Suffering from Heartburn? A Bariatric RD Reviews Gastro Zen™

Article By: Maria Tucker, MPH, RDN, LDN, CDCES

Maria Tucker is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator with over 20 years of experience assisting patients with diabetes, obesity, and nutrition-related conditions. Maria is also the Founder of MyBiyaya.com, a site dedicated to healthy recipes and kitchen shortcuts.

1) What is heartburn? In an article published and updated in 2021 by the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Healthcare (IQWiG), heartburn is described as "a burning pain that spreads from the upper stomach, or from the area behind the breastbone, up into the throat." Heartburn is commonly experienced by healthy adults with symptoms that include feeling full quickly, difficulty swallowing, nausea, chest pain, dry cough, and vomiting. It is usually caused by the backing-up of gastric acid/contents into the esophagus. The prevalence of heartburn worldwide is increasing, especially among the bariatric population. It is estimated that up to 20% of people in Western countries may have heartburn on a regular basis. Symptoms of heartburn can be treated with over-the-counter medicines and by following a healthy diet and avoiding foods that can promote or aggravate heartburn symptoms.

2) What is BariMelts Gastro Zen™ & what are the benefits of the ingredient Gastro-AD® for patients? Gastro Zen™ is a dietary supplement containing Gastro‐AD®, a non-GMO soy product fermented by the Lactobacillus delbrueckii strain of bacteria. Clinical trials on the effectiveness of fermented soy products on reducing heartburn symptoms showed reductions in frequency of heartburn, diarrhea, and stomach bloating over time. The studies also showed that participants in the study had improved quality of life within 3 weeks of taking Gastro‐AD®, were able to take medications without pain or difficulty swallowing, and had calmer rest periods after meals.

BariMelts developed Gastro Zen™ specifically for patients after WLS. Click here to give it a try: https://www.barimelts.com/products/gastro-zen

3) How does Gastro Zen™ compare with other probiotics? Gastro Zen™ has a specific strain of good bacteria, Lactobacillus delbrueckii, subsp. Delbrueckii (Roswell-187), designed to provide relief of post-meal GI symptoms such as nausea, bloating, and diarrhea. Other probiotics contain at least two different strains of good bacteria and/or yeast, such as Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and the yeast strain, Saccharomyces Boulardii, which generally help you digest food, protect the lining of your gut by preventing bad bacteria from escaping the gut and entering into your blood stream, and by helping you make vitamins in the gut. Gastro Zen™ is gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan, which may not be true of all probiotics.

It is important to note that probiotics are general supplements to maintain gut health, whereas Gastro Zen™ is a targeted probiotic supplement specifically for unpleasant GI symptoms.

4) Why should bariatric patients try Gastro Zen™? Persons who have undergone bariatric surgery or have had injury or insults to the gastrointestinal tract may experience unpleasant symptoms such as bloating, excess gas, abdominal distention, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. Gastro Zen™ is a dietary supplement specifically targeted for relief of these symptoms.

BariMelts provides general recommendations, not to be construed as medical advice. Please consult your doctor.