PARIS, France — Exercise has a variable impact on the onset of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms. The mechanisms at play are complex and seldom studied. Frank Zerbib, MD, head of the department of gastroenterology at Bordeaux University Hospital, broke them down during a session dedicated to exercise, which was the common theme of the JFHOD 2023, a French-speaking hepato-gastroenterology and digestive oncology conference held this year in Paris.
A Contributing Factor
Several factors can affect how exercise causes gastroesophageal reflux.
“Vigorous,” or mainly sports-related, exercise has a detrimental effect on GERD. Approximately 60% of athletes are said to report GERD symptoms connected to an increase in abdominal pressure. This is not because of obesity, but because of the abdominal contraction that occurs during exercise.