Are Your Medications Depleting You of Nutrients? (Part II)

About 60 million Americans experience heartburn at least once a month. Marketing surveys have shown that approximately one-half of American adults have used antacids. The global antacids industry was valued at USD 7.1 billion in 2023 and is estimated to grow at a 5.1% CAGR from 2024 to 2032 due to the rising prevalence of gastrointestinal disorders. Something is terribly wrong!

I wrote about stomach digestion in January 2025 and you can find that newsletter here…

Healing Your Gut: Simple Steps to End Digestive Issues

There are many reasons someone’s acid gets out of balance in the stomach, but what most people do not realize is that it is caused by low hydrochloric acid, which allows the gastric acid (which resides near the top of the stomach) to become excessive and migrate into the esophagus. 

Millions of people are on antacids.  What does this mean in regard to nutrient depletion or interruption?  First, let’s discuss some of the key roles of your stomach digestion.

1.     Your stomach acid helps to “unchain” protein.  Protein is made up of amino acids which are in a “chain” and it has to be broken apart into individual amino acids so you can absorb it further down in the small intestine.

2.     Your stomach acid extracts the minerals from the food you eat so they are available for absorption further down in the small intestine.

3.     Stomach acid helps to convert iron into a more soluble form that is easily absorbed in the intestines. It also helps dissociate iron from food, making it easier to access. 

4.     Your stomach makes gastric intrinsic factor, which is a glycoprotein produced by the parietal cells or chief cells of the stomach. It is necessary for the absorption of vitamin B₁₂ later on in the distal ileum of the small intestine.

5.     One of your stomach acids’ most important jobs is as a “protector” against pathogens that might come in from your food.  Your stomach is VERY acidic, from 1.5 to 3.5 pH.  This acid environment kills these pathogens and keeps a bacteria called  Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) at bay.

Wow, your stomach acid is important!  But what happens when you take an antacid?

Side Effects on the Label Insert

•    Bone fractures and/or osteoporosis

•    Gut infections

•    Vitamin B12 deficiency

•    Fatigue

•    Sore, red tongue

•    Mouth ulcers

•    Pins and needles feeling in extremities

Prolonged use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) like Prilosec has been linked to an increased risk of certain kidney issues, including acute interstitial nephritis (AIN), chronic kidney disease (CKD), and acute kidney injury (AKI).

Let’s Break this Down

If your stomach’s job is to break apart proteins so the amino acids are available and you take an antacid that lowers stomach acid, you risk protein deficiency.  As a reminder, every time you make a new cell it requires protein.  It doesn’t matter if it’s a brain cell, immune cell, organ cell, blood cell etc. etc. 

If your stomachs job is to extract the minerals from the food that you eat, then taking an antacid that lowers stomach acid you risk mineral deficiency.  That is why one of the side-effects listed above is bone fractures and osteoporosis.

If your stomach’s job is to make intrinsic factor and you take an antacid that lowers stomach acid, you risk a vitamin B12 deficiency.

If your stomach’s job is a “protector” from incoming pathogens and you take an antacid to lower stomach acid you risk the chance that a bacteria may get past the stomach into the intestines.  You also risk the over-growth of H. Pylori (which always resides in the stomach but is kept under control with acid.)

Unfortunately, antacids are prescribed to millions of people and most of the clients I work with who have been on them have been on them for years!

Another Side-Effect

If your food is leaving your stomach not completely digested this is a really big problem.  If your food leaves your stomach and it’s not “acidic”, this impacts the small intestine.

That acid “chyme” of a healthy stomach triggers all of these downstream actions in the “duodenum” which is eight inches long and the first part of the small intestine. 

1.     Your pancreas produces fat, protein, and carbohydrate enzymes

2.     Your pancreas produces a substance called “bicarbonate”, think baking soda.  This is produced to reduce the acid into a more alkaline medium so it doesn’t burn the intestines.

3.     Your pancreas produces insulin if a carbohydrate is eaten.

4.     Your gallbladder produces bile if fat is eaten.

All of this is triggered by an acidic medium, but if you take an antacid, and the medium is not acidic enough, these actions are reduced.

As this undigested food moves down the intestinal tract, it starts to damage the small “villi” on the intestinal wall and open up the tight junctions.  These food particles are recognized as “a foreign invader” by your immune system in the gut and this causes inflammation.  This is called “leaky gut.” Unfortunately, Allopathic medicine does not even recognize leaky gut as a “diagnosis.” 🙁

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder that affects an estimated 10-15% of the global population. This translates to approximately 600-900 million people worldwide. I wonder how many of them are on antacids???

In my January newsletter. I discussed how you can wean off antacids and how to restore stomach digestion.  I think this is one of the most important we can do for long-term health as your digestive tract is the pathway to health and when it’s not working properly your whole body suffers!

In health,

Chris Mckee

Certified Nutritionist at Achieve Integrative Health