Dietary Vitamin B6 Intake and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: A Case-Control Study

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common gastrointestinal disorder influenced by various dietary factors. This study aimed to evaluate the association between dietary intake of vitamin B6 and the risk of GERD.

This case-control study included 150 women with GERD and 300 controls in Tehran, Iran. Dietary intake of vitamin B6 was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and analyzed with Nutritionist IV software. Logistic regression models were applied to determine the association between GERD risk and dietary intake of vitamin B6, adjusting for age, education, marital status, occupation, physical activity, BMI, and calorie intake.

Compared with participants in the lowest tertile of vitamin B6 intake, those in the highest tertile had significantly higher odds of GERD in age-adjusted models (OR = 1.98, 95% CI: 1.12-3.51) and this association remained significant after further adjustment for sociodemographic factors, physical activity, BMI (OR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.10-3.83), and total energy intake (OR = 2.02, 95% CI: 1.06-3.81). No significant association was observed for the middle tertile.

The findings of this case-control study indicate a positive association between higher dietary vitamin B6 intake and the risk of GERD. Further prospective research would be helpful to confirm these observations and to shed light on possible biological mechanisms.