Skip to main content
Log in

Low-proof alcoholic beverages and gastroesophageal reflux

  • Original Articles
  • Published:
Digestive Diseases and Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Previous studies have demonstrated an increased gastroesophageal reflux after the ingestion of high-proof alcoholic beverages in normal subjects. Data on gastroesophageal reflux with usual amounts of low-proof alcoholic beverages are not available. The effect of white wine (7.5% v/v, pH 3.2) and beer (7.0% v/v, pH 4.5) was compared with water, a nonalcoholic beverage of pH 3.2, and an ethanol solution (7.5% v/v, pH 7.6) using ambulatory pH measurement in healthy volunteers. The fraction of time at pH<4 in the first hour after ingestion of 300 ml white wine (median 13.2%) was significantly increased compared with beer (3.6%;P<0.01), water (0.9%;P<0.001), ethanol (1.3%;P<0.001), and the nonalcoholic beverage (0.9%;P<0.05). Beer provoked significantly more gastroesophageal reflux than water (P<0.01). It is concluded that white wine and beer induce gastroesophageal reflux, which is neither related to their ethanol content nor to their pH. The mechanism for this effect remains to be identified.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hogan WJ, Viegas de Andrade SR, Winship DH: Ethanol induced acute esophageal motor dysfunction. J Appl Physiol 32:755–760, 1972

    Google Scholar 

  2. Mayer EM, Grabowski CJ, Fisher RS: Effects of graded doses of alcohol upon esophageal motor function Gastroenterology 75:1133–1136, 1978

    Google Scholar 

  3. Kjellen G, Tibbling L: Influence of body position, dry and water swallows, and alcohol on esophageal acid clearance. Scand J Gastroenterol 13:283–288, 1978

    Google Scholar 

  4. Kaufmann SE, Kaye MD: Induction of gastroesophageal reflux by alcohol. Gut 19:336–338, 1978

    Google Scholar 

  5. Vitale GC, Cheadle WG, Patel B, Sadek SA, Michel ME, Cuschieri A: The effect of alcohol on nocturnal esophageal reflux. JAMA 15:2077–2079, 1987

    Google Scholar 

  6. Klauser G, Schindlbeck N, Müller-Lissner S: Esophageal 24-h pH monitoring: Is prior manometry necessary for correct positioning of the electrode. Am J Gastroenterol 11:1463–1467, 1990

    Google Scholar 

  7. Rokkas TH, Anggiansah A, Dorrington L: Accurate positioning of the pH-probe in the cesophagus without manometry. Ital J Gastroenterol 19:176–178, 1987

    Google Scholar 

  8. Schindlbeck NE, Heinrich C, König H, Dendorfer A, Pace F, Müller-Lissner SA: Optimal thresholds, sensitivity and specificity of long-term pH-metry for the detection of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Gastroenterology 93:85–90, 1987

    Google Scholar 

  9. Tonnesen H, Andersen JR, Christoffersen P, Kaas-Claesson N: Reflux oesophagitis in heavy drinkers. Digestion 38:69–73, 1987

    Google Scholar 

  10. DeMeester TR, Johnson LF, Skinner DB: Technique, indications and clinical use of 24 hour esophageal pH monitoring. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 79:656–670, 1980

    Google Scholar 

  11. Collen MJ, Lewis JH, Benjamin SB: Gastric acid hypersecretion in refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease. Gastroenterology 3:654–661, 1990

    Google Scholar 

  12. Singer MV, Leffmann C, Eysselein VE, Calden H, Goebell H: Action of ethanol and some alcoholic beverages on gastric acid secretion and release of gastrin in humans. Gastroenterology 93:1247–1254, 1987

    Google Scholar 

  13. Lenz HJ, Ferrari-Taylor J, Isenberg JI: Wine and five percent ethanol are potent stimulants of gastric acid secretion in humans. Gastroenterology 85:1082–1087, 1983

    Google Scholar 

  14. McArthur K, Hogan D, Isenberg JI: Relative stimulatory effects of commonly ingested beverages on gastric acid secretion in humans. Gastroenterology 83:199–203, 1982

    Google Scholar 

  15. Pfeiffer A, Högl B, Kaess H: Effect of ethanol and commonly ingested alcoholic beverages on gastric emptying, and gastrointestinal transit. Klin Wochenschr 70:487–492, 1992

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

This work was supported by Dr. Robert Pfleger Foundation, Bamberg, Germany; and Augustiner-Bräu Wagner KG, München Germany.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pehl, C., Wendl, B., Pfeiffer, A. et al. Low-proof alcoholic beverages and gastroesophageal reflux. Digest Dis Sci 38, 93–96 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01296779

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01296779

Key Words

Navigation