The Covert Perils of Indigestion Drugs
Prescription medications and also over the counter treatments for indigestion are often very helpful for those who have intense indigestion. For those who have ulcers or Barrett's esophagus this might be their sole alternative. However in case your indigestion symptoms are not so critical, you should think about other options to indigestion drugs, since they come with numerous significant unwanted side effects including bone fractures, microbe infections that need a hospital stay, diarrhea, greater chance of Alzheimer's disease, renal illness and high blood pressure levels.
In quite a few instances of indigestion, the trouble isn't really that excess stomach acid is being produced; it is that the stomach acid is not staying in the stomach. Rather, it is traveling up the esophagus and irritating it. Stomach acid is actually very important for protecting you from bacterial infection. Bacteria literally get digested by the acid before they can multiply. Proton pump inhibitors simply shut down the production of acid, rather than work to solve the real problem which is keeping the acid in the stomach. So when you take them, you face an increased risk of bacterial infection.
Furthermore scientists estimate that up to 40% of the people who take proton pump inhibitors for conditions like heartburn and indigestion really don't need to take them. They could get off of them by making simple lifestyle changes like eating smaller meals, not smoking, not drinking and avoiding foods that trigger heartburn. So if you are one of the 40% you might want to see if you can avoid medications by making some simple lifestyle changes. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by doing this.
You also have to watch out for antacids. They don't shutdown the production of stomach acid like proton pump inhibitors, but they do lower the amount of acid in your stomach by neutralizing it. So they can cause similar problems. When you reduce the amount of acid, food may not be fully digested. This can cause vitamin deficiencies which ultimately lower your level of health and vitality. The various chemicals used in antacids all come with different issues. Aluminum based antacids may cause Alzheimer's. Magnesium based antacids may cause diarrhea. Sodium based antacids can aggravate high blood pressure. Calcium based antacids may cause kidney problems. So, all antacids come with potential risks.
In the end, you and your doctor have to decide what the best treatment for you is. Granted, you may be one of the people who have symptoms so severe that you need medication and in some cases, the benefits of medication may outweigh the risks. But it is a good idea to really examine if this is the case.
You might want to consider the simple diet and lifestyle changes found in Heartburn No More. It is a detailed program that has helped a number of people put an end to their heartburn without having to take medications.
In quite a few instances of indigestion, the trouble isn't really that excess stomach acid is being produced; it is that the stomach acid is not staying in the stomach. Rather, it is traveling up the esophagus and irritating it. Stomach acid is actually very important for protecting you from bacterial infection. Bacteria literally get digested by the acid before they can multiply. Proton pump inhibitors simply shut down the production of acid, rather than work to solve the real problem which is keeping the acid in the stomach. So when you take them, you face an increased risk of bacterial infection.
Furthermore scientists estimate that up to 40% of the people who take proton pump inhibitors for conditions like heartburn and indigestion really don't need to take them. They could get off of them by making simple lifestyle changes like eating smaller meals, not smoking, not drinking and avoiding foods that trigger heartburn. So if you are one of the 40% you might want to see if you can avoid medications by making some simple lifestyle changes. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by doing this.
You also have to watch out for antacids. They don't shutdown the production of stomach acid like proton pump inhibitors, but they do lower the amount of acid in your stomach by neutralizing it. So they can cause similar problems. When you reduce the amount of acid, food may not be fully digested. This can cause vitamin deficiencies which ultimately lower your level of health and vitality. The various chemicals used in antacids all come with different issues. Aluminum based antacids may cause Alzheimer's. Magnesium based antacids may cause diarrhea. Sodium based antacids can aggravate high blood pressure. Calcium based antacids may cause kidney problems. So, all antacids come with potential risks.
In the end, you and your doctor have to decide what the best treatment for you is. Granted, you may be one of the people who have symptoms so severe that you need medication and in some cases, the benefits of medication may outweigh the risks. But it is a good idea to really examine if this is the case.
You might want to consider the simple diet and lifestyle changes found in Heartburn No More. It is a detailed program that has helped a number of people put an end to their heartburn without having to take medications.
