly follow a selective carb diet.

 

[Edward]

I'd like to share my experience with acid reflux as it may save some of you a lot of pain and head scratching. Some 3 years ago, out of the blue, I started to get terrible heart burn, indigestion and the feeling of being bloated after eating. My diet was no different, the usual porridge in the morning, wholemeal bread sandwiches in the day and a meal with meat, spuds and 2 veg, a pasta dish or a curry at around 7PM. Then one day reflux descended on me. I couldn't sleep at night, had to lay propped up, and no amount of indigestion medication worked. I thought I had an ulcer or something and so did the GP when I visited. But after an endoscopy and ulcer ruled out. Long story short, I was put on Lansoprozale (a PPI) and that was it. Well the PPI only lessened the symptoms a little, and the problem persisted. Nothing I tried, be it acid cider vinegar, charcoal pills, or tinkering with my diet helped. Then I read a book that cracked it.

Out of desperation I bought a book by Dr Norman Roubillard, found out about the problem (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth SIBO) and followed his suggestions. The problem didn't go away immediately, but very quickly the symptoms abated and within a week I was able to come of the PPI medication, which at this point I'd been taking for over a year. His premise is that most people with acid reflux have a diet that is heavy in carbohydrates and many of these foods ferment in the gut causing a gas build up that causes bloatedness, the feeling of wanting to burp but not being able to, and stomach acid to back up into the oesophagus. He lists foods according the their fermentation potential and if these are avoided the problem pretty much disappears. This was true for me.

Dr Roubillard has a website here: http://digestivehealthinstitute.org/
Lots of information about the condition but I'd suggest getting his book. It got me out of a very dark place.
If you need to change your symptoms real quick, the paleo diet will also get you there in a couple of days. But I like my carbs, so mostly follow a selective carb diet.

Thanks for posting that, that's awesome.

 

[Sam Handwich]

I'd like to share my experience with acid reflux as it may save some of you a lot of pain and head scratching. Some 3 years ago, out of the blue, I started to get terrible heart burn, indigestion and the feeling of being bloated after eating. My diet was no different, the usual porridge in the morning, wholemeal bread sandwiches in the day and a meal with meat, spuds and 2 veg, a pasta dish or a curry at around 7PM. Then one day reflux descended on me. I couldn't sleep at night, had to lay propped up, and no amount of indigestion medication worked. I thought I had an ulcer or something and so did the GP when I visited. But after an endoscopy and ulcer ruled out. Long story short, I was put on Lansoprozale (a PPI) and that was it. Well the PPI only lessened the symptoms a little, and the problem persisted. Nothing I tried, be it acid cider vinegar, charcoal pills, or tinkering with my diet helped. Then I read a book that cracked it.

Out of desperation I bought a book by Dr Norman Roubillard, found out about the problem (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth SIBO) and followed his suggestions. The problem didn't go away immediately, but very quickly the symptoms abated and within a week I was able to come of the PPI medication, which at this point I'd been taking for over a year. His premise is that most people with acid reflux have a diet that is heavy in carbohydrates and many of these foods ferment in the gut causing a gas build up that causes bloatedness, the feeling of wanting to burp but not being able to, and stomach acid to back up into the oesophagus. He lists foods according the their fermentation potential and if these are avoided the problem pretty much disappears. This was true for me.

Dr Roubillard has a website here: http://digestivehealthinstitute.org/
Lots of information about the condition but I'd suggest getting his book. It got me out of a very dark place.
If you need to change your symptoms real quick, the paleo diet will also get you there in a couple of days. But I like my carbs, so mostly follow a selective carb diet.

That's is a great post, thank you for taking the time. I think I really need to look into changing my diet, probably to a more paleo type. I have been taking prilosec daily for years and sometimes worry that it might not be good for me, I'd love to get off of it but the rebound heartburn is just unbearable. I've always blamed it on anxiety but from what you guys are sharing here it sounds like the anxiety and reflux could both be linked to diet. Come to think of it I didn't have either problem 11 years ago while doing the Adkins diet, and that is very similar to the paleo approach.