Osteoporosis and Acid Reflux—Strange Connection

You can obtain the acid reflux treatments known as proton pump inhibitors over the counter or by prescription.

In fact, it’s the most prescribed medication in the world.

A new study in Osteoporosis International reveals that acid reflux treatments cause osteoporosis and how.

If you’re taking this type of drug, even just occasionally (as almost everyone does), you must stop right now!

A few years ago, a study found a 28% increased risk of fracture in PPI users compared to non-users. This prompted the scientists behind this new study to ask why.

They already knew that the parathyroid hormone played an important role in the breakdown of bones. They speculated that PPI use may cause hyperparathyroidism, which is an excess of parathyroid hormone.

In other words, according to their hypothesis, if PPIs cause hyperparathyroidism, and hyperparathyroidism speeds up the breakdown of bone, that might be why PPIs tend to cause osteoporosis and bone fractures.

To test this hypothesis, they carried out a study to examine the potential relationship between PPI use and hyperparathyroidism in a sample of 4,139 older Irish adults.

They recorded their subjects’ medical histories, supplement and medication usage, and smoking and alcohol consumption. In addition, they collected information on diet, body mass index, frailty and function status, kidney function, and blood levels of calcium, vitamin D, and parathyroid hormone.

With all this information in their possession, they discovered that 37.8% of their participants were taking PPIs, and PPI intake increased with age.

They also managed to confirm their hypothesis through the following findings.

1. PPI users had a higher prevalence of hyperparathyroidism (17.8% vs. 11.0%), meaning that PPI users were 56% more likely to have excessively high parathyroid hormone levels.

2. The relationship between PPI use and hyperparathyroidism was especially strong in people who took calcium supplements.

3. PPI users had lower calcium in their blood than non-users did.

4. PPI users showed lower kidney function.

From these findings, they concluded that PPIs reduce calcium absorption, leading to a rise in parathyroid hormone, which could decrease bone mineral density and increase fracture risk. PPIs prevent our bodies from absorbing calcium from supplements.

Since PPI use is especially high among older people who already struggle with weakening bones,
this study suggests that PPIs can compromise bone health and strength at the time of our lives when we can least afford it.

If you’re already suffering from osteoporosis, stopping taking PPI is not going to help. For that, you need to follow the example of thousands of successful readers and make the simple lifestyle changes explained here…

If you suffer from acid reflux, discover how to cure acid reflux permanently in as little as five minutes. I explain this all here…