Nezam El-Tayebat Fact CheckA scientific assessment of the “نظام الطيبات” nutrition system
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Potentially false Certainty of evidence: low provisional C-SOD-12

Soft drinks wreck digestion, trigger reflux and heartburn, disturb the stomach's acidity, and (Pepsi) are among the main causes of gastritis and ulcers.

Conclusion: The claim that soft drinks cause reflux disease and ulcers is not supported by the available evidence.
  1. Original statement
  2. Scientific assessment
  3. In plain language
  4. Studies on this claim
  5. Regional context
  6. What applies in my country?
  7. References

Original statement

من اقوى اسباب ارتجاع المريق والحموضه المستمره ا المشروبات الغازيه من اكث اسباب اا التهاب جدار المعده والتقرحات هو البيبسي

verbatim according to source. Translation by the project; the Arabic wording is authoritative.

Translation

Soft drinks wreck digestion, trigger reflux and heartburn, disturb the stomach's acidity, and (Pepsi) are among the main causes of gastritis and ulcers.

Origin

Source status
Video transcript (own words)
Attribution
Elawady (machine transcript)
Video
الجن . آلام العمود الفقري . الحقيقه والسراب (Open source)
Published
26 November 2025
Timestamp
0:40:13 (location in the original video’s automatic YouTube caption track; confirms where the words occur, not who speaks)
Attribution uncertainty
Machine transcript; a TV report with other speakers is interleaved in this programme, so attribution of this sentence to Elawady is probable but not certain.
Claimed mechanism

Carbonation and acidity disturb gastric acidity and enzymes.

Claimed health effect

Reflux (GERD), indigestion, gastritis, ulcers.

Population concerned

General population

Geographic restriction by Elawady

none found

Diverging source versions

Source status
Archive quote (no location given)
Attribution
Elawady (archive paraphrase; source video not given)
Origin
https://eltayebat.com/rule/soda/
Attribution uncertainty
The archive attributes this text to Dr. Diaa in its 'د. ضياء يقول' box but gives no video reference.

Scientific assessment

Potentially false – The available evidence tends to speak against the statement, but is not conclusive.

Certainty of evidence: low – Further research is likely to change the assessment considerably.

1. What was claimed?

Sodas cause reflux, indigestion, gastritis and ulcers.

2. What is demonstrably correct?

Carbonated beverages briefly lower oesophageal pH and transiently reduce sphincter pressure (I-SOD-01). Some individuals report symptoms after carbonated drinks.

3. What is wrong or exaggerated?

There is no direct evidence that carbonated beverages promote or exacerbate GERD or cause its complications (I-SOD-01). No evidence was found that soft drinks cause gastritis or ulcers. A small RCT in functional dyspepsia even found improvement with carbonated water (I-SOD-02).

4. What remains unclear?

Effect in specific subgroups with GERD.

5. Which studies support it?

I-SOD-01 (transient physiological effects).

6. Which studies contradict it?

I-SOD-01, I-SOD-02.

7. What applies to Germany and Europe?

Clinical guidance on GERD focuses on individual triggers rather than universal bans.

8. What is known about Egypt?

No Egypt-specific data.

9. What practical conclusion is appropriate?

People who notice heartburn after fizzy drinks can avoid them; a general claim that soda causes reflux disease or ulcers is not supported.

Assessment details

Rationale for certainty of evidence

A systematic review found only a very short drop in oesophageal pH and a transient reduction of lower-oesophageal-sphincter pressure, with no evidence that carbonated beverages cause oesophageal damage, GERD complications or consistently cause symptoms. No evidence was found linking soft drinks to peptic ulcers. Evidence is limited in quantity.

Source quality

Archive quote and transcript are consistent with each other; no study is cited by the archive for the reflux claim.

Regional transferability

High.

Individual exceptions

Individual GERD patients may notice symptom triggers; avoiding a personal trigger is reasonable.

