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Some people are taking proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for heartburn. They don't realize it but generally speaking, they're not fixing the problem. They may end up in worse shape if they continue taking PPI drugs.
And why is this? Because proton pump inhibitors are very good at reducing stomach acid. And most cases of heartburn are due to too little stomach acid being produced, not too much.
If too little stomach acid produces the majority of cases of heartburn, what happens when even less stomach acid is produced? It's not going to bring you the relief you're looking for. And having too little stomach acid limits your protection from any food-borne infection, which puts you at greater risk for food poisoning.
Going off proton pump inhibitors must be done by gradually decreasing your dosage. Don't go cold turkey or your health may suffer.
One of the first things you’ll want to do is to make sure you’re consuming enough probiotics. This will help balance your bowel flora, which can help eliminate helicobacter bacteria naturally. It will also aid in proper digestion and assimilation of your food.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/06/05/natural-ways-to-relieve-heartburn-symptoms.aspx
Add a Comment3 Comments
I had heard this too - that taking PPIs does nothing but exacerbate the problem. PPIs seem the go-to option that drs are tending to prescribe all to easily, when sometimes they are just not needed. This is certainly the case in pregnancy where studies have shown that PPIs may not counteract the GERD all that effectively, and may even cause harm to the unborn fetus - cardiac birth defects to be precise. What mother could possibly want this for her baby. You can read more via this study http://www.newsinferno.com/pharmaceuticals/proton-pump-inhibitors-may-not-be-safe-in-pregnancy/
November 23, 2010 - 10:41amThis Comment
If you google "heartburn too little acid" or some similar search terms, you will find articles on this subject.
June 7, 2010 - 5:04pmThis Comment
"most cases of heartburn are due to too little stomach acid being produced, not too much."??? Where did you hear that one?
June 7, 2010 - 4:39pmThis Comment