Acid Reflux Drugs And Neuropathy

Today's post from blogs.naturalnews.com (see link below) takes a look at one of the possible causes of nerve damage and neuropathy and that is excessive use of acid reflux drugs (such as nexium, prevacid, omeprazole and prilosec plus many others). Neuropathy forums have long featured this problem but so many people now take acid reflux drugs as a matter of course, they have come to be seen as harmless and a daily necessity needed to balance our diets. You should also be aware of the fact that these drugs can prevent proper absorption of other drugs prescribed for other problems, which need to be broken down in the stomach in order for them to start working. You should certainly have a constructive discussion with your doctor as to whether these drugs are absolutely necessary because altering your diet to help your digestive system may be a far better option.

Acid Reflux Drugs May Cause Dementia and Neuropathy   
By Dr. Brent Hunter Posted Thursday, December 12, 2013 
 
Has your memory been slipping lately? Have you experienced unexplained pain, weakness, numbness or tingling in your arms of legs? Have you also been taking an acid reflux drug like Nexium, Prevacid or Prilosec for a couple years? If so, then you may be the latest victim of the pharmaceutical industry’s medical model of healthcare.

After that first paragraph, you may have expected to see an attorney’s phone number to call and join a class action lawsuit! Well, I am sure that it won’t be long before that actually happens. New research, published Monday in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), showed that certain acid reflux drugs are “significantly associated” with vitamin B12 deficiency. In turn, vitamin B12 deficiency causes serious health consequences including anemia, osteoporosis, depression, memory loss, dementia, neuropathy and cardiovascular disease.

If you have acid reflux, you need to understand what is causing it. Find the cause and correct the cause. Simply popping pills to block the natural production of stomach acid has proven to only cause even more serious health conditions. Read on to learn how to restore your health without these dangerous drugs!

Acid Reflux Drugs Linked to Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Acid reflux drugs, like Nexium, have long been known to cause some very serious side effects. Among them are problems such as anemia, heart problems, hypertension, osteoporosis and further digestive problems including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In fact, drugs used to treat acid reflux do not treat the condition itself but only the symptoms. They are not designed to correct the cause of the problem. As a result, the problem continues to worsen over the years. Drug treatment is continued and the drug side effects continue to worsen as well.

This new research(1) sheds further light on this problem. It showed that people taking certain acid reflux drugs are far more likely to suffer from vitamin B12 deficiency. The study implicated proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) – Nexium, Prevacid and Prilosec – and histamine 2 receptor antagonists (H2RAs) – Pepcid, Tagamet and Zantac. Proton pump inhibitors proved to be the worst.

Unfortunately, the study’s senior author, Dr. Douglas Corley, stated(2) that patient’s should not stop taking the drugs but should get their B12 levels checked. If your levels are deficient, then presumably, you should treat that as another symptom as well. All the while, the underlying causes are left unaddressed. Vitamin B12 deficiency cannot be corrected unless the cause of the deficiency is addressed. In this case, the cause may be your acid reflux pill.

Left uncorrected, this leads to fatigue, anemia, irritable bowel syndrome, increased risk of bone fracture, hypertension, dementia, depression and neuropathy. It is dangerous, costly, and simply ridiculous to continue treating symptoms of any condition rather than addressing the cause. Wouldn’t it be much better to find what is causing the acid reflux and correct the cause? 

Why Do You Have Stomach Acid?

Stomach acid has been unjustly vilified as the cause of acid reflux and GERD. In a similar fashion, cholesterol was incorrectly pegged as the cause of deadly heart disease. Just as pharmaceutically lowering cholesterol increases the heart attack death rate, blocking stomach acid with drugs only makes the problem of reflux and GERD even worse!

You have acid in your stomach for a reason. The cells that line your stomach produce it. In fact, your stomach is specifically designed with a layer of cells that protect it from the otherwise damaging effects of the acid. This stomach acid is required by your body for:

proper digestion of food, especially carbohydrates
Absorption of nutrients (such as vitamin B12)
Killing harmful bacteria and limiting bacterial overgrowth

Without this acid in your stomach, you cannot properly digest carbohydrates or effectively absorb certain nutrients. Blocking this acid production also allows for overgrowth of bacteria and opens the door for H. pylori infections. Simply having the stomach acid is not the problem. In fact, most people suffering from acid reflux actually have too little stomach acid rather than too much.

