Can patients with gastritis drink hawthorn tea?
Patients with gastritis can drink hawthorn-infused water in moderation when gastric acid secretion is normal or slightly reduced, but it is not recommended when gastric acid is excessive or the gastric mucosa is damaged. If any abnormalities occur, timely medical consultation is advised. Detailed analysis is as follows:
When a gastritis patient has normal or slightly reduced gastric acid secretion and no obvious gastric irritation symptoms, drinking hawthorn-infused water in moderation may be beneficial to health. Hawthorn helps promote digestion and alleviate symptoms such as abdominal distension and loss of appetite caused by food stagnation.
However, if gastritis is accompanied by excessive gastric acid or damage to the gastric mucosa, drinking hawthorn-infused water is not advisable. Hawthorn contains organic acids that may stimulate the stomach to secrete more gastric acid, thereby worsening symptoms such as gastric burning or pain, especially in patients with gastric or duodenal ulcers, potentially causing further damage to the gastric mucosa.
In addition, for individuals currently taking medications to suppress gastric acid secretion, consuming hawthorn-infused water may interfere with the effectiveness of the medication and affect recovery from the condition.