Carbonation

Dear Dr. Mirkin: Will carbonated beverages cause heartburn?

    When I was in medical school more than 40 years ago, I
was taught that carbonated drinks can cause stomach ulcers, so
they should never be given to people who suffer from belching
and burning in their stomachs.  Now, an article in the European
Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (Volume 14, Issue
9, 2002) shows that carbonated drinks can relieve stomach
discomfort and constipation. 
    Half the people with belching and burning were told to
drink carbonated water, while half were told to drink tap water. 
Those who took the carbonated water had far less belching,
burning and constipation than those who were given tap water. 
The researchers also showed that drinking carbonated water
emptied the gall bladder faster, thus helping to reduce the
symptoms of gall bladder disease.  This article does not prove
that carbonated water can treat belching and burning, but it does
show that some people with these symptoms are not harmed by
drinking carbonated water and may benefit from it.
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