Vinegar for Heartburn

In this study, a popular home remedy, vinegar, will be tested for its efficacy to relieve the discomfort of heartburn possibly by inducing the esophageal clearing mechanisms. We plan to recruit 22 individuals who report regular heartburn, but not diagnosed with erosive reflux disease, for this randomized crossover trial. Enrolled participants will identify foods that consistently cause their heartburn, and two of these foods will be prepared and consumed during their visits. Participants will arrive at the testing center on two occasions following a 4-h fast (no food or beverage except water) and consume the targeted foods in a 10-minute period. On one visit liquid vinegar will be ingested with the meal, and on the other visit (order of visits will be randomly determined) a vinegar tablet (control) will be ingested with the meal. Starting prior to food ingestion and for 2 hours post meal, symptoms will be assessed at 10-to-15-minute intervals by the participant using a validated heartburn severity scale.