Heartburn remedies and side effects

Heartburn used to be regarded as just a nuisance. Today some doctors believe that frequent bouts can damage the esophagus (though this phenomenon may have been overblown by the drug companies that make heartburn drugs).

In recent years, chronic heartburn even acquired a fancy new name — gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD — and new drugs to treat it.

Judging from the number of heartburn remedies advertised on TV, a whole lot of us have burning bellies. Read on for information concerning side-effects of heartburn medications.

They contain serious medicine and may have side effects, especially if you don't follow label instructions.

Mild side effects include headaches, nausea and diarrhea. However, heartburn treatments have also been linked to several other, more serious disorders, particularly among people who take large doses for extended periods.

1. Dementia: A large recent study in people over 65 found that those who used H2 blockers — common drugs that reduce stomach acid — were 2.4 times more likely than non-users to develop dementia or some other form of mental impairment. H2 blockers include nizatidine (Axid), famotidine (Pepcid), cimetidine (Tagamet) and ranitidine (Zantac).

• However, this report conflicted with the findings of several earlier studies.
• Here is what is known: H2 blockers work by interfering with histamine, which is known to play some role in brain function.

2. Erectile dysfunction: There have been reports in the medical literature about men developing erectile dysfunction and loss of libido after taking certain heartburn and ulcer medications.

However, these problems are rare and reversible once a man stops using the drugs.

3. Gynecomastia: Tagamet has also been linked to an embarrassing problem for men. Compared to non-users, males who take 1,000 milligrams or more every day for an extended period are at least 40 times more likely to develop enlarged breast tissue, known as gynecomastia, according to a study in the British Medical Journal. But since the overall risk for gynecomastia is small, that means fewer than one percent of male Tagamet users develop this condition.

4. Soft bones and kidney stones: Some heartburn remedies contain aluminum or magnesium, both of which neutralize stomach acid. These minerals also increase the amount of calcium lost through the urine. There are many case reports in the medical literature of patients who consumed large amounts of aluminum-based antacids and developed osteomalacia, or soft bones, as well as kidney stones and other conditions caused by excessive loss of calcium.

High doses of aluminum also appear to deplete other important minerals, including fluoride and phosphorus.

5. Vitamin B 12 deficiency: A 2004 study found that people over 65 who are current, long-term users of acid-reducing drugs are nearly 4.5 times more likely to have vitamin B12 deficiencies than non-users. Acid-reducing medications include H2 blockers and proton-pump inhibitors, such as omeprazole (Prilosec, which is available over the counter) and several prescription drugs.

These medications may pose problems for some older people, who often have too little stomach acid, which the body needs to help absorb vitamin B12.

A deficiency of this vitamin can lead to a drop in red blood cells and result in pernicious anemia, a condition that causes fatigue, weakness, rapid heartbeat and other symptoms.

As with any concerns with medications, you should always contact your doctor before altering your current medical treatment.