Side Effects of Antacids and Acid Blockers

To understand the side effects of antacids and acid blocking drugs it is useful to examine why they exist, how they work and what they do to the gastric system. Antacids are basically alkaline substances in pill form that directly neutralize the acid in the stomach but do not necessarily affect the secretion of new acid, whereas acid blocking medication such as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) work by suppressing the body's natural secretion of gastric juice into the stomach. The importance of stomach acid in the digestive process has been described elsewhere. While suppression of stomach acid does temporarily reduce pain and esophageal inflammation it does little to address the underlying root cause of reflux. Most antacids include a disclaimer on their packaging that consumers should not use them for longer than 14 days while acid blocking medicines are to be discontinued after at most 8 weeks. There is a good reason for this.

When stomach acid is removed either by neutralizing it or by blocking it's production, the body experiences a gradual health decline due to malabsorption of nutrients. For instance, low stomach acid impairs the body's ability to absorb calcium and can lead to rickets (a softening of the bones). In one study acid blockers were linked to a 160% increase in osteoporosis related hip fractures in the elderly. Malabsorption of vitamin B₁₂ (cobalamin) has also been linked to impaired nerve and brain function. Other nutrients that are malabsorbed due to low stomach acid levels include: iron, magnesium, selenium, zinc, folic acid, vitamins A, thiamin (B₁), riboflavin (B₆), riboflavin (B₆), and E.

Almost all pharmaceutical drugs operate like low grade poisons by interrupting or altering the natural chemical processes of the body. In the case of acid blockers this is achieved either directly or indirectly by interfering with the factory (parietal cells) which produce the stomach's vital gastric juices. These artificial chemicals can inadvertently have effects which go beyond digestion however, altering chemical processes in the body that regulate neurological or immune function for instance.

For people taking other medications the chance of drug interactions increases were one drug alters or amplifies the effects of another.

Long-term use often leads the body to compensate by producing more of the hormone "gastrin". This hormone signals the stomach to increase acid production acid. Excessive levels of gastrin have been linked to the growth of esophageal, pancreatic, and gastric cancer cells.

Most dangerous of all is the weakening of the natural anti-microbial action of stomach acid which normally kills most bacteria and fungi as soon as they enter the gut. When this natural defense mechanism is compromised bacterial and fungal colonies can flourish. Low stomach acid levels have been linked to candida overgrowth and bacterial infections in severe cases leading to health problems such as gastritis, ulcers, stomach cancer or even heart failure.

Another risk is that antacid drugs can facilitate a common food borne illness including salmonella infection. Acid lowering drugs significantly increase the risk of food poisoning. About 3% of food poisonings are potentially life threatening and require hospitalization. Those most at risk are the pregnant, children, the elderly and the immune-compromised or immune-suppressed.

Side Effects of Antacids

Common US brands of over the counter antacids include: Pepto-Bismol, Milk of Magnesia, Rolaids, Tums, Alka-Seltzer, Mylanta, Rolaids, Maalox, and Gaviscon. Natural antacids may also be present in your grocery cart in items such as sodium bicarbonate (baking soda).

Calcium Based Antacids

Excessive calcium levels from prolonged use of calcium-carbonate based antacids have been linked to renal failure, alkalosis, hypercalcemia and milk-alkali syndrome, which has serious toxicity and can be fatal¹. Compounds containing calcium may also increase calcium output in the urine. A condition that has been linked with kidney stones². When calcium based antacids were first introduced they were marketed with a curious side benefit, namely that they supplemented the bodies calcium supply. This turned out to be false because the body needs stomach acid to absorb calcium in the first place and the form in which calcium is delivered is not food based and thus is very difficult to absorb as a nutrient. The manufacturers have since removed these claims. In fact acid reducing drugs have been linked in several studies to hip fractures and other osteoporosis related injuries, particularly in the elderly.

Here is a list of the published side-effects of antacids containing calcium:

Constipation (severe and continuing) Difficult or painful urination Frequent urge to urinate Headache (continuing) Loss of appetite (continuing) Mood or mental changes

Muscle pain or twitching Nausea or vomiting Nervousness or restlessness Slow breathing Unpleasant taste Unusual tiredness or weakness

Magnesium Based Antacids

Some brands of antacids use magnesium instead of calcium with the generic names magnesium carbonate or magnesium hydroxide. Published side effects include:

Difficult or painful urination (with magnesium trisilicate) Dizziness or lightheadedness Feeling of discomfort (continuing) Irregular heartbeat Loss of appetite

Mood or mental changes Muscle weakness Unusual tiredness or weakness Weight loss

Sodium Bicarbonate Based Antacids

Some brands of antacids use sodium bicarbonate. The published side effects are:

Frequent urge to urinate Headache (continuing) Loss of appetite (continuing) Muscle pain or twitching Nausea or vomiting Nervousness or restlessness Slow breathing Swelling of feet or lower legs

Unpleasant taste Unusual tiredness or weakness Chalky taste Constipation (mild) Diarrhea or laxative effect Increased thirst Speckling or whitish discoloration of stools Stomach cramps

Aluminum Based Antacids

Some brands of antacids use aluminum in the form of aluminum hydroxide. The published side effects are:

Bone pain Constipation (severe and continuing) Feeling of discomfort (continuing) Loss of appetite (continuing)

Mood or mental changes Muscle weakness Swelling of wrists or ankles Weight loss (unusual)

Side Effects of Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI)

