PPI's CAUSE OSTEOPOROSIS!!!???
Those who have been guests at my Family Health and Wellness Program (FH&WP) you heard me outline how the digestive process works and why individuals end up with GERD (gastro-esophageal reflux). The cause of this condition may seem counter intuitive to many. You see it often is due to hypoacidity (too little acid) being produced in the stomach, as opposed to hyperacidity (too much stomach acid). There is a lot more to this explanation than I can outline in this article. If you would like to learn more about this you can email us to attend our next FH&WP webinar.
In the meantime, I would like to emphasize that the class of drugs developed to treat the symptoms of GERD are called Proton Pump Inhibitors, or PPI's. You may know these drugs by their trade names, such as:
omeprazole (Prilosec, Prilosec OTC, Zegerid)
lansoprazole (Prevacid)
pantoprazole (Protonix)
rabeprazole (Aciphex)
esomeprazole (Nexium)
dexlansoprazole (Dexilant)
PPI's were developed and released on the market to be used for a short duration of time until the "esophageal burn" healed and then withdrawn from the patient. Unfortunately, that has not been the case. As a matter of fact, years ago the makers decided that they would make these drugs more accessable by making an over the counter version. These are still the same compounds, but just at a lower dose.
In my FH&WP talk on this subject I reference a study done several years ago in which the researchers were seeking a cause for the accelerated rate of hip fracture cases in geriatric males. This condition usually occurred in geriatric females due to hormonal changes which caused the onset of osteoporosis, and subsequent hip fractures. But this had been uncommon in males of the same age.
The findings of this study are concurrent with the findings of a study that was recently published in JAMA Pediatrics. However, this recent study sought to determine if the relatively recent use of PPI's to treat infants and children was causing an increased incidence of fractures of all types in children. The answer that they came up with was a resounding YES. In fact, the use of these drugs does increase the likelihood that a child will experience a much higher rate of fractures. The authors conclusions included this statement: "Risk of fracture should be taken into account when weighing the benefits and risks of PPI treatment in children."
The reason for this in both groups of PPI users, and probably by extrapolation in all who use these drugs is the reduction in calcium absorption and the subsequent reduced deposition of calcium in the bones.
I will keep you in suspense as to the cause of this reduction in the absorption of calcium in those using these drugs until you join us at our next FH&WP.
Without sounding self-promoting, I must say that these drugs may not be the best way for you to be treating your GERD symptoms. There are many other methods in our Functional Nutrition toolbox that can be applied to correct the cause of these symptoms. Not just cover them up indefinitely by using these drugs which carry with them oftentimes unseen side effects.
To be clear I certainly am not recommending that you should discontinue these or any other prescribed drugs that you are taking. However, if you would like to explore alternatives to this form of pharmaceutical treatment for symptoms of GERD, or other conditions feel free to contact us here at the Center for Nutrition and Wellness or call 215-679-WELL (9355) to schedule a consultation. In that way we can determine if you could benefit from lifestyle changes, and nutritional support and guidance.
Oh, and we are performing these consultations remotely, so you can have nutritional work done from anywhere.
We look forward to helping you!
Dr. Pfeiffer