On the Raft with Dr. Spencer Payne, Co-Founder
Dr. Spencer Payne became a founder because the standard answers kept falling short. As a physician, he was watching patients manage symptoms that medicine wasn't fully solving, so he set out to build something better. He approaches most things that way, including his morning coffee, which contains creatine, protein powder, and a level of ambition that probably shouldn't be legal before 8am. We asked him a few questions. Here's what he said.
You're a physician and a founder — which one is harder?
"They're hard in very different ways. Being a physician is emotionally and intellectually demanding because people are trusting you with their health, their symptoms, and sometimes their fears. Being a founder is harder in the sense that there's no playbook, no elder mentor to call, and usually no one handing you the next step. The interesting part is that the two worlds overlap more than I expected. As a physician, I see patients every week who need better reflux solutions. As a founder, I'm trying to help build one. So in some ways, the roles don't collide as much as they amplify each other, though my calendar might disagree."
What's something about reflux that would genuinely surprise most people?
"Most people think reflux equals heartburn and it's all about 'too much acid,' but that's only part of the story. Reflux is really about stomach contents going where they don't belong: acid, enzymes, and bile. That's especially important for people with throat symptoms, chronic cough, voice changes, and what feels like post-nasal drip. You can reduce acid and still have reflux events. That's one of the reasons I became so interested in alginates. They work mechanically, helping form a barrier, rather than just trying to change the chemistry of the stomach."
What's an underrated ingredient in the wellness space that deserves more attention?
"Melatonin. A lot of people think of it only as a sleep aid, but it's more interesting than that. There's data suggesting melatonin may support lower esophageal sphincter tone, which means it may have a role in reflux beyond just helping someone sleep. That's part of why we included it in RefluxRaft PM. It wasn't 'let's make a nighttime product and toss in a sleepy ingredient.' The ingredients were chosen very intentionally. Melatonin is one of those things people recognize but don't always fully appreciate."
What's something you believed in med school that you've completely changed your mind on?
"I probably believed medicine was mostly about finding the right diagnosis and prescribing the right treatment. And of course, that still matters. But I've come to appreciate how much good medicine is really about listening, pattern recognition, and understanding what a patient is actually experiencing day to day. A symptom that sounds minor on paper can be life-altering in real life. Chronic reflux, cough, throat clearing, poor sleep: when it happens every day, it wears people down. I've become much more interested in the gray zones, the places where standard answers don't always fully solve the problem."
If RefluxRaft ever opens an office somewhere other than Charlottesville, where are you voting for?
"Portugal or Italy. Somewhere with beautiful coastlines, incredible food, and a daily rhythm that makes you want to slow down and actually enjoy life. Of course, both also have espresso, wine, and late dinners, all the things that make reflux patients say 'I regret nothing.' I'd also put in a small vote for Bavaria. I was learning German for a recent trip, so I feel I've earned at least partial rights to suggest it. There's something appealing about discussing alginate science between mountain views, historic towns, and giant pretzels. Strictly strategic business development, obviously."
What's your go-to drink, reflux consequences aside?
"My daily drink is something I call my Muscle Mocha. Espresso, almond milk, creatine, HMB, and chocolate protein powder. Basically what happens when coffee culture, gym culture, and denial all meet in one glass. But my real guilty pleasure is a cocktail called the Hickory Sap: Virginia bourbon, Cocchi sweet vermouth, hickory syrup, black walnut bitters, and an orange twist. There's a much longer story about how that drink somehow collided with my professional life and sent me down a research rabbit hole. TL;DR, it's delicious, it's probably not reflux-friendly, and I choose to ignore that until future me files a complaint."
We're lucky to have him on the raft. Learn more about Dr. Spencer Payne at https://refluxraft.com/pages/doctor/dr-spencer-payne.
