The Effects of Modifying Amount and Type of Dietary Carbohydrate on Esophageal Acid Exposure Time and Esophageal Reflux Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This is the first randomized controlled diet intervention trial to investigate both the amount and type of carbohydrate on symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). METHODS: Ninety-eight veterans with symptomatic GERD were randomly assigned to high total/high simple, high total/low simple, low total/high simple, or low total/low simple carbohydrate diet for 9 weeks. The primary outcomes were esophageal acid exposure time (AET) and total number of reflux episodes derived from 24-hour ambulatory pH monitoring. Secondary outcomes were esophageal reflux symptoms rated using the Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Questionnaire (GERDQ) and GERD Symptom Assessment Scale (GSAS). RESULTS: Half of the subjects were White and half African American (mean age, 60.0 ± 12.5 years; mean body mass index, 32.7 ± 5.4 kg/m(2)). There was a significant main effect of diet treatment on AET (P = 0.001) and on the total number of reflux episodes (P = 0.003). The change in AET in the high total/low simple group (−4.3% ± 3.8%) differed significantly from the high total/high simple control group (+3.1% ± 3.7%), (P = 0.04). The reduction in simple sugar intake averaged 62 g less per day. Subjects' ratings of symptoms improved in all carbohydrate modification groups, including significant reductions in heartburn frequency, heartburn severity, acid taste in the mouth, lump/pain in the throat or chest, and sleep disturbance. DISCUSSION: A modification of dietary carbohydrate intake that targeted a substantial reduction in the intakes of simple sugars improved pH monitoring outcomes and symptoms of GERD that profoundly affect daily life. These findings provide a feasible and clinically applicable contribution to the limited objective data existing for efficacious dietary recommendations in the routine treatment and management of GERD.