Saturday, October 20, 2007

Can Heartburn Drugs Cause Oeteoporosis?

Can Heartburn Drugs Cause Oeteoporosis?
According to a major medical study in England, that was
conducted on heartburn and acid reflux, researchers found
that Proton Pump Inhibitors such as Nexium, Prilosec, and
Prevacid are exposing millions of users to the increased
risk of Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a condition in which
your bones become weakened and then are more likely to
fracture. If left untreated, osteoporosis can progress
painlessly until a bone breaks.

Any bone in your body can be affected, but of special
concern are fractures of the hip and spine. A hip or spine
fracture almost always requires hospitalization and major
surgery. It can impair a person's ability to walk without
help and may cause permanent disability or even death.

The study showed these drugs "inhibit the natural
absorption of calcium" from food products, such as milk and
cheese, which are a well-known source of calcium. However,
some people are allergic to dairy products and even more
people, are lactose-intolerant, leaving them unable to
consume dairy products. However there are many other good
food sources of calcium such as kelp, wakame and hijiki;
nuts and seeds (like almonds and sesame); blackstrap
molasses; beans; oranges; amaranth; collard greens; okra;
rutabaga; broccoli; dandelion leaves; kale; and fortified
products such as orange juice.

Calcium is essential in muscle contraction, oocyte
activation, bones and tooth structure, blood clotting,
nerve impulse transmission, regulating your heartbeat, and
fluid balance within cells. It is a fact that between 50%
and 75% of adults do not get sufficient calcium in their
diet. Adults require a daily dose of between 1,000 and
1,300 mg of calcium.

When the body is not absorbing enough calcium through our
diet it will leech the mineral it requires from our teeth
and bones putting them in a weakened state. Once our bones
start to deplete their calcium, we expose ourselves to
"Osteoporosis" and the increased risk of hip and other bone
fractures such as the wrist.

Hip fractures in the elderly often lead to life -
threatening complications. Doctors should be convinced,
their patients have a good reason to stay on heartburn
medications long-term, said the study co-author Dr. Yu-Xiao
Yang from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

The study also went on to explain that H2 Blockers such as
Tagamet and Pepcid also have a similar but slightly smaller
risk of causing people to develop Osteoporosis, which
exposes them the possibility of hip and other bone
fractures. People who have taken any of these drugs for
more than a year have a 44% higher risk of hip fractures
than non-users of heartburn medications.

Millions of people around the world are at risk, although
women are four times more likely than men to develop the
condition. Yes it's true, men also suffer from
osteoporosis and put themselves at risk for hip ,spine or
wrist fractures.

Heartburn drug manufacturers put an insert in your package
of drugs which clearly states in most cases that these meds
are only to be taken for a short period of time. That
period of time is usually two weeks, not for the rest of
your life like some doctors are saying.


----------------------------------------------------
William Lagadyn is a medical researcher and was the first
person to unravel the mysteries of heartburn and acid
reflux problems. His natural healing methods were first
discovered over 20 years ago, and since that time he has
helped 1000's of people completely solve their digestive
problems. For more information on how to solve your
digestive problems such as heartburn, acid reflux or GERD
without the use of potentially dangerous drugs forever,
please visit his website at http://www.cureyourheartburn.com
Copyright 2007 William Lagadyn

No comments: