When visiting the doctor, it's quite common to hear them recommend medications for all kinds of illnesses. For acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), the standard treatment is a type of drug called proton pump inhibitors.

Proton pump inhibitors like Nexium, Pariet, Losec, Somac, and Zoton block stomach acid production, reducing inflammation and healing ulcers caused by acid.

But what if taking these medications for too long could increase your chance of developing dementia?

​

A study was published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, which investigated the connection between taking proton pump inhibitors and the risk of dementia.

The study recruited 5,712 people who didn't have dementia, aged 45 and above, with an average age of 75.

The team divided the participants into different groups based on how long they took the medications for and calculated the number of individuals and how long they were in the study (‘person-years’).

What are the potential risks of taking acid reflux medication long-term? Credit: Shutterstock

In the medication-free group, 19 cases of dementia per 1,000 person-years were reported.

As for those who took the drugs for more than 4.4 years, the rate of dementia was 24 cases per 1,000 person-years.

After adjusting the data for demographic and health-related factors, the researchers were able to show that those taking proton pump inhibitors had a 33% higher risk of dementia than those who didn't take the medications.

Research shows a connection between acid reflux medication and an increased risk of dementia. Credit: Shutterstock

So how worrisome is this news?

It's important to note that this study did not prove that proton pump inhibitors cause dementia.

Aside from the fact that there are many other factors that contribute to the condition, the study had some limitations, such as determining the participants’ proton pump inhibitor intake through annual check-ins and not knowing whether they took other drugs as well.

The study author, Kamakshi Lakshminarayan, MBBS, PhD, concluded: ‘More research is needed to confirm our findings and explore reasons for the possible link between long-term proton pump inhibitor use and a higher risk of dementia.’

​

Still, if you're currently taking these medications, it's a good idea to speak to your doctor about your risk of dementia.

Moreover, it would be useful to consider other approaches to treat acid reflux, so you can make an informed decision on which option is best for you.

‘While there are various ways to treat acid reflux, such as taking antacids, maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding late meals and certain foods, different approaches may not work for everyone,’ Lakshminarayan adds.

He concluded, ‘It is important that people taking these medications speak with their doctor before making any changes, to discuss the best treatment for them, and because stopping these drugs abruptly may result in worse symptoms.’

Key Takeaways

• Proton pump inhibitors, used for treating acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), may increase dementia risk when taken for more than 4.5 years.
• The study was published in Neurology, and involved 5,712 participants who did not have dementia, with those taking the medication for more than 4.4 years showing a higher rate of dementia.
• Despite the findings, limitations of the study included the determination of participants’ proton pump inhibitor intake through annual check-ins and lack of knowledge on whether participants took other over-the-counter antacids or reflux medications.
• Alternatives to acid reflux medications include lifestyle changes and natural remedies, however, before stopping proton pump inhibitors or taking any alternative acid reducers, patients are advised to talk with a healthcare provider.

Whatever you choose, we hope you find relief from acid reflux soon!

What are your thoughts on this research? Do you have any go-to advice on how to relieve acid reflux? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

 

[pauline howell]

Most of today's medicine makes you very sick you might notice on the television now that often a vaccine for shingles this was only usually experienced By people that had had chickenpox when they were young I was using melatonin to help me sleep I had shingles I got over that I went on melatonin again I got shingles the chemists gave me a paper saying side effects one of the side effects of taking melatonin to help you sleep is shingles that was off the chemist. I've got a whole page full of chemist treatments like this, ask your chemist for the paperwork on the drugs you're taken the latest one with me I feel it's finished me after 50 years of being on one drug for my thyroid suddenly it was changed she showed me it was just the same for the first time ever I didn't check on the contents with the chemist I was behaving rather strangely but I put it down to PTSD then
I had a letter of my doctor email to come to the doctors immediately urgent she took a blood test come back the following week she told me that the drug had been taken for my thyroid was affecting my brain in fact the pituitary gland closed down??????then I read the contents and it had lactose in it I'm had your highly allergic to this had been bent double in pain for two years my doctor knew this she pretty much said it was a hypochondriac being double in pain is what happens if I drink a spoonful of milk
This is pretty serious stuff but it doesn't surprise me,,,,, half the world on chemotherapy yet we all know you die from it my daughter did, I didn't I had a tumor in my neck which they suspected to be cancerous after MRIS I never went back to the hospital I treated it with a local scientist /chemist and myself am a qualified Dietitian
I went back nine months later after numerous letters to my doctor telling her to send me to an oncologist according to the MRI findings the matter seemed to have resolved itself ,the tumor was still there but the cancer wasn't oh by the way,chemotherapy was first worked on by the doctor of death Mengler in Auschwitz concentration camp, the first large Drug Company was given a Swiss name but it was based on all of his work, I'm old 78 and very sick otherwise I would start fighting these big time doctors should know what they're giving you they know what the makers say it's supposed to do but they never study the side effects. I would like to know if there's a group on the internet that exposes this sort of stuff years ago I would have done it myself but I'm pretty sick I've got a pacemaker fitted what's fallen gone right down the side of my body and they're not doing anything about it, so good luck to everyone
if anyone wants to pass the torch talk to melove and light Pauline

 

[pauline howell]

When visiting the doctor, it's quite common to hear them recommend medications for all kinds of illnesses. For acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), the standard treatment is a type of drug called proton pump inhibitors.

