Gastric antacids are mixtures of salts (aluminum salt, calcium salt, magnesium salt) which locally neutralize the acidity of stomach contents. They are prescribed to relieve symptoms in case of acid reflux or stomach pains. Because these medications provide good stomach pain relief, many people take them for the long term without necessarily being followed by a doctor. However, according to a new American study, the prolonged intake of antacid drugs can cause, in the long run, a deficiency in vitamin B 12, a vitamin essential for the good functioning of the brain and the nervous system.
For this study, researchers from one of the main US mutual health insurance companies compared the medical data of more than 26,000 patients in Northern California diagnosed with vitamin B12 deficiency with those of 182,000 non-deficient patients. According to Dr Douglas Corley, the gastroenterologist who led this study: “Patients who took anti-acid drugs such as proton pump inhibitors for more than two years had a 65% increased risk of suffering vitamin B12 deficiency. And the higher the dose of antacids, the greater the deficiency ”. Among the drugs involved are drugs based on esomeprazole, lansoprazole, omeprazole, pantoprazole and rabeprazole.
According to the doctor, this is a logical phenomenon because stomach acids are known to promote the absorption of vitamin B12. However, removing acids to relieve heartburn or gastric reflux can lead to a lack of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to form of anemia one of the characteristics of which is the abnormal presence of red blood cells greatly increased in size (this is called macrocytosis).
According to Dr. Corley, people who are on anti-reflux therapy should have regular blood tests to check that they are not deficient and take vitamin supplementation, if necessary.
Note that vitamin B12 is found in meat, poultry, fish and dairy products.
