It’s a subject you’ve heard me talk about before, but considering new research it’s definitely worth repeating. A recent CBS news segment revealed that not one but five new studies showed that using acid-blocking drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) can be potentially dangerous to your health, and that “more than half of prescriptions for these drugs are unnecessary”. Folks, this is an eye-opener if there ever was one!

Every year more than 100 million Americans are prescribed PPIs to help relieve symptoms of heartburn and acid reflux, but what many people don’t know is that these drugs often come with some pretty serious side effects—including a nearly 75 percent greater risk of developing a severe intestinal infection known as C. diff, according to new evidence. Essentially, taking PPIs upsets the healthy bacterial balance in your intestines (which is where the majority of your natural immune defenses can be found), leaving your body vulnerable to illness and infection.

Widespread PPI use has also been linked to higher rates of pneumonia, as well as esophageal candidiasis (yeast overgrowth), inflammation of the stomach lining, increased permeability of upper GI tract lining, and even osteoporosis-related bone fractures due to the fact that PPIs block calcium absorption in the body. Because long-term PPI use also leads to hypochlorhydria (low stomach acid secretion), bacterial overgrowth and acetaldehyde production, PPI users have an increased risk of developing gastric cancer. 

The good news? There are simple things we can do every day to help prevent heartburn and acid reflux without relying on harmful drugs. Diet changes like limiting our intake of caffeine, alcohol, chocolate and fatty or spicy foods can make a big difference, along with maintaining a healthy body weight, getting plenty of exercise and quitting smoking—all pretty good advice if you ask me! Natural supplements made with ingredients such as ellagic acid (from raspberries and pomegranates) can also provide soothing relief for occasional heartburn, and digestive enzymes with added HCl can help ensure complete digestion and reduce the chances of heartburn and acid reflux happening in the first place.

The bottom line is this: why take a potentially dangerous drug when smarter, safer alternatives exist? My hope is that the more people learn about PPIs and their side effects—including why they may not even need them in the first place—the more people will take steps to improve their digestive health naturally.

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I came across an interesting article recently in the Journal of Gastroenterology.  The title caught my eye – “Gut Microbes: From Bugs to Drugs”.  I have to share with you a few comments from this article. 

Now, this is a mainstream gastroenterology journal.  The article covers some ideas about how probiotics, or pharmabiotics (the term they use that includes probiotic microorganisns, both alive and dead, components of these organisms and break-down products, or metabolites, of these organisms) may be useful for the pharmaceutical industry . 

Well, duh!  I see the mainstream medical community having these “aha! moments” all the time, but it’s always about things that the natural health community has known for years, heck, decades! 

But, it does bring awareness to more people about the importance of natural health.  I just cringe to think how Big Pharma might manipulate good medicine in the name of money, though. 

Here are some good quotes from the article:

“In addition, “big-pharma” now struggles with the realization that the era of the blockbuster, one-size-fits-all drug may be eclipsed by a more personalized approach to therapeutics.”

“Furthermore, large fortunes have been expended by the pharmaceutical industry developing synthetic drugs; yet, many of the most versatile and useful drugs have been derived from living material in the wider environment.”

“Perhaps the inner world of the gut microbiota may offer a new frontier, a more natural and accessible opportunity for novel drug discovery.”

“The future of drug discovery in gastroenterology is likely to reside in the lumen [inside the GI tract]!”

 Interesting read.

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bugs, community, drugs, environment, Gastroenterology, GI tract, gut, Health, industry, journal, mainstream, metabolites, microbes, microbiota, microorganisms, natural, organisms, pharmabiotics, pharmaceutical, Probiotics, synthetic