Regional scope of the claim
general (biological/medical)
Last reviewed
25 October 2026 provisional

In plain language

Fizzy drinks can briefly make the food pipe more acidic and relax the valve at the top of the stomach for a short time. A review of the research found no direct proof that they cause reflux disease, damage, or ulcers. Some people still feel heartburn after them and may prefer to avoid them.

Studies on this claim

Studies supporting the claim (0)

No studies in this group.

Studies contradicting or limiting the claim (2)

  • Fizzy drinks and reflux: systematic review

    Johnson T et al.. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2010 · PMID 20055784 · DOI 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2010.04232.x
    Systematic reviewindependent cross-checkabstract only checked★ key study

    Fizzy drinks briefly lower acidity in the food pipe, but there is no direct evidence that they cause reflux disease.

    Does the study support the specific claim? No · Methodological quality: moderate · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim

    Original publication · Scientific details

    Study explained simply
    What did the researchers want to find out?

    Do carbonated beverages affect oesophageal pH, motility, damage, GERD symptoms and complications?

    How was the study done?

    Systematic review (qualitative).

    How many people, animals or samples were studied?

    Not stated in abstract; Not stated in abstract

    What was actually found?

    Very short decline in intra-oesophageal pH; possible transient reduction of LES basal pressure; no evidence of direct oesophageal damage; not consistently shown to cause GERD symptoms; no evidence of GERD complications or oesophageal cancer.

    How large was the observed effect?

    Not pooled

    What do the results mean in everyday life?

    Fizzy drinks are not a proven cause of reflux disease.

    What are the study's limitations?

    Old (2010); Limited primary evidence; No meta-analysis

    What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?

    Contradicts C-SOD-12, C-SOD-13, C-SOD-14.

    Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?

    High.

    What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?

    That nobody gets symptoms from them.

    Scientific details →

  • Sparkling water for indigestion

    Cuomo R et al.. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2002 · PMID 12352219 · DOI 10.1097/00042737-200209000-00010
    Randomised controlled trialindependent cross-checkabstract only checked

    In a small trial, sparkling water improved indigestion and constipation compared with tap water.

    Does the study support the specific claim? No · Methodological quality: low · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim

    Original publication · Scientific details

    Study explained simply
    What did the researchers want to find out?

    Effect of carbonated water in functional dyspepsia and constipation.

    How was the study done?

    Double-blind randomized trial, ~15 days.

    How many people, animals or samples were studied?

    21 (10 carbonated, 11 tap water); Patients with dyspepsia and secondary constipation

    What was actually found?

    Dyspepsia score 7.9 -> 5.4 with carbonated water (unchanged with tap water); constipation score 16.0 -> 12.1; satiety reduced; gallbladder emptying improved.

    How large was the observed effect?

    Dyspepsia score 7.9 -> 5.4

    What do the results mean in everyday life?

    Plain sparkling water is not shown to harm digestion.

    What are the study's limitations?

    Very small; Short; Within-group analyses

    What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?

    Contradicts C-SOD-12, C-SOD-14.

    Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?

    High.

    What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?

    General benefit.

    Scientific details →

Studies with mixed or unclear results (0)

No studies in this group.

Regional context

Germany / EU

Clinical guidance on GERD focuses on individual triggers rather than universal bans.

Egypt

No Egypt-specific data.

What applies in my country?

General scientific assessment

Potentially false The claim that soft drinks cause reflux disease and ulcers is not supported by the available evidence.

The following areas of food safety are relevant to this statement:

  • Additives and processing

Honey, sugar, sweets

Choose a country to see the checked information for it.

Limits: legal rules describe what is allowed, not what every single food contains. Measurement data come from samples and are meaningful only together with their method details.

Country of residence or purchase Compare with another country

References

  1. Systematic review: the effects of carbonated beverages on gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.. Johnson T et al.. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2010 · PMID 20055784 · DOI 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2010.04232.x
  2. Effects of carbonated water on functional dyspepsia and constipation.. Cuomo R et al.. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2002 · PMID 12352219 · DOI 10.1097/00042737-200209000-00010

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