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Acid reflux (GERD) is often written-off as a minor condition although it\u2019s actually very serious. And the drugs used to manage it have always been considered quite safe.<\/p>\nAcid reflux (GERD) is often written-off as a minor condition although it\u2019s actually very serious. And the drugs used to manage it have always been considered quite safe.<\/p>\n
But a new study published in the journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics<\/em> reveals potentially deadly side effects from one of the most commonly used heartburn medications.<\/p>\n You must stop or reduce your intake of these drugs right now.<\/p>\n Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) are among the most commonly taken drugs in the developed world, often to reduce acid reflux.<\/p>\n Researchers examined the medical data of 2,366 people who took PPIs and developed depression and compared them with 9,464 people who took PPIs and did not develop depression.<\/p>\n The two groups were similar with regard to age, gender, and the amount of time for which the scientists observed them.<\/p>\n But it turned out that those who developed depression used a higher dose of daily PPIs than those without depression.<\/p>\n This was especially true for people who took pantoprazole, lansoprazole, and rabeprazole, and less so for those who took omeprazole and esomeprazole.<\/p>\n And depression is a big deal. The fatality rate for major depression is extremely high.<\/p>\n The researchers didn\u2019t know exactly why this happened, but ventured two educated guesses:<\/p>\n 1. They thought it was possible that PPIs prevented people\u2019s bodies from absorbing all the nutrients from their food, leaving them without what was essential for healthy psychological function.<\/p>\n 2. Alternatively, they thought PPIs could disrupt the gut\u2013brain axis\u2014a term that refers to the way in which gut bacteria affect our psychological well-being. Since gut bacteria can boost or block levels of hormones and neurotransmitters in our brains, they can determine our psychological health.<\/p>\n