Heart Burn Medication Increases Bone Fracture Odds

All medications have risks, period.  It is as simple as that. Some of the negative affects of medications are known and published. Other unwanted affects of any currently marketed medication will only be revealed after the lab rats (you and me) take it over a long enough period of time, thus providing sufficient data regarding the risks and benefits of a the medication. Once enough data is accumilated, one or more actions will be taken:

1) Additional warnings will be placed on the medication label regarding the newly discovered risks.
2) Additional medications will be developed and prescribed in order to counter the negative affects of the drug.
3) The drug will be recalled, and taken off the market. (but don't worry, another one is being developed and marketed!)

A recent article on MSN Health and Fitness proves my point. The article discusses the newly reported risks of many of the current medications used for the treatment of heart burn symptoms (note that I said the treatment of the heart burn symptoms, not the cause...). The FDA is currently warning that PPI medications, or Protein Pump Inhibitors, can cause an increased risk of broken bones, or "fractures" in the spine, hip, and wrist. It is thought that the PPI's reduce stomach acidity, thus interfering with the absorption of Calcium. Calcium is best absorbed in an acid environment. That is why TUMS for calcium is such a blatant marketing lie! The offending PPI's include the drugs esomeprazole (Nexium)), dexlansoprazole (Dexilant), omeprazole (Prilosec, Zegerid)), lansoprazole (Prevacid)), pantoprazole (Protonix)), and rabeprazole (Aciphex)). The course of action taken by the FDA in this case is to leave the medications on the market, but to place a new warning on the label. The outcry of victims must become deafening before these drugs are terminated and new chemicals are produced and marketed. Then the cycle will repeat itself... New miracle drug, followed by possible links to negative side affects, followed by definite risks, but not bad enough to take action, and finally serious links to serious health risks followed by the drug being recalled.

So, what is a gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) sufferer to do?  How about taking these steps that actually promote health, improve digestion, and reduce the symptoms of gastric reflex?


1) Eat less.
2) Loose weight.
3) Eat earlier in the afternoon.
4) Eat foods with natural digesting enzymes, like pineapple and papaya.
5) Add enzyme supplements and possibly even hydrochloric acid supplements at mealtime (this aids in digestion, unlike medications which slow digestion down. The HCL acid should not be supplemented without direction from your physician or chiropractor)
6) Exercise regularly.


Whenever possible, natural and health promoting alternatives to medications are the preferred course of action. The dirty little secret regarding medication is that it will always have negative health affects. The only way to avoid them is through minimizing the amount that you take.