Proton pump inhibitors like Nexium, Pariet, Losec, Somac, and Zoton block stomach acid production, reducing inflammation and healing ulcers caused by acid.

But what if taking these medications for too long could increase your chance of developing dementia?

​

A study was published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, which investigated the connection between taking proton pump inhibitors and the risk of dementia.

The study recruited 5,712 people who didn't have dementia, aged 45 and above, with an average age of 75.

The team divided the participants into different groups based on how long they took the medications for and calculated the number of individuals and how long they were in the study (‘person-years’).

View attachment 30197

What are the potential risks of taking acid reflux medication long-term? Credit: Shutterstock

In the medication-free group, 19 cases of dementia per 1,000 person-years were reported.

As for those who took the drugs for more than 4.4 years, the rate of dementia was 24 cases per 1,000 person-years.

After adjusting the data for demographic and health-related factors, the researchers were able to show that those taking proton pump inhibitors had a 33% higher risk of dementia than those who didn't take the medications.

View attachment 30198

Research shows a connection between acid reflux medication and an increased risk of dementia. Credit: Shutterstock

So how worrisome is this news?

It's important to note that this study did not prove that proton pump inhibitors cause dementia.

Aside from the fact that there are many other factors that contribute to the condition, the study had some limitations, such as determining the participants’ proton pump inhibitor intake through annual check-ins and not knowing whether they took other drugs as well.

The study author, Kamakshi Lakshminarayan, MBBS, PhD, concluded: ‘More research is needed to confirm our findings and explore reasons for the possible link between long-term proton pump inhibitor use and a higher risk of dementia.’

​

Still, if you're currently taking these medications, it's a good idea to speak to your doctor about your risk of dementia.

Moreover, it would be useful to consider other approaches to treat acid reflux, so you can make an informed decision on which option is best for you.

‘While there are various ways to treat acid reflux, such as taking antacids, maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding late meals and certain foods, different approaches may not work for everyone,’ Lakshminarayan adds.

He concluded, ‘It is important that people taking these medications speak with their doctor before making any changes, to discuss the best treatment for them, and because stopping these drugs abruptly may result in worse symptoms.’

Key Takeaways

• Proton pump inhibitors, used for treating acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), may increase dementia risk when taken for more than 4.5 years.
• The study was published in Neurology, and involved 5,712 participants who did not have dementia, with those taking the medication for more than 4.4 years showing a higher rate of dementia.
• Despite the findings, limitations of the study included the determination of participants’ proton pump inhibitor intake through annual check-ins and lack of knowledge on whether participants took other over-the-counter antacids or reflux medications.
• Alternatives to acid reflux medications include lifestyle changes and natural remedies, however, before stopping proton pump inhibitors or taking any alternative acid reducers, patients are advised to talk with a healthcare provider.

Whatever you choose, we hope you find relief from acid reflux soon!

What are your thoughts on this research? Do you have any go-to advice on how to relieve acid reflux? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Acid reflux can be caused by a number of things this is a simple remedy, buy from the chemist pH balance tester what you can try first thing in the morning do a pH balance on your on your urine if it's not on 7 take half a cup of pure lemon juice with a quarter teaspoon full of bicarbonate soda you can add honey to this and hot water drink that every morning and see the pH goes towards seven this is an important marker for you. you can buy the in the chemist just tell them he wanted the pH for your urine haven't . it's a very cheap way of assessing your body example if your blood is too acidic you can basically catch every Cancer if it is too alkaline there's only one or two cancers that can live in that environment so for that alone you might want to check this out, continue to take the lemon drink every day until it reaches seven after that you can do it once or twice a week if it starts to move go back to drinking it every day it costs very little and it could change your life good luck love and light Pauline

 

[pauline howell]

have you seen the adverts on the television a vaccine against shingles this is how the big drug companies work first they give you the illness then they sell you something to help you get rid of it

 

[DrivingGirl]

None of us trust pharmaceutical companies it seems- that’s a good thing!
Acid reflux can be controlled by eating less acid creating foods and more alkaline ones.
Lots of green leafy veg - drop wheat altogether and only eat pasture raised meat occasionally - no sugar.
Lots of berries and nuts
No dementia/ no acid reflux
Worth a try. . .