Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI) with trade names such as
Omeprazole, Pantoprazole, etc. are one of the top 5 most prescribed medicines
in New Zealand . If you have complained of stomach acid reflux
or pain in the gut, as a result of peptic ulcer, gastritis or indigestion, this
drug has been prescribed for you by your doctor.
It does symptom relief for most people and is usually
classified as effective, or is it? What
PPIs do is inhibit acidity in the stomach. However, our stomachs need to be in an acidic
state or else digestion will be hampered.
The compromised digestive process from reduced acidity as a result of
using PPIs will create gas and bloating, causing pain in the gut or on some
cases excessive belching. So, the
solution is not to reduce the acidity in the stomach by using PPIs, but to restore
it together with enzymes and bile secretion, so that food gets digested
properly and in time. This reduces the
side effects of delayed gastric emptying.
When food starts to rot in the stomach, it creates lactic acid, from
fermentation of food, which can give an acidy feeling, however, this is not
hydrochloric acid, which is the resident acid used for digestion in the stomach.
Because you have a reflux, your reflux may not be solely due
to your stomach being overly acidic. Food sensitivities, either intolerances or
allergies can also be a cause for your reflux.
Meal size and food combination can have an impact on the acidity
in the stomach after a meal. If you are
eating too much in one meal or not chewing your food thoroughly enough, you can
cause reflux and gut pain after the meal.
If you have poor digestive function, combining many different foods,
especially processed foods high in food flavours, enhancers, salt, sugar and
rancid fats can cause acidity in the stomach.
Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with common names such
as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen that are commonly used for pain relief can
also be the cause of your peptic ulcer, irritated gut or pain in the gut. If you are using a Proton Pump Inhibitor to
overcome the side effects of using a non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, your
treatment principle is wrong! You are
doing symptom control by using another symptom control drug to overcome the
side effect of another drug!
Cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption are very common
causes of pain in the gut. Your body
does not need cigarette smoke and your liver can only metabolise 7-14g of
alcohol an hour!
That is why PPIs given indiscriminately without identifying
the source of the problem can create many undesirable side effects. The right way to treat any pain in the gut is
to identify the root cause of the problem, and heal the gut. Masking symptoms can be worse and common side
effects of PPIs include food allergies, nausea, headaches, creating a vitamin
B12 deficiency, increased homocysteine, increased risk of bone fracture,
fatigue and long term nutrient deficiency.
Many of my clinic patients who present with many health problems like
food allergies, nausea, fatigue and compromised immunity have often been on
PPIs or some other medication for years.