What Causes Acid Reflux and GERD?

The problem is when the acid leaks (refluxes) into the esophagus. Your esophagus does not have the protective lining that your stomach has. When stomach acid gets into the esophagus, the burning pain of acid reflux results.

Your body has a very strong valve – called the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) - between the stomach and esophagus that is designed to prevent the reflux of acid. The cause of the acid reflux is a dysfunctioning LES muscle which allows the acid to reflux into the esophagus.

It is not a problem of having too much acid. Again, most cases of acid reflux actually occur with low levels of stomach acid. The acid is just in the wrong place. Lowering acid levels or blocking its production does not fix the problem with the LES. As a result, the acid reflux continues and you are prescribed acid blocking drugs for the rest of your life.

So, the real question is what is causing the dysfunction with the LES muscle and how can your correct this cause of acid reflux? 

Correcting the Cause of Acid Reflux

Your Nerve System and Chiropractic Care. The LES is an autonomic muscle. That means that it is automatically controlled by your autonomic nervous system. Stress on the nerves that control this muscle can cause it to malfunction. Additionally, production and secretion of stomach acid is controlled by your nerve system. Ensuring proper nerve system function is the first step to healing acid reflux and GERD naturally. Chiropractic physicians are trained to find and correct nerve interference such as this. As a result, many people experience significant relief simply from including regular chiropractic care in their wellness lifestyle.

Eliminating Drug Effects. It is also important to consider other prescription drugs that you are taking that may be causing the problem. Common culprits include steroid drugs, NSAIDS (such as Advil and Aleve), and aspirin. These drugs are commonly prescribed for various pain syndromes. However, there are many natural, safe, and more effective methods for correcting these conditions as well.

Excessive Carbohydrates. Consuming excessive carbohydrates – especially simple carbs like sugars, breads, pastas, pastries, etc. – create an inflammatory environment in your body. This can prevent normal production of stomach acid and allow bacterial overgrowth. This leads to gas production and increased intra-abdominal pressure. As a result the LES muscle becomes inhibited and acid reflux occurs. Simply switching to a low carbohydrate, anti-inflammatory diet naturally corrects this cause of acid reflux.

Balancing Bacteria. Low stomach acid allows for bacterial overgrowth and disrupts the balance of healthy gut bacteria. Consuming foods rich in probiotics (healthy bacteria), such as raw fermented foods, restores this balance. Taking a probiotic supplement may be necessary as well. Restoring the normal, healthy bacteria in your gut helps to correct many digestive disorders, including acid reflux. 

Natural Remedies for Acid Reflux

Using these methods addresses the actual cause of acid reflux and GERD and allows your body to heal itself naturally. While you are healing, you may need to use some natural remedies as well to help with the symptoms. As mentioned earlier, the problem is most often a result of not enough stomach acid production in order to digest food, absorb nutrients and kill harmful bacteria.

Bitter herbs can be used to increase production of stomach acid. These include herbs such as barberry bark, caraway, dandelion, fennel, ginger, goldenseal root, peppermint, and wormwood. They are typically taken in very small doses and made in a tincture of water. Consult an well-trained herbalist for best results.

While you are reconditioning your body to produce the proper amount of stomach acid, you may benefit from natural digestive enzyme supplements as well. Without proper levels of stomach acid, the pH is too high to stimulate the release of these enzymes naturally. These supplements can help provide your body with the support it needs to break down carbohydrates and proteins more effectively. 

As with all health conditions, dangerous drugs are not the only option. It may seem easy to simply pop a pill and ignore the problem. However, your body and your long-term health will ultimately suffer the consequences. You can live a radiant and vibrantly healthy life! Simple lifestyle changes make a huge difference in your vitality and they will help you heal acid reflux naturally!

http://blogs.naturalnews.com/acid-reflux-drugs-may-cause-dementia-and-neuropathy/

Alpha Lipoic Acid And Possible Thyroid Problems

Today's post comes from the New York Buyers Club blog (see link below) which is almost always a very reliable source of information about vitamins and supplements and Lark Lands, whose work has been used previously on this blog. It talks about potential problems with Alpha Lipoic Acid, one of the most recommended go-to supplements to help with neuropathic symptoms. Usually used in combination with Acetyl-L Carnitine and/or  N-Acetyl-Cysteine, they are co-enzymes which can have a beneficial effect on the nervous system. This article sounds a note of caution concerning higher doses of ALA and potential thyroid problems and advises getting the thyroid monitored (a simple blood test) if  you're taking ALA regularly. The problem here is that the symptoms of thyroid problems are very familiar to many HIV patients as it is (see below) but the blood test should clear up any doubts.

