Why does one get heartburn after eating a large amount of food?

Question

Whenever I binge, in the morning I always have heart burn, why is this?

Answer 1

Heartburn occurs when the acid contents of the stomach pass backwards up into the food pipe (called the gullet or oesophagus). This is also known as stomach acid reflux.

Most people have stomach acid reflux at some point in their lives, either as heartburn or acid regurgitation.

At the lowest part of the food pipe there is a ring of muscle (sphincter) where it passes through a hole in the diaphragm.

The diaphragm holds the gullet sphincter in place and the system works as a one-way valve.

If the one-way valve does not function properly, acid from the stomach (gastric acid) will be able to pass up into the food pipe. This tendency increases if:

    * the stomach contains large amounts of food or fluids (especially if the food is fatty, the drink alcoholic)

    * there is something pressing on the stomach, eg such as occurs when people are overweight.

Answer 2

Your stomach uses acid to digest food. When you overeat or when you eat and lie down, that acid floats up to your esophagus and eats/irritates the lining. Its not a good thing as the damage can be progressive and you can develop permanent acid reflux disease.