Blog Archives

What About Over-the-Counter Antacids?

2/11/2017

Tums look like candy, come in different fun flavors, help stop acid reflux and give you a dose of calcium, what could be wrong? If you only use them occasionally, there's probably nothing to worry about. But if you use them daily, you need to know that there are serious health risks. As discussed in my last blog post, long-term reduction of stomach acid can affect nutrient absorption and put you at risk of infection and a host of other health issues.

The active ingredient in Tums is calcium carbonate which neutralizes the stomach acid. However, this form of calcium is cheap and not easily absorbable by the body. Calcium also needs proper amounts of Vitamin D and Magnesium to be used by the body. Too much calcium carbonate can also interfere with the absorption of other minerals, such as iron and zinc, cause kidney stones, and even begin to calcify tissue in the body.

Antacids such as Pepcid AC are used frequently for mild cases of heartburn and sometimes as a preventative. However, this can make the underlying problem worse. This class of antacid, H2 blockers, are not approved for continuous use for more than 14 days. Long-term continuous use of acid blockers is particularly dangerous for senior citizens, who are at an increased risk of bone loss and hip fractures due to the depletion of stomach acid and the inability of the body to absorb nutrients and minerals.

Try some of these natural alternatives to antacids for the discomfort of acid reflux:

Probiotics
Digestive Enzymes
Bitters
Aloe Juice
Chewable Papaya Enzyme Tablets
Chamomile Tea
Ginger Root Tea

Please refer to my prior blog post here on ways to increase stomach acid naturally.

In good health...

Please contact me for more information specific to your symptoms or condition. Nutrition, wellness, and general health information is intended for educational purposes to assist clients in their personal lifestyle management and is not a substitute for professional medical care or diagnosis.

0 Comments

GERD AND THE danger of antacids

2/5/2017

0 Comments

I believe that most modern health conditions are caused by an imbalance in the digestive system. The digestive system (or gut) is where the majority of the body’s immune system resides.
Antacids are one of the most popular drugs in the United States. Doctors write over 100 million prescriptions for proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) each year to treat Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) or acid reflux. Americans spend over $5 billion on Nexium, the most popular PPI, alone. PPIs reduce the production of acid in the stomach by blocking the enzyme in the wall of the stomach that produces hydrochloric acid. High stomach acid can be diagnosed by an endoscopy, but it is fairly rare. If you suffer from GERD, most likely you have too little stomach acid.
That’s right, most people with GERD are suffering from too little stomach acid, not too much. This condition is called hypochlorhydria and it affects up to half of all Americans. Production of stomach acid decreases as we age, and is also affected by a poor diet of processed foods.
Acid reflux or GERD is caused by stomach acid leaking up into your esophagus due to dysfunction of the valve that separates the lower end of the esophagus and the stomach, known as the lower esophageal valve (LES). The LES opens to allow food and liquids to pass easily into the stomach. Except for belching, this is the only time the LES should open. If the LES is functioning correctly, it doesn’t matter how much acid is in our stomachs - the LES keeps it out of the esophagus. Too little stomach acid causes a malfunction of the LES, allowing it to open improperly and stomach contents to reflux into the esophagus.

The effects of low stomach acid are serious:

You are unable to digest protein. This can lead to the buildup of toxins in your intestines that cause inflammation and disease. It also causes your blood to become more acidic.
You become mineral deficient. As your blood becomes more acidic, it draws minerals from other parts of your body, including your bones (which can lead to osteoporosis).
Your gut’s ecosystem becomes imbalanced as pathogenic bacteria, candida and viruses are allowed to take over, lowering your immunity. This imbalance can lead to increased gut permeability known as “leaky gut.
Leaky gut is caused by gaps forming in normally tight junctions between the cells that line the intestines. The contents of the intestines then “leak” out into the body causing inflammation and a host of other health issues, including food intolerances.

Unfortunately, conventional medicine tends to treat the symptoms rather than the cause, and this is often the case with GERD. Even though manufacturers recommend that PPIs only be used for 8 to 10 weeks, doctors tend to keep patients on these medications for years. High doses or prolong uses of antacids come with serious health risks. Long term use of PPIs can:

Inhibit nutrient absorption
Promote bacterial overgrowth
Promote candida overgrowth
Reduce resistance to infection Increase the risk of cancer
Lead to bone loss and fracture

There is a simple, at home test you can perform to see if you may suffer from low stomach acid:
Mix one quarter teaspoon of baking soda in 6 to 8 ounces of water and drink first thing in the morning, before eating or drinking anything. Time how long it takes to belch. If you have not belched within five minutes, stop timing, your stomach acid is probably insufficient. If your stomach is producing adequate amounts of hydrochloric acid you should belch within 2 to 3 minutes. Early and repeated belching may be due to excessive stomach acid.

There are ways to increase stomach acid naturally:

Unpasteurized apple cider vinegar (with the mother) such as Bragg’s, in a small amount of water can be taken before meals to help increase stomach acid.
Adding naturally fermented foods such as homemade sauerkraut, helps to populate the good bacteria in your gut.
Supplementing with digestive enzymes at each meal helps breakdown food in the intestines.
Eliminating some foods can help in people with sensitivities. Try eliminating foods high in acid such as tomatoes and citrus, conventional dairy products, and coffee.
Eat less processed food. Whole foods contain digestive enzymes that assist your body with digestion.
With supervision of a doctor or nutritionist, you can supplement with betaine hydrochloric acid supplements and pepsin until your stomach is producing enough hydrochloric acid on its own.

There are also natural alternatives when acid reflux does strike:

Probiotics
Digestive Enzymes
Bitters
Aloe Juice
Chewable Papaya Enzyme Tablets
Chamomile Tea
Ginger Root Tea
Peppermint Essential Oil
DGL Licorice
Slippery Elm Bark Tea

If you are currently taking a PPI, don’t quit cold-turkey. It’s important to reduce dependency gradually and that’s best accomplished under the supervision of a health professional.

Look for my next blog post of over-the-counter acid reflux medications. If you have any questions, or would like to schedule a consult, please contact me: http://mccannnutrition.com/contact.html

Additional reading:
http://chriskresser.com/fda-sounds-alarm-on-dangers-of-antacid-drugs
https://draxe.com/low-stomach-acid/
https://chriskresser.com/the-hidden-causes-of-heartburn-and-gerd/
http://www.natap.org/2009/HIV/070409_02.htm

0 Comments

What About Over-the-Counter Antacids?

GERD AND THE danger of antacids

Author

Archives