Proton Pump Inhibitors: Are They Worth It?

If you've been diagnosed with GERD or Gastroesophogeal Reflux Disease, you are probably considering trying one of the proton pump inhibitor drugs (PPI's). Proton Pump Inhibitors (Prilosec, Prevacid, Protonic, Nexium, and Aciphex) dramatically reduce the production of stomach acid. This seems like a good idea to anyone, like me, who suffers terribly from reflux symptoms regardless of dietary and other lifestyle adjustments. My doctor put me on this medication when the reflux was interfering with my work as a professional singer. I was immediately more energetic, free of hoarseness, and I could sing again.

What my doctor didn't tell me, was that too much stomach acid is rarely the cause of reflux, although removing it reduces the symptoms. Your body needs stomach acid, so when it's gone, a whole new set of problems can be created for the body. A lack of stomach acid can lead to food allergies, vitamin deficiencies, and bacterial overgrowth in the gut (the most common and documented issue with acid inhibition). I am one of the unfortunate individuals who is now suffering all of these conditions after years on PPI's.

The worst part, however, is that this drug has a rebound effect which is well known to researchers, but not so well known to the average doctor. In other words, when you take it, your body gets distressed because it can't make any acid, and it tries hard to make more. It does everything it can to overcome the problem this drug creates. This leads to the medication losing it's effectiveness over time and eventually, when the drug is discontinued, the body has made a lot more cells and really does produce too much stomach acid. Now, in addition to the new complications, the old reflux symptoms are worse than they were at the start.