Acid Reflux and Alkaline Water


Drugs for Acid Reflux Carry Risk of Dementia

  • Leo McDevitt
  • December 16th, 2013

Millions of people each day struggle with a painful condition known as acid reflux. Along with heartburn, acid reflux causes damage to your stomach and esophagus and can lead to ulcers. Many people turn to proton pump inhibitors like Prevacid, Prilosec and Nexium – and these drugs work!

acid reflux drugs image

Acid Reflux drugs – Is the cure worse than the disease?

But if you are taking these drugs, you may find yourself tiring easily, or even becoming forgetful. If this is happening to you, it may be due to a Vitamin B-12 deficiency. Don’t ignore these symptoms! Untreated, Vitamin B-12 deficiency can lead to memory loss, depression and even dementia. Worse yet, doctors say the brain damage caused by B-12 deficiency may be permanent.

What are Proton Pump Inhibitors?

Proton pump inhibitors (PPI’s) are a class of drugs that work by blocking an enzyme in the stomach that releases stomach acid. For short term relief of acid reflux symptoms, PPIs are a great choice, with few if any side effects.

But doctors have recently discovered that people who take PPIs for two or more years may become vitamin B-12 deficient. Your body needs B-12 to make red blood cells. Vitamin B-12 deficiency leads to anemia, the symptoms of which are weakness, a lack of energy, and dizziness. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, call your doctor right away.

Alkaline water may offer relief

A recent study has shown that alkaline water neutralizes the stomach enzyme that triggers the pain, symptoms and damage of acid reflux. Studies conducted in Japan show that alkaline water also raises the pH of the stomach by about .5 – 1 pH for about a half hour. Keep in mind that the pH scale is logarithmic, a change of 1 pH may not sound like a lot, but it is. A change of 1 pH more alkaline means that your stomach has become 10 times more alkaline. While studies are ongoing, some health experts believe strongly that alkaline water has potential as a natural means of combating the symptoms of acid reflux.

How to use alkaline water for acid reflux

Studies show that the potential relief offered by alkaline water is gradual, and builds up over time. Japanese studies have shown that acidic stomach symptoms may be noticeably reduced or eliminated in about two weeks.

Don’t take your medication with alkaline water! Alkaline water causes your body to absorb nutrients and medicines faster than it would with plain water. Many medications are designed to be released gradually into your body. Alkaline water can cause your body to absorb your medication much faster than it should. Always take medication with plain water.

Don’t stop taking your medication, especially if you are under a doctor’s care. Simply add alkaline water to your daily routine. Listen to your body, should your symptoms subside, then you may wish to reduce the amount of medicine you take. Health experts recommend that you drink about 2 – 3 liters of water per day for proper hydration. Make that water alkaline and you can fight painful acidity while you’re hydrating your cells with healthy water.

Alkaline water for health – More than just acid fighting!

What makes alkaline water better is the mineral composition in it. Mineral deficiency can be a factor in acid reflux and many other health problems as well. Your body absorbs minerals from water 30% easier from water than it does from food. What makes the alkaline water from a water ionizer so much better is that the ionizer concentrates those minerals in your water in the form of mineral hydrates. Hydrated minerals reduce the surface tension of water, which makes it easier to absorb. That is why alkaline water causes your body to absorb nutrients faster than plain water does.

You want your health back, alkaline water can help! Call us today at  (415) 203-5519 for a personalized health consultation to find out what alkaline water can do for you.

Reference

Lam, Jameson, , and et al. “Proton Pump Inhibitor and Histamine 2 Receptor Antagonist

Use and Vitamin B12 Deficiency.” Journal of the American Medical Association. American Medical Association, 11 Dec 2013. Web. 12 Dec 2013. <http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1788456>.

Koufman, Jamie, and Nikki Johnsten. “Potential Benefits of pH 8.8 Alkaline Drinking Water

as an Adjunct in the Treatment of Reflux Disease.” Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology. Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology, n.d. Web. 5 Jul 2013. <http://www.annals.com/toc/auto_abstract.php?id=15887>.

 

 

[Tashiro, et al: “Digestion and Absorption” issued by the Japan Digestion and Absorption

Academics Society Vol. 23 No. 2, pp. 52-56 (2000)]

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