Proton Pump Inhibitors Could Triple Your Risk Of A Stomach Bug

We’ve previously warned you about the dangers of heartburn drugs or proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), which so far have been linked to an increased risk of heart attacks, bone fractures, C.difficile infections, dementia and even cancer.

Now it turns out that proton pump inhibitors, like Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec, Pantoloc Control and Zanprol, can increase your risk of being struck down by campylobacter – the most common food poisoning bug.

Doing more harm than good

Around 60 million proton pump inhibitors are either prescribed or sold over the counter in England every year. Unlike popular indigestion drugs like Rennie tablets or Gaviscon, which neutralise excess stomach acid, proton pump inhibitors work on the cells that line the stomach to reduce the production of acid.

And while the mainstream still considers these drugs to be harmless, mounting evidence is beginning to prove the opposite.

For instance, a recent study also found that those taking PPIs on a regular basis were almost 20 per cent more likely to suffer a heart attack. And the latest study, which involved 500,000 patients, found a significant rise in food poisoning cases among those taking the drugs.

Apart from the risk of contracting campylobacter, the researchers also found that patients’ risk of the most common strain of E.coli was more than three times higher than that of the general population. The same risk was found for salmonella, which can be present in poultry, eggs and milk, and for shigella, a type of food poisoning bug associated with salad. However, the highest danger was for campylobacter, which is usually found on raw or undercooked poultry.

Commenting on the study in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, lead researcher Professor Li Wei, from University College London, said: “The reason for the apparent rise in food poisoning risk may be that when you metabolise these pills, the bacteria in your gut may be changed. You may have an increased susceptibility to infection because your stomach acid acts as a barrier. All these bacteria have to be balanced between good and bad bacteria in a certain way to keep people healthy.”

Fortunately, you can avoid all the risks associated with proton pump inhibitors by following a much simpler and natural solution to control heartburn and acid reflux.

World-renowned alternative health expert Dr. Alan Spreen has used an effective natural therapy for years to treat his patients who suffer with heartburn, acid reflux and indigestion. “Ridiculously simple and cheap” is how he describes a protocol that consists primarily of acidophilus and digestive enzymes.

Dr. Spreen explains: “Acidophilus supplements (powder form, the liquid tastes awful) protect the oesophagus without killing acid (while killing the pain almost immediately). The hassle is, you have to keep it handy and take it often if you don’t solve the whole problem, which involves tightening the gastro oesophageal sphincter.

“That can be done using the English herbs (Potter’s Acidosis) or by improving the environment of the stomach, which then tightens the junction on its own but requires a bit more effort.”

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Disclaimer: Bear in mind the material contained in this article is provided for information purposes only. We are not addressing anyone’s personal situation. Please consult with your own physician before acting on any recommendations contained herein.

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Sources:

Heartburn pills taken by millions ‘can increase risk of cancer and heart disease’ published online 23.07.12, dailymail.co.uk

Indigestion pills taken by millions of Britons could triple stomach bug risk by reducing acid that help fight off the bacteria, published online 05.01.17, dailymail.co.uk/