Page 19 - Summer2018

is due to garlic, oranges or, for that matter, that anything more serious is occurring or that Sadly, most
animal fats. However, these theories do fit they are making a simple problem far worse.
perfectly with the pharmaceutical industry’s The reality is that antacids are doomed to fail people I
agenda to sell you antacids, PPIs or H2 receptor and, over time, stomach symptoms inevitably encounter in
antagonists—to the tune of billions of dollars will worsen. my practice
each year. It is at that point—often after years of OTC
Let’s take a closer look at what happens antacid use—that a person may visit their medi- have self-
when the average person faces GERD (or the cal doctor with more pronounced symptoms medicated
early stages leading up to GERD) and its vary- of GERD. Because on the surface the problem with antacids
ing symptoms. Unfortunately, many people logically seems to be one of hyperacidity, the
with GERD symptoms choose to self medicate doctor will continue on the same treatment path, for years and
with antacids like Rolaids, Tums or the like. recommending a protocol centered around nulli- sometimes

In my opinion, it is here that the first mistake fying the acid, even though hydrochloric acid is decades,
is made by addressing a straightforward prob- a crucial part of the stomach’s normal function.
lem incorrectly and turning it into something Often, the next class of drugs along the con- damaging
far more deleterious. For the most part, all of ventional GERD treatment pathway will be the their
these products serve one purpose, neutralizing H2 (histamine 2) antagonists, named for their digestive
the hydrochloric acid inherent in the stomach ability to bind to and block the type-2 histamine
and relieving the “burn” of heartburn. I’ve met receptor site. Common H2 antagonist brand system
people who pop these acid-sopping medications names are Axid, Pepcid, Tagamet and Zantac. immensely,
like they’re candy without even thinking twice. These drugs work by reversibly blocking the H2 before
Sadly, most people I encounter in my receptors of the gastric parietal cells responsible
practice have self medicated with antacids for for acid secretion and, in doing so, preventing seeking
years and sometimes decades, damaging their the production of hydrochloric acid. further help.
digestive system immensely, before seeking They accomplish this through two mecha-
further help. Because the antacids initially seem nisms. First, histamine released by entero-
to ameliorate their symptoms, they never think chromaffin-like cells in the stomach is blocked

FIGURE 1: Normal esophageal opening versus opening with hiatal hernia.
Copyright Kansas Medical Clinic, used with permission.

SUMMER 2018 Wise Traditions 17