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ANTACIDS
AND YOUR LUNGS
Antacids,
such as Prilosec and Nexium, taken to
suppress stomach acid and control
heartburn and acid reflux, are among the
bestselling medicines in the US.
However, a recent Dutch study questions
the safety of these drugs, suggesting
that they may raise the risk for
pneumonia. Although the risk is small,
so many people take them that a large
number might be affected. Link:
Stomach acid not only plays a valuable
role in the digestive process, it also
kills bacteria and viruses such as those
that cause pneumonia and influenza.
According
to Daily Health News
contributing editor Andrew L. Rubman,
ND, one also has to ask: Do
acid-suppressing drugs similarly cause
increased vulnerability to the flu? In
his view, there is no such thing as
"excess stomach acid." Dr.
Rubman believes that there are safer
ways to control heartburn and reflux,
and suppressing stomach acid is not the
answer.
ABOUT
THE STUDY
Researchers
in the Netherlands examined the medical
records of 364,683 individuals, in whom
5,551 cases of pneumonia were diagnosed.
They found that those who used proton
pump inhibitors, or PPIs (such as
Prilosec, Nexium and Prevacid), were
almost twice as likely to risk
developing pneumonia than former users.
These drugs work by blocking the
chemical pump necessary for stomach
cells to make acid. People who took
another class of acid-suppressing drugs
known as H2 receptor antagonists
(including Tagamet, Pepcid and Zantac)
also faced a higher risk, although to a
lesser degree.
Older
people and those with chronic lung
conditions were especially vulnerable,
and researchers recommended that these
groups use acid-suppressing drugs only
when necessary and at the lowest
possible dose.
WHAT
YOU CAN DO
According
to Dr. Rubman, using antacids on a
short-term basis for two to three weeks
is fine for stomach ulcers or acute
gastritis. However, on a day-to-day
basis he advises that you instead follow
a natural approach to efficient
digestion...
- Eat slowly
and take more time to chew your food
thoroughly.
- Do not drink
fluids with meals. In the absence of
fluid, saliva becomes more
concentrated and contributes to more
efficient digestion of food.
- Do not lie
down immediately after meals --
wait at least an hour.
- Do not eat
late at night.
- Identify and
avoid the foods that contribute to
your heartburn. Common offenders
include fried foods, fatty foods,
spicy dishes, coffee, alcohol and
chocolate.
- Stop smoking.
- If you are
overweight, make an effort to shed
pounds.
If
despite following these measures you
experience heartburn and reflux, Dr.
Rubman recommends that you see a
naturopathic physician. He/she can
prescribe a digestive enzyme to take
with meals, which will calm your stomach
without suppressing beneficial,
germ-fighting stomach acid. As for the
risk of pneumonia -- the
healthier your entire body, the better
able you will be to fight it.
Contact Information
Jerry Cahill
Digestive Enzyme Distributor
16235 49th Ave S
Seattle, WA 98188
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