A Preliminary Study on the Benefits of Bicarbonate Natural Mineral Water from Source ‘F3 Păltiniș’ on Dyspeptic Symptoms and Digestion

Background: The intake of mineral water for therapeutic purposes (crenotherapy) in digestive system disorders is a long-established practice, even though there are still few controlled clinical studies confirming the effect of natural mineral water rich in bicarbonate. Objective: To verify whether the daily intake of Aqua 3 bicarbonate natural mineral water is able to improve digestion in a population of patients with functional dyspepsia and gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms. Methods: Patients had a diagnosis of functional dyspepsia formulated in accordance with the Rome IV criteria and were subjected to three periods of 2 weeks: tap water (wash-out), bicarbonate natural mineral water, and oligomineral water. The mineral water bottles had their labels removed. Primary efficacy endpoint: improvement in the PAGI-SYM total. Secondary endpoints: improvements in the PAGI-SYM subscales, in the use of antacids, and in the self-assessment of efficacy on digestion. Results: The PAGI-SYM total score and the six subscales significantly decreased after bicarbonate mineral water intake, while they significantly increased after oligomineral water supplementation. The antacid use was significantly different comparing the decrease after oligomineral water versus the increase after oligomineral water. In addition, the score of the subjective assessment of effectiveness of the patient’s digestion was significantly better after the intake of bicarbonate than after oligomineral water. Conclusions: In line with the evidence reported in the literature, the findings of this study provide additional support for recommending natural bicarbonate mineral water as a symptomatic treatment for functional dyspepsia and gastroesophageal reflux disease. The intake of Aqua 3 bicarbonate mineral water proved to be a simple, safe, and natural intervention capable of improving digestive symptoms in patients with functional dyspepsia and reflux-related disorders, while promoting the digestive process.