Proton Pump inhibitors block the H+/K+ ATPase enzyme reaction (or proton pump) in the final phase of acid secretion by the parietal cells. PPIs are the most potent of all acid blockers on the market. In the US this class drugs includes; Prilosec, Prevacid, Aciphex and Nexium or generically Omeprazole. The published side effects include:

Anxiety Diarrhea Skin rash or itching Abdominal or stomach pain Increased or decreased appetite Joint pain Nausea Vomiting

Cold or flu-like symptoms Constipation Increased cough Mental depression Muscle pain Rectal bleeding Unusual bleeding or bruising

Incidence unknown:

Abdominal tenderness Back, leg or stomach pains Bleeding gums Blistering, peeling, loosening of skin Bloating Bloody, black, or tarry stools Change in mental status Chest pain Chills Clay colored stools Constipation Cough or hoarseness Dark or bloody urine Difficulty swallowing Fast heartbeat Fatigue Fever General body swelling High fever Hives Indigestion Loss of appetite Lower back or side pain Nosebleeds Painful or difficult urination

Pains in stomach, side or abdomen, possibly radiating to the back Pale skin Puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips or tongue Red irritated eyes Pinpoint red spots on skin Red skin lesions, often with a purple center Seizures Shortness of breath Sore throat Sores, ulcers or white spots on lips or in mouth Swelling of feet or lower legs Swollen or painful glands Tightness in chest Unusual tiredness or weakness Wheezing Yellowing of the eyes or skin Dizziness Headache Bleeding, blistering, burning, coldness, discoloration of skin Feeling of pressure, hives, infection, inflammation, itching, lumps, numbness, pain, rash, redness, scarring, soreness, stinging, swelling, tenderness, tingling, ulceration, or warmth at injection site Mild nausea

Rare:

Acid or sour stomach Bad, unusual or unpleasant (after)taste Belching Burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles", or tingling feelings Change in taste Feeling faint, dizzy, or light-headedness Feeling of heat or warmth Flushing or redness of skin, especially on face and neck Heartburn Indigestion

Mild diarrhea Mild headache Mild vomiting Stomach discomfort, upset or pain Sweating Incidence not known Difficulty in speaking Decrease in frequency of urination Decrease in urine volume Decrease in passing urine [dribbling]

Side Effects of H₂ Antagonists

H₂ antagonists (aka. H₂ receptor antagonists) operate by blocking chemical pathways that allow histamine to trigger the parietal cells to initiate stomach acid production. In the US, these drugs have been largely superceded by the PPI class of drugs which are more effective at blocking acid secretion. This drug class includes US brands such as: Axid, Pepcid, Tagamet, and Zantac. Their generic equivalents are: Cimetidine, Famotidine and Ranitidine. The published side effects of H₂ antagonists include:

Constipation Decrease in sexual desire Decreased sexual ability (especially in patients with Zollinger-Ellison disease who have received high doses of cimetidine for at least 1 year) Diarrhea Difficult urination Dizziness Drowsiness Dryness of mouth or skin

Headache Increased or decreased urination Increased sweating Loss of hair Ringing or buzzing in ears Runny nose Swelling of breasts or breast soreness in females and males Trouble in sleeping

Rarely:

Abdominal pain Back, leg, or stomach pain Bleeding or crusting sores on lips Blistering, burning, redness, scaling, or tenderness of skin Blisters on palms of hands and soles of feet Changes in vision or blurred vision Confusion Coughing or difficulty in swallowing Dark-colored urine Dizziness Fainting Fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat Fever and/or chills Flu-like symptoms General feeling of discomfort or illness Hives Inflammation of blood vessels Joint pain Light-colored stools Mood or mental changes, including anxiety, agitation, confusion, hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there), mental depression, nervousness, or severe mental illness

Muscle cramps or aches Nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite Pain Peeling or sloughing of skin Red or irritated eyes Shortness of breath Skin rash or itching Slow heartbeat Sore throat Sores, ulcers, or white spots on lips, in mouth, or on genitals Sudden difficult breathing Swelling of face, lips, mouth, tongue, or eyelids Swelling of hands or feet Swollen or painful glands Tightness in chest Troubled breathing Unusual bleeding or bruising Unusual tiredness or weakness Unusually slow or irregular breathing Wheezing Yellow eyes or skin

Educate, Don't Medicate

The digestive system is at the very core of our well-being. Every part of the body is affected by what we eat and how the digestive system absorbs the nutrients from our foods. Every year, millions of unsuspecting consumers start a regimen of acid blocking drugs and antacids that suppress symptoms but do nothing to treat the underlying causes of disease. For most this will become a lifelong habit with a high cost; not only in monetary terms, but also through the long list of side effects and gradually declining overall health.

Thankfully, there is an alternative. The Reflux Defense System Guide is based on proven natural solutions that are customized to your individual dietary habits, physical condition and lifestyle. The guide is the most comprehensive resource to treat reflux, cure GERD and improve digestive health available on the web or anywhere. No other resource can offer the breadth and depth of proven drug-free solutions.

References

1. Gabriely, I.; Leu, J. P.; Barzel, U. S. (May 1, 2008). "Clinical problem-solving, back to basics". New England Journal of Medicine 358 (18): 1952–6. doi:10.1056/NEJMcps0706188. PMID 18450607.
2. Cooke, N.; Teitelbaum, Ss; Avioli, L. V. (1978). "Antacid-induced osteomalacia and nephrolithiasis". Archives of Internal Medicine 138 (6): 1007–9. doi:10.1001/archinte.138.6.1007. PMID 646554.

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