Researchers looked at 10 studies involving 868 people with throat acid reflux (when stomach acid reaches your throat and voice box). They found that following specific diets - like eating low-fat foods, avoiding alcohol and caffeine, and choosing alkaline foods - helped reduce symptoms by 54-83% in people not taking medicine. The diet changes worked about as well as medications. When people combined diet changes with medicine, they felt even better than those taking medicine alone. However, the studies weren’t very high quality, so more research is needed.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether changing your diet can help reduce throat acid reflux symptoms (when stomach acid irritates your throat and voice box)
  • Who participated: 868 people across 10 different studies who had throat acid reflux problems
  • Key finding: Diet changes reduced symptoms by 54-83% in people not taking medicine, working about as well as medications
  • What it means for you: If you have throat acid reflux, specific diet changes might help your symptoms as much as medicine, but talk to your doctor first

The Research Details

This was a systematic review, which means researchers gathered and analyzed all the existing studies on diet and throat acid reflux. They searched medical databases for studies that tested whether anti-reflux diets actually help people with this condition. They found 10 studies that met their standards, including some that followed patients over time and others that looked back at patient records.

By combining results from multiple studies, researchers can get a better picture of whether diet changes really work. This approach helps identify patterns across different groups of people and different treatment approaches.

The researchers noted that the overall quality of the studies was low, with an average quality score of 9.5 out of 16. None of the studies were randomized controlled trials (the gold standard), which means we can’t be completely sure the diet changes caused the improvements.

What the Results Show

The main finding was that diet changes significantly reduced throat acid reflux symptoms in people who weren’t taking medication. Symptom improvement ranged from 54% to 83.3% across different studies. The most commonly recommended diet changes were eating low-fat foods (7 studies), avoiding alcohol (7 studies), limiting caffeine (6 studies), and choosing alkaline foods (6 studies). When researchers compared diet effectiveness to medication, they found similar results. For people who still had symptoms despite taking proton pump inhibitor medications, specific diets like alkaline, low-fat, high-protein, or gluten-free diets provided significant relief. Every study that looked at combining diet changes with medication found better results than medication alone.

The review also found that high-protein diets and avoiding high-sugar foods may be helpful. Some studies suggested gluten-free diets might work for certain people, though this wasn’t tested as extensively.

This appears to be one of the first comprehensive reviews specifically looking at diet effectiveness for throat acid reflux. Previous research has focused more on medication treatments, so this review fills an important gap in understanding non-drug approaches.

The biggest limitation is that no high-quality randomized controlled trials have been done comparing diet to medication. The studies included were generally small and not well-controlled. Most studies only looked at short-term effects, so we don’t know how well diet changes work over months or years.

The Bottom Line

Based on this research, people with throat acid reflux may benefit from trying a low-fat, high-protein diet while avoiding alcohol and limiting caffeine. Alkaline foods might also help. However, since the study quality was low, these should be considered alongside medical treatment, not as replacements.

People with throat acid reflux symptoms like chronic cough, throat clearing, or hoarse voice should discuss these findings with their doctor. Those who haven’t responded well to medications might especially benefit from adding diet changes.

The studies didn’t specify how long it takes to see benefits, but most measured improvements over weeks to months of following the diet recommendations.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track daily intake of fat, alcohol, caffeine, and acidic foods, along with throat symptoms like hoarseness, cough, and throat clearing
  • Gradually reduce high-fat foods, eliminate alcohol and limit caffeine, while increasing alkaline foods like vegetables and lean proteins
  • Log throat symptoms daily for 4-6 weeks while following diet changes to identify which foods trigger or improve your symptoms

This information is for educational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider before making significant dietary changes or stopping prescribed medications for acid reflux.