[unsupp0rted]

Yup, no coffee / dark chocolate / dairy / alcohol / citrus for me for over a decade now, among other things. I don't miss any of it, except chocolate milk.

I've seen vinegar recommended for GERD online before, but was curious whether there's much medical know-how behind it (studies or at least a clear theory of why it would help me vs. PPIs).

With a weak LES (lower esophageal sphincter) a lot of "just do this" GERD folk remedies don't work.

[lr4444lr]

The "theory" behind ACV is that stomach problems can be caused by H. Pylori overgrowth due to acid underproduction. H. Pylori and stomach acidity problems are easily testable diagnoses via upper endoscopy on a case by case basis. What is NOT controversial however is the much higher vulnerability of the esophagus to acid (on the way up or the way down), pain from which damage is the "burn" in heartburn. The esophagus needs time to heal regardless of whether ACV would or would not help the stomach, and it'd definitely be harmful to the inflamed tissue up there. As I mentioned above, sodium alginate is a remarkably effective and safe treatment for mild and moderate GERD, which is picking up interest as PPIs are coming under intense scrutiny for possible harmful side effects long term. It's not a cure to anything per se, but this isn't medical advice either - people should root cause their stomach troubles with a qualified doctor.