Dangers of Overusing Antacids

[simplycuteflowers]

Dangers of Overusing Antacids
By: Mila Sidman & Alice Seba

With expanding waistlines and worsening diets, heartburn seems to becoming more prevalent. T.V. commercials and supermarket shelves are covered with various product to relieve your heartburn symptoms. That is why it’s so important to know the possible dangers of antacid medications and the safe and effective alternatives.

Like any drug, it is possible to overdose on the medicines in antacids, specifically magnesium. A magnesium overdose can present with symptoms ranging from clumsiness, weakness, drowsiness and confusion, to more serious symptoms including paralysis and coma. While rare, magnesium poisoning has taken lives. Be sure to never exceed the recommended dose if you do take antacids.

Even if you aren’t taking enough to overdose, too many antacids can disturb the natural balance in your digestive tract. There’s acid in your stomach for a reason. It helps properly digest food and also kills dangerous organisms that attack your stomach lining. If you neutralize too much stomach acid, you are hurting your body’s ability to digest and protect your stomach. To keep acid levels from dropping too low, it’s best to control them naturally.

The easiest way to prevent mild heartburn is to avoid specific foods that trigger it. While some foods can cause heartburn in many people, not all sufferers have the same trigger foods. The best way to find the culprits is to keep a diary of what food you eat and how severe your heartburn is. You should start to see a pattern of foods that are best for you to avoid.

There are other dietary changes you can make. You should cut back or eliminate alcohol and caffeine consumption. If you choose to drink alcohol, don’t drink with a meal. Increasing the amount of fiber and water in your diet has also been shown to reduce symptoms.

In addition to diet changes, you can also reduce heartburn by making small changes to your daily habits. These changes include:

• Cutting back or quitting smoking. Never smoke while you’re eating
• Avoiding tight clothing.
• Eating at a slow, comfortable pace while sitting at a table.
• Taking a short walk after each meal.

If diet and habit changes don’t alleviate your heartburn, there are herbal alternatives that may be helpful. Some supplements that may relieve your symptoms are ginger, papaya enzymes, green tea, peppermint, chamomile, licorice, or catnip. Many of these remedies are available in several forms so you can use what’s convenient to you. Often a cup of herbal tea after a meal is best. The best part about these remedies is that some may be able to repair esophagus damage from frequent heartburn.

Just remember, just because herbs are natural, doesn’t mean they’re safe. Consult a doctor before taking any medications, herbal or otherwise.

If you have severe, persistent heartburn, or don’t improve after implementing the above changes, please see a doctor. You may have a more severe condition and require medications for full relief.

[Michelle]

Thank you for posting this. I take antacids often

[fernykins]

I was dx with Gerd and take prevacid. It may not be just heartburn so if it you have had heartburn for a long time go see a Dr.
Fern

[ellebee]

I used to take a lot of antacids and finally saw a dr about the heartburn. I take protonix now - at first everyday and now once or twice a week. The antacids did make my heartburn worse but I didn't see that at the time.

[kittykatstrong]

I just take them while preg. but I take them alot. Thank you for the info.

Katy

[mikandmari]

I'm a Prilosec girl, once every day no matter what. I get all kinds of crazy problems from too much gastric acid, from esophageal ulcers to gynological problems It's amazing the problems that this stuff causes! Thanks for the article, I like to keep informed.

And, um.... catnip?

[cheriede]

I took them with all four of my pregnancies, but I really don't need them now. It's a good thing to know. Thanks for sharing!