Chapter 36. Heartburn, GE Reflux (GERD), and Acid Blocker Drugs

Chapter 36. Heartburn, GE Reflux (GERD), and Acid Blocker Drugs

A July 2009 study of Acid Blocker Drugs shocked the medical community, reporting the drugs actually caused the symptoms they are supposed to treat.(1)  The study recruited normal healthy volunteers who had no symptoms.  These volunteers were then given Acid Blocker drugs for a few weeks, and then stopped the drug.  Upon stopping the Acid Blocker drug, more than 40% of the volunteers reported heartburn and acid regurgitation, symptoms they never had until after they stopped the Acid Blocker drug. (These drugs are Prolisec™, Nexium™ Aciphex™, Protonix™, and are also called PPI's for Proton Pump Inhibitors).  Dr. Christine Reimer the author, said her study revealed "unrecognized aspects of Acid Blocker - PPI drug withdrawal with acid rebound".   Above Left image: No Flame Schematic Diagram, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
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Windfall Profits from An Addictive Drug

With 5% of the population taking acid blocker PPI drugs, this represents a blockbuster profit for the drug companies.   Ask any street corner drug dealer, and they will tell you the best business is the addictive drug business, the clients always return for more.

PPI's Are As Safe As Placebo

Your doctor probably tells you acid blocker drugs are safe, with no adverse effects.   An article in a mainstream medical journal (AAFP) says," The frequency of adverse effects associated with PPIs is similar to that of placebo".  (50)This is not exactly true as you will see below.

Adverse Effects of PPI Acid Blocker Usage

The adverse effects of Acid Blocker Drugs are related to the profound reduction in gastric acid.  They really do their job well, reducing stomach acid to virtually nothing.   Most of the adverse effects of PPI's are related to the fact that stomach acid is needed for digestion and absorption of key nutrients such as vitamin B12, calcium, iron and the amino acids.  Long term use of PPI drugs is associated with increased risk for hip fracture (7), B12 deficiency (8), amino acid deficiency, and iron deficiency anemia.  One study showed reduced cognition from PPI's.(12)  Secondly, Gastric Acid serves as a defensive barrier to invading bacterial organisms and kills any ingested bacteria, before it can overwhelm the body's defenses.  With stomach acid turned off by the PPI drug, these bacteria are free to invade the GI tract and body.  This results in increased incidence of pneumonia, as well as Clostridia Difficile Entero-Colitis in patients on PPI's.(9-10)

PPI Drugs Cause Gastric Polyps, Paralysis of the Stomach and Gut Dysmotility

Dr A Breck McKay, in a letter to the British Medical Journal, said : “long term use of PPIs cause gastroparesis, delayed total gut dysmotility and bloating" .(14)

Patients suffer acute, explosive, exacerbation of their gastritis and reflux, on attempted cessation of the PPIs. While the PPI drugs block acid production, these drugs actually stimulate hormones like gastrin, cholecystokinin, and glucagon, which in turn stimulate growth of acid producing cells to massively increase and thus, are able to produce large quantities of acid, suddenly, when inhibition from the acid blocker PPI drug stops.(18)  Nonetheless, PPI drugs are handed out freely, like candy. Dr. Yeomans advised physicians not to "over-react" to concerns about the biological effects of inhibiting acid secretion with proton pump inhibitors. (19)

What Causes GE Reflux and Acid Heartburn?

The cause of reflux is well known. Firstly, there is a mechanical problem with the lower esophageal sphincter (valve) which allows gastric contents to go back up into the lower esophagus, causing irritation, damage and heartburn pain.  Turning off gastric acid with a blocker drug will relieve the symptoms, but does not address the underlying mechanical problems.

As a radiologist for 30 years, a large part of my job was taking pictures of GE reflux with barium X-rays.  I never saw reflux when the patient was standing up.  We were able to induce GE reflux before our eyes merely by placing the patient down in the supine position with the motorized table controls.  Now, with the patient in the supine position (lying down) turned back and forth on the table, we then see the reflux on the x-ray fluoroscopic screen, with the barium contrast spilling up from the stomach into the esophagus. 

Stay Standing Up or Sitting Up For Three Hours After a Meal.

Whenever I saw the GE reflux, I would then inform the patient they have reflux, and that it is important to stay standing up or sitting up for three hours after they eat a meal.  GE reflux cannot occur in the standing or sitting position.  After three hours, the stomach should be empty, so it should be safe sleep for the night.

Eradicate the Helicobacter Pylori

Secondly, there may be a co-existing bacterial infection in the stomach called H. Pylori.(41-42)  This may be detected with testing.   We routinely use the H Pylori breath test which is a sophisticated way to non-invasively make the diagnosis of H Pylori infection.(46)  Eradiction of the  H Pylori infection with antibiotics is an important step to ending the heartburn/reflux and getting off the PPI Merry Go Round. Thirdly, lifestyle and dietary modifications are essential to ending the heartburn.  Avoid spicy foods, eat smaller meals, do not lie down after meals, and stay standing or sitting up for three hours after a meal.

Mastic Gum - an Ancient Remedy - Kills H. Pylori

Mastic Gum is an old remedy used for centuries as a chewable gum effective against H Pylori. This is readily available at the health food store.  An excellent article on Gum Mastic by Karina L. Gordin appears in the October issue of the Townsend Letter.  She interviewed Dr Leo Galland who recommended Mastic Gum in capsule form (1000 mg twice a day) to a patient with gastritis.  Not only did the gastritis clear up, underlying ulcerative colitis also went into full remission. A 1998 landmark article in the New England Journal of Medicine on Mastic Gum, showing activity against H Pylori, is largely responsive for renewed interest in this old remedy. (58-62)

The H. Pylori Story, The Nobel Prize and The Eradication of Gastric Ulcers

The 2005 Nobel prize for Medicine was awarded to two Australian pathologists, Barry J. Marshall and J. Robin Warren for the recognition of H. Pylori infection as the causative agent in gastric and duodenal ulcers.(45)  With this great discovery, medical science could now cure gastric and duodenal ulcers by eradicating the H Pylori bacterial infection.  This is done with "Triple Therapy" consisting of two antibiotics and a PPI acid blocker drug.(42-44)  Once the ulcer is cured, treatment is discontinued.

Changes During My Radiology Career 

When I started out as at the beginning of my career as a radiologist in 1976, Gastric and Duodenal ulcers were quite common, and a large part of my job was using X-ray imaging to make the diagnosis, and I found many of these ulcers back in the old days using the barium Upper GI. This is no longer the case.  Triple therapy for H. Pylori has made gastric and duodenal ulcers ancient history, these are now quite rare, an ancient relic of the past, destined for the medical museum.

For more information on the importance of stomach acid, see the book by Jonathan Wright, “Why Stomach Acid is Good for You: Natural Relief from Heartburn, Indigestion, Reflux and GERD”.(27)  Dr. Wright pioneered the routine clinical measurement  of stomach acid using the Heidelberg capsule, and has written extensively on the clinical syndrome of low gastric acid (21-27) For references and links, see my web site: www.bioidenticalhormones101.com

Articles with Related Interest:

Hair Loss From Low Stomach Acid

References for Chapter 36. Heartburn and Acid Blockers, Getting Off the Merry Go Round

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