Nature Made. Rx Essentials™ Daily Supplement — Tailored to Your Prescription

Taking prescription medications for acid reflux/heartburn

 

Through extensive research, Nature Made science experts have identified essential nutrients helpful when taking certain heartburn and acid reflux medications such as Nexium®, Prevacid®, or Prilosec®.

Numerous clinical studies link this common class of acid reflux medications with a decreased absorption of vitamin B12 and calcium that are important for maintaining bone health.1

B vitamins, including folic acid

B vitamins help keep down the levels of homocysteine, an amino acid, in the blood. Some experts believe that elevated levels of homocysteine, may affect heart health, so supplementing with Vitamin B6, B12, and Folic Acid to reduce homocysteine levels may be important to maintaining a healthy heart.2 Lowering homocysteine levels has also been linked to healthy bones and cognitive function.

Studies have found B12 deficiencies in people who take prescription drugs for heartburn caused by acid reflux disease, especially at higher doses or over a long period of time.3

Medications for acid reflux work by decreasing the amount of acid produced by the stomach. However, B12 needs stomach acid to begin the process of being broken down and absorbed by the body, so this lesser amount of acid can become a problem.

Calcium and vitamin D

Studies have shown a decrease in calcium absorption in those who chronically take acid reflux medication.4 Vitamin D is key to calcium absorption and strong bones and teeth, but 40% of the U.S. population gets less than the recommended daily amount of Vitamin D in their diet.5

As people age, their skin becomes less effective at synthesizing vitamin D from sunlight, while their kidneys may be less able to convert the vitamin to its active hormone form. It's difficult to get vitamin D through food alone: It is found mostly in fortified milk and cereals, as well as oily fish such as salmon, tuna, and sardines.

  • Nexium® and Prilosec® are registered trademarks of AstraZeneca AB Corp.
  • Prevacid® is a registered trademark of Tap Pharmaceutical Products, Inc.

1Force RW, et al Increased vitamin B12 requirement associated with chronic acid suppression therapy. Ann Pharmacother. 2003 Apr;37(4):490-3.

Ruscin JM, et al Vitamin B(12) deficiency associated with histamine(2)-receptor antagonists and a proton-pump inhibitor. Ann Pharmacother. 2002 May;36(5):812-6.

O’Connel, et al: PPI reduces calcium absorption. Am J Med 2005; 118: 778-81

2Quinlivan EP, et al Importance of both folic acid and vitamin B12 in reduction of risk of vascular disease. Lancet. 2002 Jan 19;359(9302):227-8

3Force RW, et al Increased vitamin B12 requirement associated with chronic acid suppression therapy. Ann Pharmacother. 2003 Apr;37(4):490-3.

4O’Connel, et al: PPI reduces calcium absorption. Am J Med 2005; 118: 778-81

5Moore C, Murphy MM, Keast DR, Holick MF. Vitamin D intake in the United States. J Am Diet Assoc 2004;104:980–3