Taking Heartburn Meds? (Must Read)
If you suffer from heartburn on a regular basis, you’ve probably begged your doctor for a solution.
And I’m sure he was happy to oblige… with a prescription for a proton pump inhibitor like Prilosec or Prevacid.
You likely breathed a sigh of relief thinking you would finally be rid of the heartburn and acid reflux that had been ruining your life.
Prepare to be in for a shock.
Because a new report has blown the whistle on PPIs and heartburn.
Here’s what you need to know.
There is so much wrong with PPIs that I don’t even know where to start.
How about here: PPIs are the worst thing you can take for heartburn.
These drugs work by stopping the production of stomach acid – which you NEED to properly break down and absorb food.
But on top of that, heartburn is not even caused by excess stomach acid. It’s caused when the door that’s supposed to keep acid in the stomach gets stuck open, allowing the acid to flow up into your esophagus.
Because PPIs don’t treat the underlying problem, people take them for years on end so that their symptoms don’t come back.
But these drugs were never meant to be taken long term.
And when they are, it spells disaster for your health. Studies have shown that PPIs are associated with an increased risk of esophageal cancer and death.
Despite these facts, doctors routinely overprescribe these drugs – and then allow you to stay on them indefinitely.
It’s grounds for malpractice in my opinion.
But now, a research team is finally speaking up about doctors improperly prescribing these drugs.
Data show that 77% of PPIs were overprescribed in a primary care clinic. The reason? Because residents have a “very poor understanding of PPIs.”
Not surprisingly, the increase in prescriptions has led to an increase in adverse events tied to the drugs – including everything from fractures and infections to pneumonia and B12 deficiency.
The lead researcher, Dr. Chiemeziem Eke, is one of the rare doctors working hard to reduce unnecessary PPI prescriptions. He’s doing this by highlighting the consequences of long-term use, and by providing a plan for patients to taper off the drug.
Why doctors don’t know this already is confusing to me, but this is still a big step in the right direction.
He also highlighted that occasional heartburn symptoms should be treated with either H2 antagonists, with on-demand antacids, or – imagine this – with non-drug therapies such as weight loss, not eating 2-3 hours before bedtime, sleeping in an elevated position, and avoiding dietary triggers.
Folks, this advice shouldn’t need to be stated in a NEW drug protocol – it should be common sense for any doctor worth his salt.
This trial study showed the benefits of Dr. Eke’s plan. PPIs prescriptions dropped by 16% overall and inappropriate PPI prescriptions dropped by a whopping 77%.
If you’re dealing with heartburn on a regular basis, don’t take PPIs for the rest of your life. In addition to the common sense steps listed above, start taking a magnesium supplement.
A magnesium deficiency can cause some or all of your muscles to be too tight or to spasm, including your lower esophageal sphincter – that door that’s supposed to keep stomach acid from flowing up into your esophagus.
Be sure to get a chelated magnesium like magnesium glycinate in a dosage of 200-800 mg per day.
