We have many patients that come to the office for a variety of conditions. One of the most silent disease causing conditions is GERD. By taking medication for the condition you don’t have the “problem” anymore. But did you know that by taking this medication you are making a short term problem into a long term disease?
What is the Problem with Proton Pump Inhibitors(PPIs) like Nexium and Prilosec?
Both Nexium and Prilosec stop the stomach cells from producing acid needed to digest food, promote nutrient absorption and kill unwanted bugs.
Stopping the pain associated with GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) may be a temporary blessing for the one suffering with this condition. But at what cost to one’s overall health?
You see, these drugs act as fertilizer for everyday bugs that then go on to raise havoc. When prescribed for hospitalized patients, they increase pneumonia 30%. Unfortunately, this is what lots of people die from once they end up in the hospital.
PPIs have been found to decrease magnesium in the human body to a point that not even high oral doses of magnesium can correct it.
There is overwhelming evidence that magnesium deficiency can create Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation, chronic back spasms mimicking a ruptured disc, depression, seizures, and more.
Nexium and Prilosec, by stopping the acid secretion in your stomach, inhibit the absorption of nutrients that then lead to new diseases, but also kill the acid needed to fight off fungi like Candida (which can destroy the thyroid gland and heart), as well as bacterial H. pylori overgrowth (that can then create coronary artery plaque and heart attacks).
The goal with all patients is to seek to identify the root cause(s) of the disease entity. The same goes for GERD. There are a number of underlying issues which should be considered when seeking to help patients suffering with GERD. This is the power of functional medicine!
Contributed by Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., D.A.C.B.N., M.S. Functional Medicine University