SCIENTIFIC INSIGHTS
Stomach acidity: what a nuisance!
My stomach feels like it’s burning.
Food comes back up.
I can taste acid in my throat.
I have a bitter or sour taste in my mouth.
It gets worse when I lie down.
I feel like there’s something stuck in my throat, but it doesn’t go up or down.
I feel a heaviness in my stomach, like a brick.
These are some of the unpleasant sensations you may experience when there is excess gastric acid or when it tends to flow back towards the oesophagus.
But why does this happen?
What can cause excess stomach acid and the backflow of gastric juices?
Some of the triggering factors include:
- large meals or meals high in fat and sugar
- lying down immediately after eating
- excessive consumption of alcohol or fizzy drinks
- eating too quickly and insufficient chewing
Among the most well-known predisposing[15] factors are also:
- Overweight/obesity
- Cigarette smoking
How common is this problem?
Consider that, according to recent data from SIGE[16] (Italian Society of Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy), in Italy almost 1 in 4 people report experiencing symptoms of stomach acidity at least twice a week.
The most common discomforts include:
- Heartburn
- Pain or discomfort behind the breastbone (chest burning)
- Acid regurgitation, i.e., the backflow of acidic or bitter liquid up to the throat or mouth
- Feeling of fullness or bloating after meals, sometimes accompanied by belching
- Dry, irritating cough, especially at night
- Irritated throat, hoarseness, or lowered voice pitch
- Feeling of a lump in the throat, as if a foreign body is stuck.
If you’ve ever experienced one or more of these discomforts, even occasionally, you’ve probably wished for a remedy that could help you quickly.
But what is the right approach?
Act quickly, yes—but on multiple fronts too!
- Control stomach acidity, in addition to neutralising it
- Create a protective barrier between stomach contents and the oesophageal lining
- Soothe the mucous membranes of the stomach, oesophagus and throat
- Support digestion and gastric emptying
With the ingredients in Reflugea Rapido, you can achieve all these benefits quickly and, most importantly, completely naturally. Let’s see what the studies say.
Experimental Phytotheray
Amla
- Al-Rehaily AJ, Al-Howiriny TA, Al-Sohaibani MO, Rafatullah S. Gastroprotective effects of 'Amla' Emblica officinalis on in vivo test models in rats. Phytomedicine. 2002;9(6):515-522. doi:10.1078/09447110260573146
This animal study evaluated the gastroprotective effect of an orally administered Amla extract. The results showed a significant reduction in stomach lesions and acid secretion, suggesting antisecretory, anti-ulcer and protective effects on the gastric mucosa.
- Karkon Varnosfaderani S, Hashem-Dabaghian F, Amin G, et al. Efficacy and safety of Amla (Phyllanthus emblica L.) in non-erosive reflux disease: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Integr Med. 2018;16(2):126-131. doi:10.1016/j.joim.2018.02.008
This clinical study, conducted on 68 patients with typical symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (heartburn, regurgitation and epigastric pain), showed that Amla can reduce the frequency and severity of heartburn and regurgitation in cases of non-erosive reflux.
Sodium Alginate
- Chiu CT, Hsu CM, Wang CC, et al. Randomised clinical trial: sodium alginate oral suspension is non-inferior to omeprazole in the treatment of patients with non-erosive gastroesophageal disease. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2013;38(9):1054-1064. doi:10.1111/apt.12482
In this randomised, double-blind clinical study, 195 patients with non-erosive reflux disease were treated for 4 weeks with sodium alginate (three times a day) or omeprazole (once a day). The results showed that sodium alginate is as effective as omeprazole in reducing heartburn and regurgitation, with comparable benefits for quality of life indicators and treatment satisfaction
- Vardar R, Keskin M, Valitova E, Bayrakci B, Yildirim E, Bor S. Effect of alginate in patients with GERD hiatal hernia matters. Dis Esophagus. 2017;30(10):1-7. doi:10.1093/dote/dox039
In this clinical study, 50 patients with gastroesophageal reflux – 18 with hiatal hernia and 32 without – were divided into two groups: after a meal known to trigger reflux, one group received sodium alginate and the other water. Patients were monitored for three hours. During the first hour, alginate significantly reduced episodes of acid reflux: in patients with hiatal hernia, episodes decreased from 13.7 to 6.1; in those without hernia, from 5.5 to 3.5.
