Effects of the "lete" bicarbonate - Calcic water administration in functional dyspepsia [Effetti della somministrazione di acqua minerale bicarbonato calcica "lete" nella dispepsia funzionale]

Background: Dyspepsia is a clinic syndrome characterized by recurrent or chronic symptoms of the upper intestinal tract. Symptoms, including abdominal pain or discomfort, bloating, nausea or vomit and belching, could be associated either with food consumption or not. Dyspepsia, in the absence of a clinically identifiable structural lesion causing symptoms, is usually referred to as functional dyspepsia. Frequently, drug therapy achieves only a partial relief of symptoms in the majority of cases. Clinical observations suggest that mineral waters, depending on their chemical and physical properties, may modulate gastrointestinal motility, which is the more frequent alteration in the development of symptoms. This study aims to assess the effect of carbonated water intake in patients with dyspepsia symptoms. Methods: 50 patients were recruited and divided into two groups: the first group was formed by 30 patients, who daily consumed 1000 mL of Lete® mineral water for 10 days, and the second one, formed by 20 patients, as a control one, who consumed tap water of the Florence acqueduct. We deliver to everyone, before and after the treatment, a questionnaire for the symptoms valuation. Results: All the patients treated with Lete® mineral water showed a significant improvement of symptoms respect to those patients who drank tap water, both in frequency and in intensity, with the exception of abdominal pain frequency, that isn't a statistic significant improvement. Conclusion: Lete® mineral water supplementation to the diet improves dyspepsia symptoms, modulating gastrointestinal motility and secretion activity.