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Is It Possible for Vitamins to Cause Heartburn?
Heartburn is an annoyance and a discomfort, but it can also be a sign of a serious medical condition or vitamin deficiency. Heartburn is a condition that leaves people uncomfortable, uneasy and sometimes fearful to eat or drink, usually for several minutes or several hours. While there are both over-the-counter and prescription remedies and even preventative medications for heartburn, none of these drugs get to the source. It is possible for vitamins to cause heartburn, along with other factors.
The source of heartburn is often different for different people, but the mechanics of how it happens remain the same. Heartburn occurs when foods and other nutrients mix with acid from the stomach to form a liquid. This liquid then rises into the esophagus. It causes pains in the chest and a burning sensation in the chest and abdomen, thus the term heartburn.
Food is one of the obvious causes of heartburn, but there are other causes as well. One of these other causes in some people is vitamin supplements. While it is possible for some vitamins to cause heartburn, this does not occur in everyone that takes vitamins. Vitamin-induced heartburn often occurs in people who are allergic or sensitive to certain vitamins.
There are two main types of vitamins which cause heartburn in otherwise healthy individuals. The first of the vitamins to cause heartburn is vitamin C. Vitamin C is a naturally acidic nutrient and is even more acidic for people who are sensitive to or allergic to the supplement. Vitamin B is another supplement that has been shown to possibly contribute to or cause heartburn in some individuals.
While vitamin C and some vitamin Bs may be two of the more common vitamins to cause heartburn, they are not the only cause; certain foods, eating too much, eating too quickly, pregnancy and certain medical conditions can also cause heartburn. Many experts advise drinking plenty of water at the onset of symptoms to avoid a bad case of heartburn.
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![Eating too much or too quickly may cause heartburn.]()
By: angelo.giEating too much or too quickly may cause heartburn. -
![Pregnant women commonly experience heartburn.]()
By: hartphotographyPregnant women commonly experience heartburn. -
![Drinking a mixture of baking soda and water can help with heartburn.]()
By: ViktorDrinking a mixture of baking soda and water can help with heartburn. -
![Some people may experience heartburn from vitamins they are allergic or sensitive to.]()
By: pixelrobotSome people may experience heartburn from vitamins they are allergic or sensitive to. -
![Different people experience heartburn from different sources.]()
By: nebariDifferent people experience heartburn from different sources. -
![Vitamin C can be a cause of heartburn.]()
By: apichaiVitamin C can be a cause of heartburn.
Discussion Comments
I'm sitting here reading all of this and it makes me feel so much better and has actually saved me a trip to the doctor. I have been having bad heartburn each morning after I get up and sometimes at night for over a week now and couldn't figure out what in the world it could be except possibly acid reflux. I was ready to call my doctor today and make an appointment but hated to because of all the flu germs out there and I didn't want to be exposed to anything else. Three weeks ago I was very sick with flu-like symptoms and after a week, and a round of steroids and eventually an antibiotic, I started healing but that was when the constant heartburn started. Near the end of my illness, my husband brought home some gummy vitamin c for me and I have been taking them in the morning and at night to try to boost my immunity. It finally dawned on me this morning that when I started taking this was when this problem started. I am going to quit taking them for a few days to be sure but I am almost positive now that this is what is going on. Thanks for your input :)
Now, I had actually heard that taking some vitamins could be a good home remedy for heartburn. Specifically a calcium supplement, or a vitamin that has calcium in it. Is this true, or am I just totally off?
I personally don't experience that much heartburn, but I have friends that get it a lot, so I'd like to know if I'm right on the vitamin thing before I go around telling people it's a good heartburn home remedy. Can you clue me in on this?
Nice article -- so many people don't realize that heartburn can be caused by something as simple as taking a vitamin that disagrees with you.
Did you know that this is also one of the major causes of heartburn in pregnant women? Many women who don't usually take a vitamin in their daily life start main-lining prenatal vitamins, often in inappropriate amounts, and this can really mess up your stomach.
If you guys ever write a "What causes heartburn during pregnancy" article, you should definitely mention this.
And if anybody reading this is suffering from heartburn pain, especially heartburn brought on by prenatal vitamins, I'd really advise you to see your doctor rather than trying any of the home remedies for heartburn.
Though many of them are effective, you don't know how they will affect your body during pregnancy, so be sure to run anything by your doctor first, no matter how innocuous it might seem. The last thing you want to do is put yourself or your baby in danger. That being said, there are many heartburn cures out there, so you don't have to suffer with heartburn pain -- talk to your obstetrician, he or she can straighten you out.
Best of luck.
This explains so much! I have been having heartburn on and off for almost a year now, and when I think back, it corresponded with the times when I was heavily taking vitamins! I bet that that was the cause of my heartburn.
I had no idea that vitamin use was among the large list of heartburn causes -- now that I know this, I will definitely be avoiding those vitamins in the future. I guess it's a good thing that my heartburn cure is so easy.
Thanks so much for this article -- it really opened my eyes.
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