Mallow
- Mousavi SM, Hashemi SA, Behbudi G, et al. A Review on Health Benefits of Malva sylvestris L. Nutritional Compounds for Metabolites, Antioxidants, and Anti-Inflammatory, Anticancer, and Antimicrobial Applications. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2021;2021:5548404. Published 2021 Aug 14. doi:10.1155/2021/5548404
This review of studies on the benefits of Mallow highlighted its potential for health, thanks to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour, wound-healing, hepatoprotective, antinociceptive (i.e., pain-relieving) and antimicrobial activities.
Fennel
- Asano T, Aida S, Suemasu S, Mizushima T. Anethole restores delayed gastric emptying and impaired gastric accommodation in rodents. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2016 Mar 25;472(1):125-30. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2016.02.078. Epub 2016 Feb 23. PMID: 26915803.
The study analysed the effect of anethole – the main component of fennel essential oil – in animal models of functional dyspepsia, a common digestive disorder characterised by a feeling of fullness, bloating, and pain in the upper abdomen after meals. The whole fennel essential oil produced a better functional outcome than anethole alone, confirming its ability to promote gastric emptying.
Papain
- Lee SY, Kang JH, Lee DY, et al. Methods for improving meat protein digestibility in older adults. J Anim Sci Technol. 2023;65(1):32-56. doi:10.5187/jast.2023.e6
- Czelej M, Garbacz K, Czernecki T, Rachwał K, Wawrzykowski J, Waśko A. Whey Protein Enzymatic Breakdown: Synthesis, Analysis, and Discovery of New Biologically Active Peptides in Papain-Derived Hydrolysates. Molecules. 2025;30(7):1451. Published 2025 Mar 25. doi:10.3390/molecules30071451
In these two studies, papain, compared with other proteolytic enzymes, showed the greatest effectiveness in breaking down proteins from animal-based foods, improving their digestibility. Specifically, these are proteins from meat and whey (a component found in products such as yoghurt and fresh dairy)
- Domokos-Szabolcsy É, Alshaal T, Elhawat N, et al. Enhanced Oligopeptide and Free Tryptophan Release from Chickpea and Lentil Proteins: A Comparative Study of Enzymatic Modification with Bromelain, Ficin, and Papain. Plants (Basel). 2024;13(21):3100. Published 2024 Nov 3. doi:10.3390/plants13213100
This in vitro study evaluated the effectiveness of three plant-derived proteolytic enzymes – papain, bromelain and ficin – in improving the digestibility and bioavailability of chickpea and lentil proteins. Papain was found to be the most effective enzyme, performing best in making legume proteins more easily digestible and potentially more bioavailable
Lipase
- Levine ME, Koch SY, Koch KL. Lipase Supplementation before a High-Fat Meal Reduces Perceptions of Fullness in Healthy Subjects. Gut Liver. 2015;9(4):464-469. doi:10.5009/gnl14005
In this clinical study, the effectiveness of a capsule containing acid-resistant lipase was tested on 16 healthy volunteers, compared with a placebo, in reducing digestive discomfort after a high-fat meal. Symptoms were monitored for one hour. The results showed that lipase significantly reduced the subjective feeling of gastric fullness compared with the placebo
Rice starch
- Kong F, Oztop MH, Singh RP, McCarthy MJ. Physical changes in white and brown rice during simulated gastric digestion. J Food Sci. 2011 Aug;76(6):E450-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2011.02271.x. PMID: 22417496
This study examined the behaviour of white and brown rice during simulated gastric digestion. The results showed that white rice absorbs gastric fluids more quickly and breaks down more easily than brown rice. These characteristics promote a faster dispersion of solid content in the stomach, which may help support quicker gastric emptying.
DISCLAIMER
Reflugea Rapido is a dietary supplement: please read the warnings on the label.
The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition.
[1] Reflugea Rapido and Reflugea Forte can also be used during pregnancy (after the third month of gestation). As a precaution, make sure to inform your obstetrician, who knows your medical history best.
