The common heartburn drugs known as proton pump inhibitors (like Nexium, Somac, Losec or one of over 30 available) have been linked to a range of medical conditions: bone fractures, kidney problems, muscle loss, nutrients deficiency, infections and more. Now a large new study has found that they are associated with an increased risk for dementia as well.
Proton pump inhibitors, or P.P.I.s, are widely available both by prescription and over the counter under various brand names, including Prevacid, Prilosec and Nexium.
German researchers, using a database of drug prescriptions, studied P.P.I. use in 73,679 men and women older than 75 who were free of dementia at the start of the study. Over an average follow-up period of more than five years, about 29,000 developed Alzheimers disease or other dementias. The study is in JAMA Neurology.
After taking into the consideration age, sex, depression, diabetes, stroke, heart disease and the use of other medicines, they found that regular use of P.P.I.s increased the risk for dementia in men by 52 percent and in women by 42 percent, compared with nonusers. That is scary.
Our study does not prove that P.P.I.s cause dementia, said the senior author, Britta Haenisch of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases. It can only provide a statistical association. This is just a small part of the puzzle.
Clinicians, pharmacists and patients have to weigh the benefits against the potential side effects, she continued, and future studies will help to better inform these decisions.
Considering that PPI’s impair absorption of nutrients including B12, Folate and antioxidants, I believe that there is more to than statistical association considering that dementia has developed only over a period of five years.
if you would like to find out how heartburn can be treated naturally, please contact Danuta Hulajko on 02 9541 2428
Danuta Hulajko is a holistic practitioner, international speaker, founder of the DH Natural Medicine Clinic and www.healingremedies.com.au , Sydney. She specialises in anti-aging, autoimmunity, thyroid conditions, digestive disorders and heavy metals chelation. For more information please go to our website. You can follow Danuta Hulajko work, events, seminars, expos, latest health research, her health tips and advice on Facebook and LinkedIn