 Alpha lipoic acid: a caution about potential hypothyroidism from Lark Lands

November 20, 2011

NYBC has recently learned from our colleague Lark lands, long known for her expertise in supplementation stategies for people with diabetes and people with HIV, that for, some people, there may be a risk of hypothyroidism in taking alpha lipoic acid, especially at higher doses:

Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is a liver protective agent, and has been studied for peripheral neuropathy and lipodystrophy. It may slow HIV replication, and counter HIV-related dementia. ALA is very important in several ways. It easily crosses cell membranes and works as anantioxidant in both lipid (fatty) and aqueous (watery) parts of the body. It is a versatile and powerful antioxidant, both reducing oxidative stress in the body, and indirectly protecting, recycling, or regenerating other major antioxidants.

There is also good evidence that ALA has beneficial effects for those with type 2 diabetes and some of its complications. Its wide-ranging benefits for diabetes, according to recent research, include improved glycemic control, improved insulin sensitivity, as well as reduction of oxidative stress and neuropathy.

Caution

Our colleague Lark Lands, an expert on supplementation for people with diabetes and people with HIV, has drawn our attention to the concern that alpha lipoic acid may produce symptoms of hypothyroidism in some people. Partly due to this concern, NYBC has also reduced ALA in our ThiolNAC, such that 3 tabs/day equals 400mg – below the dosages generally of concern in Lark’s analysis. Symptoms of hypothyroidism may include fatigue, low body temperature, weight gain, hair loss, splitting fingernails, depression, memory problems, muscle weakness, elevated cholesterol, and/or skin that is dry, rough or scaly. NYBC recommends monitoring the thyroid while taking ThiolNAC or ALA by itself.

 Lark Lands notes the following: Although it is not clear what percentage of people this may affect, in some people it appears that alpha-lipoic acid may block the proper conversion of T4, the storage form of thyroid hormone, into T3, the active form. This was first noted in animal research with alpha-lipoic acid, and has since been reported by a number of people known to me. When this occurs, people will develop the symptoms of hypothyroidism (which may include fatigue, low body temperature, weight gain, hair loss, splitting fingernails, depression, memory problems, muscle weakness, elevated cholesterol, and/or skin that is dry, rough or scaly).

For this reason, it is important to monitor the thyroid, first at baseline, before lipoic acid is taken, and then after the first month or two of taking lipoic acid, to see if there have been any adverse effects. If not, it probably means that the thyroid is unlikely to be affected. However, it will still be wise to check the TSH level (a blood test that is an indicator of thyroid function) at least once or twice yearly, or any time that symptoms that could be related to low thyroid appear, as some people have taken 600 mg daily doses for lengthy periods (even up to five years in one case known to me) before TSH levels became elevated outside of the normal healthy range.

It is clear that this problem does not develop in everyone who uses lipoic acid. Some people seem to tolerate doses of 600 mg or even more daily with no problems, while others have developed serious thyroid problems with doses ranging from 500 mg to 1000 mg daily. In the people known to me who have been affected in this way, discontinuing the lipoic acid allowed the thyroid problems to disappear quite quickly. I personally experienced this when taking lipoic acid. My TSH had become seriously elevated, remaining at an abnormally high level for more than a year, and I had developed symptoms of hypothyroidism, including serious fatigue.

Within six weeks of discontinuing the lipoic acid, my symptoms vanished and my TSH returned to normal and stayed there. I had made no other changes of any kind so it is clear to me that the lipoic acid was the problem for me that caused hypothyroidism. Since then, I have so far discovered four other people who developed similar problems while taking it. However, since alpha-lipoic acid is otherwise an excellent supplement, for all the reasons listed above, this does not mean it should be completely written off. Just do monitor the thyroid if you choose to take it!

NYBC’s recommends that if you are on thyroid medication, it may be best to avoid lipoic at high doses (over 400mg/day). 

 http://nybc.wordpress.com/2011/11/20/alpha-lipoic-acid-a-caution-about-potential-hypothyroidism-from-lark-lands/