Top pharmacist warns millions of Brits are ‘hooked’ on common reflux drug linked to dementia
A leading pharmacist has warned that millions of Britons are ‘hooked’ on medication to treat acid reflux, which is
putting them at danger of developing dementia.
In 2022-23, the NHS provided 73 million prescriptions for proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in England, costing £190 million.
Drugs such as omeprazole and lansoprazole assist to reduce the amount of acid in the stomach, so decreasing the
uncomfortable symptoms of reflux, often known as heartburn, which include pain and difficulties swallowing.
However, research indicates that long-term use may raise the chance of acquiring dementia.
A 2023 US study published in the journal Neurology found that taking PPI drugs such as omeprazole, esomeprazole,
and lansoprazole for more than four and a half years increases your risk of developing dementia by 33% compared to
individuals who have never taken it.
The study’s authors hypothesized that the association could be due to PPIs’ effect on the body’s absorption of
essential nutrients such vitamin B12.
“This is essential for brain health,” said Dr Thanu Jey, one of the researchers involved in the study. ‘PPIs may also
enhance the development of beta-amyloid, a protein associated with Alzheimer’s disease.’
Deborah Grayson, a pharmacist with 25 years of experience, has now warned that the benefits of these treatments
are often not worth the hazards.
She told MailOnline that they are frequently taken as a ‘panacea for different digestive complaints, without a clear
clinical need to decrease acid production’.
Long-term usage of medication can worsen symptoms, leaving patients ‘hooked’ for life due to the lack of a ‘exit
strategy’.
“We are sleepwalking into a significant culture of PPI addiction due to over-prescribing without clear reason and
failure to give patients a clear exit strategy from the treatment,” said Ms Grayson, who is also a nutritional therapist
with Heartburn Cancer UK and runs her own clinic, Digestion With Confidence.
‘It just takes three days of PPI use to be at danger of rebound heartburn, which can be five times more severe than normal reflux.
‘This can lead to patients incorrectly believing that the prescription is necessary because excess acid must have been the issue.
‘This rebound is what causes many patients to be unable to stop taking a PPI, thereby leaving them addicted.’
Furthermore, up to 40% of patients do not respond to PPIs, rendering them ineffective.
Acid reflux, or heartburn, happens when stomach acid travels up towards the throat. If it continues over long periods
of time, it’s known as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, which is usually caused by a weakness in the muscles
connecting the food pipe with the
Ms Grayson stated that individuals are frequently prescribed medicines rather than being educated on diet and
lifestyle changes that can help reduce symptoms.
For example, lowering stress and establishing regular eating habits can be beneficial.
Most importantly, allow enough time to have a meal, preferably at a dinner table.
Digestion begins in the brain, with 20% of stomach acid created in anticipation of meal consumption, according to Grayson.
“This is known as the cephalic response,” she added, noting that before the creation of fast food, preparing and
cooking meals prompted the same process, which kicked off the digestive system.
‘Modern lifestyles have resulted in many people deciding they are hungry, race to the nearest food outlet, and
consume within minutes,’ Grayson said. “This means that the body has to play catch-up and over-produce acid,
exacerbating symptoms.”
She emphasized that, even if you are too busy to cook, you should begin the ‘anticipation process’ about 20-30
minutes before eating.
‘Consider what you’re about to eat, how it tastes, and how it smells. This can elicit the same anticipatory response as
if you had prepared it yourself.
Chewing is equally important.
‘Most of us are quite busy and frequently ‘inhale’ our food,’ says Grayson Saif. ‘The chewing process eases the strain
on stomach acid.’
Each mouthful of food should be chewed until mushy, she said, and putting down your knife and fork between
mouthfuls provides your stomach a lot higher chance of digesting what you’ve eaten.
Grayson also warned about the many meals that can aggravate reflux by relaxing the sphincter in the food pipe,
allowing acid to flow.
These include coffee, wine, chocolate, peppermint, tomatoes, and citrus fruits.
Spicy meals, fatty diets, and excessive quantities also impair muscular performance.
‘Avoiding these foods three to four hours before bedtime can assist significantly,’ she said.
Herbs can stimulate digestion and protect against acid and bile damage.
‘
Drinking chamomile or artichoke tea can stimulate the digestive process in the same way as bitter leaves do, but
fennel can also relax digestion.
‘Drinking tea with marshmallow root or slippery elm can help protect the digestive system against acid and bile.’
To reduce the possibility of interfering with the absorption and function of any medicine you are taking, consume
these two teas one hour after taking it.
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