[2] Al-Rehaily AJ, Al-Howiriny TA, Al-Sohaibani MO, Rafatullah S. Gastroprotective effects of 'Amla' Emblica officinalis on in vivo test models in rats. Phytomedicine. 2002;9(6):515-522. doi:10.1078/09447110260573146
[3] Sairam K, Rao ChV, Babu MD, Kumar KV, Agrawal VK, K Goel RK. Antiulcerogenic effect of methanolic extract of Emblica officinalis: an experimental study. J Ethnopharmacol. 2002;82(1):1-9. doi:10.1016/s0378-8741(02)00041-7
[4] Chiu CT, Hsu CM, Wang CC, et al. Randomised clinical trial: sodium alginate oral suspension is non-inferior to omeprazole in the treatment of patients with non-erosive gastroesophageal disease. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2013;38(9):1054-1064. doi:10.1111/apt.12482
[5] Vardar R, Keskin M, Valitova E, Bayrakci B, Yildirim E, Bor S. Effect of alginate in patients with GERD hiatal hernia matters. Dis Esophagus. 2017 Oct 1;30(10):1-7. doi: 10.1093/dote/dox039. PMID: 28859383.
[6] Chandrasekhara TS, Patra UC, Agarwal PK, Shimpi L, Bose K, Kulkarni S, Patil DR, Swami OC. Rapid Relief of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) Symptoms With Sodium Alginate Antacid Suspension: An Indian Real-World Evidence Study. Cureus. 2025 Mar 3;17(3):e79991. doi: 10.7759/cureus.79991. PMID: 40182346; PMCID: PMC11965474
[7] Mousavi SM. et al. A Review on Health Benefits of Malva sylvestris L. Nutritional Compounds for Metabolites, Antioxidants, and Anti-Inflammatory, Anticancer, and Antimicrobial Applications. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2021 Aug 14;2021:5548404. doi: 10.1155/2021/5548404. PMID: 34434245; PMCID: PMC8382527.
[8] Hamedi A, Rezaei H, Azarpira N, Jafarpour M, Ahmadi F. Effects of Malva sylvestris and Its Isolated Polysaccharide on Experimental Ulcerative Colitis in Rats. J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med. 2016 Jan;21(1):14-22. doi: 10.1177/2156587215589184. Epub 2015 Jun 4. PMID: 26045553.
[9] Seddighfar M, Mirghazanfari SM, Dadpay M. Analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of hydroalcoholic extracts of Malva sylvestris, Carum carvi or Medicago sativa, and their combination in a rat model. J Integr Med. 2020 Mar;18(2):181-188. doi: 10.1016/j.joim.2020.02.003. Epub 2020 Feb 7. PMID: 32113847.
[10] Portincasa, P., Bonfrate, L., Scribano, M. L., Kohn, A., Caporaso, N., Festi, D., … & Cuomo, R. (2016). Curcumin and fennel essential oil improve symptoms and quality of life in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.
[11] Badgujar, S. B., Patel, V. V., & Bandivdekar, A. H. (2014). Foeniculum vulgare Mill: A review of its botany, phytochemistry, pharmacology, contemporary application, and toxicology
[12] Lee SY, Kang JH, Lee DY, et al. Methods for improving meat protein digestibility in older adults. J Anim Sci Technol. 2023;65(1):32-56. doi:10.5187/jast.2023.e6
[13] Levine ME, Koch SY, Koch KL. Lipase Supplementation before a High-Fat Meal Reduces Perceptions of Fullness in Healthy Subjects. Gut Liver. 2015;9(4):464-469. doi:10.5009/gnl14005
[14] Kong F, Oztop MH, Singh RP, McCarthy MJ. Physical changes in white and brown rice during simulated gastric digestion. J Food Sci. 2011 Aug;76(6):E450-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2011.02271.x. PMID: 22417496
[15] Cleveland Clinic - Home - Health Library - Diseases & Conditions - Acid Reflux & GERD.
[16] Società Italiana di Gastroenterologia ed Endoscopia Digestiva – Home – Archivio – News – Interviste, Comunicati e Rassegne Stampa – Malattia da reflusso gastroesofageo, le Linee guida suggeriscono la terapia e sfatano i miti sui cibi tabù Aprile 2024
I nostri testi hanno scopo divulgativo, non vanno intesi come indicazione di diagnosi e cura di stati patologici e non vogliono sostituirsi in alcun modo al parere del Medico.
