Can You Take Vitamin C With Acid Reflux?

If you have acid reflux, you may wonder whether vitamin C-containing foods and supplements can aggravate your condition, given that vitamin C itself is acidic. Here are the ABCs on vitamin C and acid reflux.

You Can Eat Vitamin C or Take Supplements

While taking vitamin C may seem counterintuitive when you have acid reflux, you can get this essential nutrient from buffered supplements — or, better yet, fruits and vegetables — and not feel the burn, says Richard I. Rothstein, MD, gastroenterologist, internist, and chair of the department of medicine at both Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, and Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire.

Vitamin C, as well as vitamin E, may even be beneficial in reducing inflammation and healing tissues irritated by acid reflux, Dr. Rothstein says. Vitamin C "is nowhere near as acidic as what's in the stomach," he says.

Take Vitamin C With Minerals and Liquids

People who wish to take vitamin C supplements may choose calcium ascorbate, sodium ascorbate, or other forms that combine the vitamin with minerals, Rothstein says. He also suggests vitamin C tablets, and most pills, be taken with liquid or food because the saliva generated will buffer acidity.

"Anything that causes you to salivate — such as sucking on hard candies — can be quite helpful," Rothstein says. "The act of swallowing can clear out what's in the esophagus."

Eating Your Vitamin C

If you smoke or are pregnant or lactating, those values go up a bit.

Rothstein prefers people get their vitamins from diet, not from supplements, as vitamins from foods are best absorbed by the body.

Vitamin C-rich orange juice with added calcium is easier on the stomach than plain OJ, Rothstein says. If you use a juicer or blender to make juice from oranges or other fruit, leave the pulp in the juice, as your intestines need the fiber, he says. And adding a banana or yogurt to make a smoothie can help buffer the juice's acidity.

• Red peppers (1/2 cup, 95 mg)
• Grapefruit juice (3/4 cup, 70 mg)
• Kiwis (1 medium, 64 mg)
• Green peppers (1/2 cup, 60 mg)
• Broccoli (1/2 cup cooked, 51 mg; raw, 39 mg)
• Strawberries (1/2 cup, 49 mg)
• Brussels sprouts (1/2 cup, 48 mg)
• Grapefruit (1/2 medium, 39 mg)

A food's acidity is not always to blame for acid reflux, Rothstein adds. Someone may blame tomatoes for heartburn after eating pizza or spaghetti, but the culprit may actually be the fat from cheese and meat instead.

Rothstein recommends keeping a journal of acid reflux symptoms and what you ate so you can better determine which foods bother you.

Understanding and Limiting Acid Reflux

There's a valve-like sphincter between the stomach and the bottom of the esophagus that opens when we swallow — and spontaneously at times — permitting lower esophagus acid exposure for about 40 minutes each day, Rothstein says.

These openings let burps out, but they can also let some stomach contents into the esophagus, which can cause heartburn.

You can limit your chances of an acid reflux episode by not eating late at night and avoiding fatty foods, both of which can loosen the lower esophageal sphincter, Rothstein says. You should also steer clear of chocolate and mint, which can also be triggers.

The Takeaway

Despite the fact that vitamin C is acidic, buffered supplements and fruits and vegetables rich in the vitamin provide numerous health benefits for everyone, including those with acid reflux.

Many plant foods are high in vitamin C, including bell peppers, kiwi, grapefruit, and broccoli. Keep a journal of acid reflux symptoms after eating so you can determine which foods may trigger your symptoms.