Heartburn: More Serious Than you May Think

Your body is an amazing machine. It has the ability to change the chicken you just ate into liver cells, heart cells, muscle cells, etc. This action is completed by your amazing digestive system. Your entire body lives and dies by how well you are able to break down and utilize what you eat. If this is affected in any way, you could be looking at a long history of health-related problems.

In my many years of practice, I have seen many people suffering from digestive problems, the most common being heartburn. According to a new analysis in the journal, Gastroenterology, acid reflux is the most common gastrointestinal (GI) diagnosis for doctor's visits, outside of the hospital—representing almost 9 million such visits in 2009. Since being introduced in the late 1980s, a class of drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) has become the most common medication used to suppress stomach acid production in people with reflux. This class of drugs accounts for an estimated $11 billion in U.S. retail sales.

In my opinion, these drugs are being over-prescribed. Indeed, patients who start on a PPI (proton pump inhibitors) tend to stay on it for years, and it's not uncommon for people to be on it for life. Be aware that this can have a more serious affect on your health than you may think. Given how prevalent PPI usage is and how long people tend to stay on these medications, it's important to be aware of the potential nutrition problems they cause for long-term PPI use.

Understand why you have the heartburn in the first place.  Heartburn is often thought of as a small problem. Take a Tums or some heartburn medication and “BAM,” heartburn goes away. Is this truly addressing the cause of the heartburn?

Oftentimes, people believe that producing too much acid causes heartburn. In fact, it is usually the exact opposite. Not producing enough acid in the stomach can very well cause the heartburn and other related problems, such as bloating and indigestion. Here’s why: the use of antibiotics, NSAID’s and corticosteroids, to name a few—can affect stomach acid production, and how well you digest your food. 

Without healthy acid production, the food you eat does not get broken down properly. This causes undigested food to remain in the stomach and putrefy. As a result, organic acids are produced and released upward toward the esophagus, hence the heartburn. If you take an anti-acid to put out the fire, you actually cause the problem to worsen, as you continue to reduce stomach acid levels. You may get rid of the burning and bloating feeling, but you are only masking the problem, which can lead to a more serious problem. 

There are natural ways to support healthy digestion that your doctor may not be telling you. You should also be aware of the potential problems—digestive and health-related problems—that heartburn medications can cause. I've listed a few below.

Bones. PPIs are believed to affect calcium metabolism and impair calcium absorption. These drugs have also been shown to impair the absorption of magnesium, another mineral important for bone mineralization. For women, this is a particularly troubling side effect, as it may increase the risk of osteoporosis as well as abnormally low bone mineral density.

Blood. The reduced stomach acidity that results from PPI use may interfere with absorption of multiple nutrients and result in deficiencies that can show up as anemia. Anemia is a condition in which the quantity of the body's red blood cells is diminished. A low red blood cell count means less oxygen is transported to the body's cells, resulting in symptoms ranging from fatigue and dizziness to an abnormal heart rate.  

Stomach acidity is essential to activate certain enzymes that are vital for healthy digestion. A less acidic stomach, however, prevents dietary vitamin B12 from being absorbed. The major long-term side effects of PPIs are vitamin B12 deficiency and, much more rarely, iron deficiency. The cells in the stomach that make acid also make a protein called intrinsic factor, which is necessary for the absorption of vitamin B12. PPIs block the release of intrinsic factor, and therefore, over years of use, can cause some patients to develop vitamin B12 deficiency.

Bowels. Over time, PPI use can contribute to some abnormal behavior, further south in the GI tract—the small and large intestines. There may be an increased risk of infection. Acids in the stomach are not only important in healthy digestion, but also in keeping harmful bacteria and unwanted pathogens out of your system. 

The acid in your stomach acts as a protective agent. Without it, you are more susceptible to infection, yeast and fungal problems, and parasite invasion. This can cause other symptoms such as IBS, Chrone’s, constipation and diarrhea. On a side note, those suffering from recurring infection and other immune-related problems need to consider the health of their digestive system. 

Diet and lifestyle play a major factor in heartburn and other digestive related conditions. Changes in diet and lifestyle can reduce the occurrence of acid reflux and help you become less dependent on PPI medications.   

Want to learn more? Tired of suffering and being dependent on medication?  Come join us at Panera Bread in Rocky River on July 22 at 7:15 p.m.—for a comprehensive look at the digestive system, and the natural solutions that are available to improve and support healthy digestion.