Acid Blockers Linked to Diabetes Risk

Do you struggle with heartburn, acid reflux, indigestion, or peptic ulcers? Some of the most commonly prescribed drugs to treat these conditions are a class of medications called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). 

You might be asking—should I take this medication?

👉 Note: If you are already on a PPI, you should talk to your doctor before discontinuing.👈

Still...if you’re taking a medication or considering starting one, it’s important to understand how it works, what the side effects might be, and whether or not there are other options! 

PPIs work by stopping the production of stomach acid. That sounds great if you have acid reflux, but then we have to think about all the downstream effects. Without enough stomach acid, you could…

• Compromise nutrient absorption (like vitamin B12, calcium, and magnesium)

• Change your gut microbiota (possibly even leading to overgrowth and SIBO)

• Affect the health of organs outside the gut (including the kidneys and heart)

• Plus...

👉 A new study of more than 200,000 Americans found that regular use of PPIs

increased the risk of developing diabetes by 25%. 

The risk for diabetes was highest in people who took PPIs for the longest duration of time. That’s important because PPIs were approved only for short-term use of 2 weeks. Sadly, many people take these medications for a much longer time because they don’t know what else to do! 

The real question we should be asking is whether there are other options. 

I say yes 👍

Naturopathic medicine has an extensive toolkit of options for optimizing digestive function and eliminating symptoms like heartburn for good. Instead of covering up the symptoms with an acid blocker, we’ll search for the root cause and help your gut recover naturally. 

While it is always best to get individualized health advice, here are some simple things to do that can make a difference.

1. Romance your digestion: soft music and dim lights aid digestion.

2. Avoid multitasking while eating. Turn off the TV, don’t eat while driving, sit down and relax during meals!

3. Give up or at least reduce processed foods.

4. Take bitters before a meal. Either eat a handful of bitter greens or take a dropper full of a bitter formula. You can usually find one in the natural vitamin section.

5. Drink room temp or hot water instead of cold water.

6. Drink only a small amount of water with meals.

7. Start your day with a glass of water with a squeeze of lemon or a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.

8. Eat dinner early and go for a stroll afterward. 

Root Causes

Food sensitivities are a common culprit for reflux, indigestion, and ulcers. The two best ways to identify food sensitivities are an elimination diet followed by a challenge and an IgG blood test for foods. While you could do these approaches on your own, the support of a naturopath will increase your success.

Other more complicated causes that may require medical attention include chronic stress, ulcers, and structural issues such as a hernia.

Yuan J, He Q, Nguyen LH et al. Regular use of proton pump inhibitors and risk of type 2 diabetes: results from three prospective cohort studies. Gut. 2020.

https://gut.bmj.com/content/early/2020/08/29/gutjnl-2020-322557