Curry induces acid reflux and symptoms in gastroesophageal reflux disease

There are limited data on the effect of curry on gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Our objective was to study the effects of curry on GERD.

Symptomatic non-erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (NERD) patients and healthy volunteers underwent ambulatory 24-h esophageal pH monitoring before consumption of either 400 or 800 ml of curry; they were monitored for 3 h thereafter for changes in esophageal pH and upper abdominal symptoms. Selected volunteers were monitored similarly after water ingestion.

In total, 25 NERD patients (23 males; mean age, 45 years) and 19 volunteers (13 males; mean age, 22 years) participated. In both patients and volunteers, curry ingestion induced more esophageal acid exposure than did ingestion of a similar volume of water. Curry induced significantly more esophageal acid exposure in NERD patients than in volunteers. Upper abdominal symptoms and esophageal acid exposure were more severe and persisted longer in patients than in volunteers.

Curry induced more acid reflux and caused worse symptoms in patients with NERD than in healthy individuals. Patients with NERD should be advised to avoid curry ingestion.