Ademeyi Maxwell

WHILE WE often put unpleasant feelings of heartburn down to a big meal or stress, there are actually several possible causes, with one in four adults regularly experiencing heartburn. 

Heartburn is a burning sensation in the chest, which can travel up to the throat as acid reflux, sometimes leaving a sour taste in your mouth. It happens when the valve at the top of your stomach, called the lower oesophageal sphincter, isn't working as it should to keep the acid within your stomach. 

In pregnancy, it affects many women in their second and third trimesters. In this case, it can be caused by fluctuations in your progesterone and oestrogen levels and your baby pressing against your stomach. This is often what causes bloating too. 

But, as women age, heartburn can be caused by several factors, including menopause and changes to your digestive system. It could be something you're eating, drinking, or doing that makes the symptoms worse, so it's best to find out what the cause of the heartburn symptoms is to try and stop it happening.

What causes heartburn

1. Food and drink

Everyone's digestive system is different but some foods and drinks can lead to heartburn after a meal. In fact, diet is what causes heartburn for most people - just in the same way that some foods cause bloating. Coffee, tomatoes, alcohol, chocolate and fatty or spicy foods can all lead to acid reflux.

Fatty foods stay in the stomach longer before digestion, increasing the chance of reflux. They also help release cholecystokinin, a hormone that causes the lower esophageal sphincter to relax, meaning acid is regurgitated. 

Another hormone that causes this part of the digestive system to relax is serotonin, which can be triggered for release by certain foods like chocolate, which is why some people report heartburn after only eating a small amount. 

2. Excessive weight

In some cases, heartburn can be caused by excess weight. Fat around the middle puts pressure on the stomach and causes acidic fluid to travel up your food pipe. 

Obesity may increase intra-abdominal pressure, impair gastric emptying, decrease lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure and possibly increase transient LES relaxation, all of which could lead to increased esophageal acid exposure.

3. Smoking

We don't need to be told twice that smoking is harmful to us - but did you know it's what causes heartburn as well as other negative health conditions for many people? 

The chemicals inhaled with smoking create more acid in the stomach, which causes the LES to relax, which in turn causes indigestion and heartburn. Saliva helps neutralise stomach acid normally, but smoking also prevents proper saliva production. 

Second-hand smoke can also lead to heartburn as you're still breathing in the same chemicals, though to a lesser degree.

4. Stress and anxiety

We know there's a strong link between our brain and digestive system -