Yahoo News Are You Taking PPIs To Reduce Heartburn? Be Aware Of The Dangers and Risks.
Millions of people around the world suffer from GERD (Gastointestinal Reflux Disease) or simply put heartburn everyday. Since it is a life altering condition, over the counter antacids and acid blockers are used without a second thought by the sufferers and of course, majority of the doctors are prescribing even dangerous drugs like PPIs (proton pump inhibitors) for long-term or even life long use. PPIs are cash cows of pharmaceutical companies and it comes as no surprise that the same is being promoted aggressively. PPIs were the fastest-growing digestive remedies category from 2008 to 2013 and they figure among the highest-selling classes of drugs in the U.S. with more than 11 billion USD in sales and Nexium, a PPI, was the top-selling of all drugs, earning nearly $6 billion in 2012, according to IMS Health, which tracks drug sales and marketing.
What Are PPIs and Their Role In Controlling Heartburn.
PPIs reduce the production of acid in the stomach. Heartburn is the main symptom of acid reflux when the burning happens because of acid/ bile refluxing up the esophagus from the stomach. GERD is a digestive disorder that affects the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), the ring of muscle between the esophagus and stomach. The loosening of this sphincter makes the acid rise up the esophagus,throat and chest and causes heartburn.
When you swallow, the LES - which is a circular band of muscle located in the lower part of the esophagus, relaxes to allow food and liquid to flow down into your stomach and closes thereafter. Regardless of the amount of acid in your stomach, it will remain there unless the LES isn’t functioning properly. If this valve weakens and does not close completely, the stomach acid can flow back up from your stomach into your esophagus and cause heartburn. The esophagus lining is delicate and any acid flow back damages it. This constant acid gurgling up can irritate the esophagus lining and cause its inflammation. Over a period of time, with constant reflux, the inflammation can corrode the esophageal lining and lead to bleeding, esophageal narrowing or Barrett’s esophagus. PPIs supposedly give relief from the symptoms of heartburn and also help to heal gastric ulcers and corroded esophageal linings. However, they target the symptom and not the cause.
Why PPIs Are Ineffective and Dangerous.
Acid reflux is not a disease of too much acid being produced, but a condition caused due to a faulty LES which causes the acid to rush up from the stomach. More often than not, it is the insufficient acid production rather than over production which is the problem. Suppressing stomach acid does not cure the problem, it only treats the symptoms. Stomach acid not only helps to digest food, but it also prevents infections. Low stomach acid causes an overgrowth of H Pylori and is also linked to small intestine bacterial overgrowth and inadequate Vitamin B12 absorption. Dr. Barry Marshall, an Australian physician, discovered the organism helicobacter pylori (H Pylori) which causes a chronic inflammation of the stomach lining and produces many of the symptoms of acid reflux . So if you have an H Pylori infection, your symptoms could disappear when you treat H Pylori. But if you suppress the amount of acid in your stomach, you decrease your body’s ability to kill the helicobacter bacteria. So it actually makes your condition worse and aggravates the problem. When there’s less stomach acid, you are prone to nutritional deficiencies and infections too.
Innumerable studies have shown that the secretion of stomach acid decreases with age but the incidence of heartburn and GERD increases with age. Most people who suffer from GERD fall in the older age category. If excess acid were the problem, the reverse would be true. Several studies have now linked PPIs to a higher risk of pneumonia and infection with a bacterium called Clostridium difficile, and other studies have found that long-term use of PPIs may be associated with an increased risk of fractures. An FDA report cautions against high doses or prolonged use of PPIs, because they’ve been shown to increase the risk of infection, bone fractures and dementia.The FDA recommends that doctors consider checking serum magnesium levels before initiating patients with PPIs for long-term therapy (generally 1 year or longer) and when the drugs will be co-administered with other agents that can cause low magnesium levels, such as diuretics or digoxin. A recent study in JAMA Neurology states that research shows that PPIs appear to effect levels of amyloid beta and tau, which are proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Changes You Could Incorporate.
Instead of popping up PPIs all the time, some lifestyle changes may help manage the condition of heart burn:
Be aware of the foods you are allergic or reacting to and stay away from them. Citrus fruits, caffeine, peppermint, chocolates are a big no-no if you suffer from GERD. Sugary foods and even fruits containing high sugar content should be avoided.
Switch to organic food. Avoid processed food.
Take plenty of probiotics and maintain healthy bowel flora.
Ensure Vitamin D levels are within healthy limits. Take supplements if deficit.
Exercise and build a healthy immune system.
Meditate and do deep breathing exercises.
Wear loose clothing; avoid wearing clothes that are tight around the abdomen.
Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (which has “mother”) diluted in water helps if you have a problem of low stomach acid.
Substitute normal table salt with unprocessed sea salt which contains many minerals.
Do not sleep on your right; it increases reflux as it puts more pressure on the LES.
Knock off some pounds if you are overweight.
Avoid aerated drinks and cigarettes.
Eat at least 3 hours before bedtime.
Never ignore persistent heartburn as chronic acid reflux can corrode and narrow your esophagus and can even lead to esophageal cancer.
It is prudent to go to the root cause of the reflux. If the symptoms disappear temporarily, it won’t help unless the cause is addressed and treated.
While consumption of any drug carries risk and every research may not be the ultimate conclusion, it makes sense to figure if the benefits outweigh the risks and then proceed with caution.
