Pilot Trial on the Efficacy and Safety of a Natural Mineral Water Rich in Hydrogen Carbonate on Functional Dyspepsia and Heartburn

Abstract

Background: Dyspepsia and heartburn are among the most frequent complaints of the upper gastrointestinal tract impacting quality of life. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of drinking a natural mineral water (medicinal product category “Heilwasser” in Germany) high in hydrogen carbonate (Staatl. Fachingen STILL) on functional dyspeptic complaints and heartburn. Methods: 56 men and women with self-reported heartburn were enrolled to this one-arm pilot study. They had to drink 1.5 L of a hydrogen carbonate rich mineral water each day over a course of six weeks. Participants reported the number and duration of heartburn episodes in a daily dairy. The Reflux Disease Questionnaire (RDQ), Quality of Life in Reflux and Dyspepsia questionnaire (QOLRAD) and the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GILQI) were used to assess the therapeutic course of the treatment and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) to assess general quality of life. Mean ± standard deviation were calculated and pre- and post-treatment changes were compared using the Wilcoxon test. Results: The consumption of a hydrogen carbonate rich mineral water decreased the number of heartburn episodes per week significantly by 4.8 ± 8.2 at the end of the study (p < 0.001). The duration of episodes was also significantly reduced by 25.7 minutes after six weeks of intervention (p < 0.001). Accordingly, the subjectively perceived severity of heartburn, regurgitation and dyspeptic complaints as well as the GERD dimension as assessed by Reflux Disease Questionnaire improved significantly. There was a significant improvement in the disease-specific quality of life as measured by the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (p < 0.001) and by the Quality Of Life in Reflux and Dyspepsia (p < 0.001) questionnaires and the general health-related quality of life as assessed by SF-12 (p < 0.007). Conclusions: The present pilot study provides evidence that supplementation with natural mineral water rich in hydrogen carbonate may improve heartburn and dyspeptic symptoms, which finally resulted in an improvement of the subjectively perceived quality of life. Drinking mineral water rich in hydrogen carbonate may be an alternative remedy for the treatment of dyspeptic symptoms and heartburn. Trial Registration: Eudra CT No 2013-001256-36.