How SNL Comedian Kenan Thompson Manages GERD Symptoms After Diagnosis

• SNL veteran Kenan Thompson opens up about living with GERD for the first time.
• The popular actor and comedian says the digestive disorder is serious, not funny.
• After years of uncomfortable episodes, Thompson found relief with prescription treatment.

As the longest-serving cast member on the famed sketch show “Saturday Night Live,” Kenan Thompson has built a career on making people laugh.

Now, he’s stepping away from the punchlines to discuss something more serious: gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a condition where stomach contents reflux into the esophagus.

GERD can lead to heartburn, frequent belching, discomfort, difficulty swallowing, and other unpleasant symptoms.

Thompson is among roughly 60 million Americans  who live with this chronic ailment.

“GERD is no joke. It’s uncomfortable,” Thompson told HealthEH.

GERD symptoms are “no joke”

In his mid-30s, Thompson began suffering from severe heartburn that disrupted his sleep.

“It’s definitely given me restless nights, which isn’t helpful when you’re trying to perform and you’re already dealing with a lot of stress,” he explained.

The condition has also affected his vocal performance in sketches.

“I’ve lost my voice more easily than I expected just from singing or something and suddenly I’m hoarse,” Thompson said.

He noticed symptoms peaked when his diet was poor, naming soda and pizza as common offenders.

“I’d have flareups and not really understand what was happening or put two and two together that I was doing this to myself. I’d think, ‘oh maybe that pizza was spicier than I remembered,’ not really owning my role in it,” he recalled.

In his early 40s, he received a diagnosis of non-erosive GERD, meaning his esophagus had not sustained the tissue damage seen in erosive GERD.

“GERD is diagnosed clinically by a history taken with your physician,” Kavita Kongara, MD, a gastroenterologist and chief of motility at Northside Hospital, told HealthEH.

“If more evaluation is needed, an upper endoscopy can clarify the GERD subtype, which includes non-erosive GERD—affecting about two-thirds of people—and erosive GERD.”

How is GERD managed?

After years of relying on over-the-counter remedies that only helped briefly, Thompson’s doctor prescribed Voquezna (vonoprazan).

“Even with over-the-counter options and prescription therapies like antacids, H2 blockers, or proton pump inhibitors, some individuals with GERD still experience ongoing, troublesome symptoms,” Kongara said.

That was Thompson’s reality; he wanted a more lasting fix for his discomfort.

“It was almost like I couldn’t eat pizza without having a sleepless night, and you can’t live like that. I’ve got to eat my pizza; come on,” he joked.

Now, his GERD is under control.

“I’m not as worried about specific [food] triggers anymore,” he said. “I don’t eat them as often to raise that acidic level, but I also don’t panic if I slip up because I have medication. I know what to do, and if there’s an issue I have a safety net.”

To raise awareness, Thompson is sharing his journey as part of the “GERD IS NO JOKE” campaign.

“If I can help even one person, that’s great, and if it reaches more people because of my platform, even better. I want to spread the word because if folks are suffering and don’t have the information, helping them would make me sleep better at night,” he said.

He didn’t rule out the chance of an SNL sketch about GERD to boost awareness.

“Now that I’m talking about it… it might inspire a writer to put it into a sketch,” Thompson said. “You never know; maybe I’ll do a Weekend Update bit about it.”

Best and worst foods for GERD

Although clinical data on how foods affect GERD can be limited and sometimes mixed, Anna Beery, a registered dietitian nutritionist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, told HealthEH that many people do identify certain foods as triggers.

Avoiding those triggers can help reduce symptoms. Common reflux-provoking items include:

• acidic foods
• carbonated drinks
• coffee
• high-fat meals
• peppermint
• chocolate
• alcohol
• canned foods

Beery noted additional things to limit are red meat, fried items, sugary treats, and fast food.

“A practical approach to find personal triggers is keeping a food diary,” she told HealthEH. “Record foods, portions, and symptoms to identify potential culprits. Tracking meal timing, stress, and sleep patterns can also be useful.”

On what to eat, Beery pointed to research  suggesting a largely plant-forward diet may ease GERD symptoms.

“This isn’t strictly vegan or vegetarian. It emphasizes more fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. Use healthy plant oils like olive oil in moderation,” she said.

Because research  also shows fiber may reduce GERD symptoms, Beery recommended the Mediterranean diet.

“This eating pattern is rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds, olive oil, and flavored with herbs and spices. Aim for daily fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and plant-based foods. Weekly, include fish, poultry, beans, legumes, and eggs with moderate dairy,” she advised.

Besides changing what you eat, Beery suggested having five to six smaller meals daily and being mindful of meal timing.

“Lying down within two hours after eating can increase stomach acid backflow,” she said. “Avoid making your largest meal the last one of the day.”

Other lifestyle changes like elevating the head of the bed while sleeping can reduce reflux.

“Better sleep overall may help decrease GERD,” Beery said.

Also, since obesity is associated with worse GERD symptoms, maintaining a healthy weight and increasing physical activity can be beneficial.

Ultimately, GERD care is individualized and there’s no single approach that works for everyone.

“GERD can be complicated, with different trigger foods and symptoms that vary from person to person,” Beery said.