READ MORE: Cheap drug could protect heartburn sufferers from cancerSee more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy CIARAN FOREMAN, HEALTH REPORTER Published: 07:00 BST, 15 June 2026 | Updated: 07:04 BST, 15 June 2026
A common bacteria found in yoghurts and fermented drinks may help treat acid reflux and prevent it from developing into oesophageal cancer, a study has found.Around one in five British adults live with severe acid reflux, a condition in which stomach acid repeatedly travels up towards the throat. The condition is best known for causing heartburn and a sour taste in the mouth, but it can also damage cells lining the oesophagus - the tube connecting the throat and stomach. Over time, this damage can cause inflammation and changes to cells' DNA. In some patients, this can lead to Barrett's oesophagus, a condition often described as 'pre-cancerous' because it increases the risk of developing oesophageal cancer. But now, researchers at the University of Central Florida have found evidence that probiotics - live bacteria commonly found in fermented foods and drinks such as yoghurt and kombucha - may help halt this process. The study found that acid reflux can disrupt the throat's bacterial environment through over-exposure to stomach bile and salts, which kills healthy bacteria in the region.This can allow harmful bacteria to take its place, causing damage to the cells which in turn increases the risk of cancer developing. However, introducing the probiotic known as Lactobacillus spp appeared to reverse these effects by tackling the harmful bacteria and taking its place. A common bacteria found in yoghurts and fermented drinks may help treat acid reflux and prevent it from developing into oesophageal cancer, a study has found
