Stomach contents rising
Retrograde gastroesophageal flow↓
Also searched as Retrograde gastroesophageal flow.
Often treated as an acid problem when it is frequently a motility and sphincter problem. Acid suppression addresses the consequence rather than the cause.
In depth
Gastric contents reaching where they should not. Its interest here is extra-esophageal: sleep fragmentation and airway irritation, which is how a digestive condition reaches respiratory and sleep nodes.
What drives it
Vessel wall muscle increases it.
NBK441938 — Drawn from reviews of neighboring outcomes rather than from studies of this outcome itself, which is weaker evidence, and the map marks it so.
Digestion reduces it.
Unhealthy eating habits and impaired gastric emptying are GERD risk factors; competent digestive function is protective. PMC6150961
Hunger hormone reduces it.
10.1007/s12664-011-0124-6 — Drawn from reviews of neighboring outcomes rather than from studies of this outcome itself, which is weaker evidence, and the map marks it so. doi 10.1007/s12664-011-0124-6
Gut-brain signal increases it.
Drawn from reviews of neighboring outcomes rather than from studies of this outcome itself, which is weaker evidence, and the map marks it so. Sources: doi 10.1038/s41522-022-00352-6; PMC5559637. doi 10.1038/s41522-022-00352-6 · PMC5559637
Cell migration switch increases it.
Drawn from reviews of neighboring outcomes rather than from studies of this outcome itself, which is weaker evidence, and the map marks it so. Sources: doi 10.1038/s41522-022-00352-6; PMC5559637. doi 10.1038/s41522-022-00352-6 · PMC5559637
H. pylori reduces it.
10.1007/s10388-018-0637-5 — Drawn from reviews of neighboring outcomes rather than from studies of this outcome itself, which is weaker evidence, and the map marks it so. Verbatim: “When comparing to controls, the network meta-analysis of 6 studies showed that H. pylori infection was associated with a lower risk of GERD (OR=0.68) or be (OR=0.59) or EAC (OR=0.54)”. doi 10.1007/s10388-018-0637-5
Gut barrier reduces it.
10.1007/s11894-026-01044-3 — Drawn from reviews of neighboring outcomes rather than from studies of this outcome itself, which is weaker evidence, and the map marks it so. Verbatim: “One article reported on two probiotic groups; thus, 14 comparisons were included in the selected studies, of which 11 (79%) reported positive benefits of probiotics on symptoms of GERD”. doi 10.1007/s11894-026-01044-3 · PMC7019778
Gut-liver bile signaling reduces it.
Drawn from reviews of neighboring outcomes rather than from studies of this outcome itself, which is weaker evidence, and the map marks it so. Sources: doi 10.1038/s41522-022-00352-6; PMC5559637. doi 10.1038/s41522-022-00352-6 · PMC5559637
Calms body-wide inflammation increases it.
Drawn from reviews of neighboring outcomes rather than from studies of this outcome itself, which is weaker evidence, and the map marks it so. Sources: doi 10.1038/s41522-022-00352-6; PMC5559637. doi 10.1038/s41522-022-00352-6 · PMC5559637
Calms inflammation increases it.
10.12998/wjcc.v10.i24.8436 — Drawn from reviews of neighboring outcomes rather than from studies of this outcome itself, which is weaker evidence, and the map marks it so. Verbatim: “MAPK and PKC signaling play a key regulatory role in acid-mediated IL-6 and IL-8 expression via NF-kappaB activation”. doi 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i24.8436
Oxidative stress increases it.
10.5772/intechopen.81021 — Drawn from reviews of neighboring outcomes rather than from studies of this outcome itself, which is weaker evidence, and the map marks it so. doi 10.5772/intechopen.81021
Supports weight management increases it.
BMI is positively and linearly correlated with GERD risk; every 10 kg/m2 increase raises prevalence risk by 68% (RR 1.681). doi 10.3389/fphys.2025.1675457 · PMID 24503366
Insulin sensitivity reduces it.
10.3748/wjg.14.5442 — Drawn from reviews of neighboring outcomes rather than from studies of this outcome itself, which is weaker evidence, and the map marks it so. Verbatim: “Moreover, higher scores in the gastro-oesophageal reflux questionnaire were associated with higher HOMA-IR index, and higher HOMA-IR index was associated with increased prevalence of EO (adjusted odds ratio 1.14, 95% CI 1.03-1.26, P = 0.012)”. doi 10.3748/wjg.14.5442
Alcohol metabolism increases it.
Alcohol lowers esophageal sphincter tone and delays clearance, worsening reflux.
What it drives
It reduces Sleep.
10.1371/journal.pone.0348891 — Supported by the reviews of this outcome as a whole. No separable effect size has been reported for this arm. doi 10.1371/journal.pone.0348891
It reduces Digestion.
https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/gastrointestinal-disorders/esophageal-and-swallowing-disorders/gastroesophageal-reflux-disease-gerd — Supported by the reviews of this outcome as a whole. No separable effect size has been reported for this arm.
It reduces Micronutrient status.
10.3390/diagnostics13010063 — Supported by the reviews of this outcome as a whole. No separable effect size has been reported for this arm. doi 10.3390/diagnostics13010063
It reduces Mood.
Supported by the reviews of this outcome as a whole. No separable effect size has been reported for this arm. This link rests on the reviews of this outcome as a whole, and no effect size specific to it has been reported. Sources:. doi 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1135923.
It reduces Supports airflow & lung function.
10.1186/s12931-020-01469-y — Supported by the reviews of this outcome as a whole. No separable effect size has been reported for this arm. doi 10.1186/s12931-020-01469-y
Blends that modulate it
Each blend page names this pathway and carries the study behind its claim.
See it on the map
Open the causal map to follow this pathway upstream and downstream, arrow by arrow, each with its study.