If you have acid reflux and you’re taking pills to treat it, you may want to consider an alternative.
That’s because those heartburn pills could be decreasing your brain function.
In fact, they could be another factor in what causes Alzheimer’s.
Researchers recently published some very troubling results of a study that looked into these pills.
The authors of the study start off by pointing out that “proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are widely used for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, but have also been shown to be potentially involved in cognitive decline.” And because of this, they decided to look into whether or not people who take these drugs are more likely to get dementia than those who don’t.
PPIs work by interfering with the way cells move protons across membranes. Stomach cells need to be able to move protons in order to make stomach acid. So, by interfering with proton movement, these drugs can interfere with stomach cells' ability to make stomach acid. Hence they are prescribed for conditions related to excess stomach acid, such as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), ulcers, heartburn, etc.
But there are at least two problems with PPIs.
First, they don’t just inhibit the movement of protons in the stomach cells. They affect every single cell in the body. And since the movement of protons is essential for cell survival, you might just imagine that this might be a bit problematic. I’ve reported in the past that PPIs increase your risk of chronic kidney disease by 20-50%. In addition, they’re implicated in osteoporosis, pneumonia, and chronic intestinal disease. And now it looks like we can add dementia to the ever-growing list of why it’s not good to interfere with Mother Nature.
The researchers followed 73,679 men and women aged 75 or older for seven years. All of these people had normal cognitive function at the beginning of the study. Of this group, 2,950 used PPIs to the tune of at least one prescription every three months. When they looked at the number of people who developed dementia durng that time, they discovered that those taking a PPI were 44% more likely to come down with the diagnosis. When analyzing the results, the authors concluded, “The avoidance of PPI medication may prevent the development of dementia.” So, how can taking a PPI cause dementia?
One reason may be that in animal studies, PPIs increase the levels of amyloid beta and tau in the brain. These are abnormal protein deposits found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease. Another reason may be that God put stomach acid in our stomachs for a reason. One reason is that without it, vitamin B12 and other essential nutrients are not absorbed. Vitamin B12 deficiency, even with normal blood levels, has already been shown to cause dementia. And who knows how many other nutrient deficiencies can result from the extended use of PPIs in older people, many of whom already have compromised digestive systems.
So, if you’re taking one of these medications, especially if you notice your cognitive function is declining, have a discussion with your doctor about whether or not you really need it. Most people taking these drugs can safely stop simply by eating smaller meals, staying upright for a few hours following each meal, and laying off chocolate, alcohol, sodas, NSAID drugs, and caffeine.
In addition, there are a great many natural remedies for heartburn and reflux that work great. These include melatonin, d-limonene, and many others you can find on my website.
Yours for better health,
Frank Shallenberger, MD