Wolf in sheep's clothing

Wolf in sheep’s clothing

I think it’s safe to say that most of us would rather deal with a little heartburn than have a heart attack. But if you trust what the FDA is saying, you don’t have to make that choice. After receiving several reports linking the heartburn medications Prilosec and Nexium to increased heart risk, the FDA conducted a three-month safety review of the drugs. Their conclusion? According to an official statement from the agency, “FDA recommends that health-care providers continue to prescribe, and patients continue to use, these products”

Apparently, after they reviewed more complete data provided by AstraZeneca (the manufacturer of both medications), they determined that there was no increased heart risk associated with either drug.

But just because they may not put your heart at risk doesn’t mean they’re safe, as the FDA would like you to believe.

Prilosec and Nexium are technically known as a proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). These are the most potent of the acid-suppressing drugs. They work by blocking the action of the body’s proton pump, which secretes stomach acid.

There are lots of serious concerns associated with the use of PPIs. The most common adverse effects include diarrhea, skin reactions, and headaches. Other possible side effects include impotence, breast enlargement, and gout. And those are just the problems that can occur relatively quickly when you’re taking these drugs. The potential consequences of long-term acid suppression with PPIs include asthma, allergies, skin disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, insomnia, osteoporosis, gastrointestinal infection, depression, and many, many more.

And on top of all of that, these drugs disrupt the body’s natural digestive process and cause profound changes in the internal environment of the stomach and intestines. Decades of research have demonstrated that chronically low levels of stomach acid can be harmful in the long run, causing poor digestion, which leads to inefficient absorption of nutrients from food, which leads to malnutrition.

But now that Prilosec has been given the “all clear” from the FDA in terms of potential heart risks, all of these other adverse effects will likely continue to be completely ignored by mainstream medicine.

Not to mention the fact that these drugs don’t really solve the problem of chronic heartburn or acid reflux. Sure, suppressing stomach acid often does help relieve the symptoms of heartburn. But the relief they offer is temporary.

The truth is, most people suffering from heartburn aren’t producing too much acid. Actually, even a small amount of acid in the wrong place (such as the esophagus) can cause symptoms and, ultimately, tissue damage. And, as surprising as it sounds, for many people with heartburn, the best treatment may actually be more acid, not less.

Over the years, Dr. Wright has found that when he actually measures stomach acid output under careful, research-verified conditions, the overwhelming majority of heartburn sufferers produce too little stomach acid — not too much. The symptoms they’re experiencing are due to a problem with the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). If the LES opens when it shouldn’t, acid (even if it’s only a small amount) can enter the lower esophagus and cause heartburn symptoms.

The first step Dr. Wright recommends to repair this problem is to have your stomach function tested. If the test results indicate low levels of stomach acid, you should consider working with a doctor skilled in natural medicine to supplement with either betaine hydrochloride-pepsin or glutamic-acid hydrochloride-pepsin before meals.

Of course, as Dr. Wright always cautions, treatment with hydrochloric acid can be dangerous and should only be used when testing indicates a need under the careful monitoring of a physician.

Keep in mind, though, that this treatment is completely natural, and, unlike Prilosec and its acid-blocking posse, it involves replacing something the body is missing without using synthetic chemicals the body is ill-equipped to handle.

Source:
“FDA confirms no heart risk from heartburn drugs,” HealthDay News (www.healthday.com), 12/10/07