The Dangers of Proton Pump Inhibitors
THE DANGERS OF PROTON PUMP INHIBITORS
Have you or someone you know taken acid-blocking drugs, particularly Proton Pump Inhibitors? If you are, you’re certainly not alone. Americans spent $13 billion of acid-reducing drugs in 2006 to give you an idea of the magnitude of use. In this post, I’ll discuss some of the dangers of PPIs and everything you need to know about these acid-reducing drugs including the effects they can have on our bodies.
What are Proton Pump Inhibitors?
Proton Pump Inhibitors - or PPIs - are a class of acid-reducing drugs. They’re medications like Prilosec, Prevacid, and Nexium to name a few, and they are designed to turn off acid production in the gut. They’re often used for stomach and small intestine ulcers, for severe GERD, esophageal reflux, and sometimes to protect people from getting ulcers that can develop as the result of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory use. They're also available over the counter to treat heartburn. PPIs are approved by the FDA for a 14-day course of treatment, however many people end up taking these well past the indicated timeline. I took proton pump inhibitor drugs when I was dealing with acid reflux and heartburn and ended up taking them for around a year without any follow-up, and oftentimes my clients come to me in similar situations.
Things to consider when taking PPIs
These antacids might seem really harmless because they're available over the counter and anyone can just walk into a store and buy them, but they can have a number of side-effects and really serious downstream consequences when used long-term that we really need to be aware of when we're thinking functionally.
The first issue is that they don't get to the root of the problem. PPIs are band-aids used to mask symptoms of heartburn. Typically heartburn is a signal that there is digestive impairment that's causing acidic stomach contents to leak up into the esophagus. So in order to treat the problem, you need to support overall digestion, not just mask the symptoms. When I started learning about this, my mind was blown! Instead of just saying, we need to turn off the acid, we want to think, why is the food not being broken down in the gut in the first place? And how can we support top to bottom digestion?
There is also an increased risk of infection when taking PPIs. The FDA has issued a series of reports cautioning against the prolonged use of PPIs, citing increased risk of infection, bone fractures, nutrient deficiencies and life-threatening infections (clostridium difficile) but they are still over prescribed and widely used long-term. Stomach acid secretions act as a defense mechanism against enteric bacteria and so less acid during PPI use allows for colonization of opportunistic microbes. That means you could end up with an overgrowth of microbes that might lead to more dysbiosis.
Chronic PPI use also leads to malabsorption of key minerals in the body, namely a loss of calcium and magnesium. A loss of these minerals has been shown to lead to bone fractures and cardiac abnormalities among other downstream issues. I also see this in terms of not being able to absorb things like iron, B12 or different vitamins. A lot of times, having low stomach acid or just impaired digestion is correlated with low iron or nutrient deficiencies overall. And we know that nutrient deficiencies are a big driver of autoimmune issues or any health issues because our immune system needs those nutrients and those building blocks to do what it needs to do.
Listen in below to learn more about the dangers of taking PPIs. And if you're on a PPI for any reason, know that that's okay. I've taken them too. When you know more about them, you can begin to understand how they might be affecting your body, and then you can take steps to get to the roots of what's going on.
If you are experiencing heartburn, indigestion and needing support getting off PPIs and acid blocking medications, make sure you check out The Love Your Gut Program which helps build the foundations to support digestion from top to bottom! This course is the place to start to help you get to the ROOTS of what's going on in the body rather than apply another band-aid.
Love Your Gut is an online, self-paced, 5-step program designed to give you all of the tools you need to support a healthy digestive system so you can experience:
More regular bowel movements
Less bloating
Better digestion
More energy!
Improved immune health
Better skin
Improved hormone balance and detoxification
Support with what’s going on in your body at a root cause level
Increased wellbeing and vitality!
As a RN and Functional Nutrition Coach I’ve worked with hundreds of clients to achieve these outcomes. I’ve taken my teachings and put them together in this online program for you so you have all of that knowledge and guidance.
Click the button below to enroll today and start supporting your gut NOW! A happy, healthy tummy and body await. If you are dealing with heartburn, this blog post might be helpful for you as well. If you have any questions, feel free to book a 30-minute discovery call or drop a comment in below. I’m always here to support you.
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If we haven't met before, I'm Christina Tidwell, founder and owner of Live Well with Christina. I'm so excited that you're here and have begun to delve into your health and wellness journey! Here at Live Well we help people with autoimmune disease take control of their health through nutrition, lifestyle shifts and personal empowerment.
If you suffer from:
Fatigue and energy crashes
Brain fog
Poor digestion
Symptoms of autoimmunity
Stress and overwhelm
...and aren't getting the support you need, I can help guide you through the scope of 1:1 health and nutrition coaching.
Health coaching is a necessary extension of the health care system in that together we have more time to uncover issues, implement strategies and assess outcomes together to help you make sustainable and lasting changes. I offer accountability, knowledgeable guidance and most importantly support.
I always offer free 30-minute discovery sessions to get clear on your major health concerns and what’s standing in your way. Click the button below to set up your free consultation and we can create a plan of action specifically for you.
