Antacids CAUSING acid?

[Anonymous]

So I got the latest issue of REAL SIMPLE magazine today and in it there is an article called “Nothing in Moderation.” Under the “food” heading a line caught my attention. It said “Avoid most antacids. By neutralizing existing stomach acids, they prompt the stomach to produce more of them. The exception is Gaviscon, available in drugstores as chewable tables or in liquid form. It contains an ingredient that forms a barrier between the acids and the esophagus.”

This confused me as I was just about to try Mylanta with my son. Has anyone heard of antacids causing the stomach to think it has to produce more acid? Or do you think this is just referring to taking antacids AFTER eating as opposed to BEFORE eating?

Ruby

Henry, 4 1/2 months old, reflux

Breastfeeding on the eat-nothing-that-you-like-diet

7.5 mg prevacid 2x a day

rubicube2006-4-13 16:53:36

[Anonymous]

This is true, if you are only using antacids to treat reflux. When the pH in the stomach is raised above a certain level, it triggers a response in the acid producing parietal cells to start producing more acid. This is why PPIs like Prevacid or Zegerid are a more effective means of treatment, since they actually stop the parietal cells from producing more acid.

[Anonymous]

Would this apply to Zantac as well?

It would explain so much if it did.

[Anonymous]

Well, it basically applies to any drugs that reduce the amount of acid in the stomach. This is known as “acid rebound effect”. If the drug cannot control acid production or if you stop taking a drug that does control the acid production, then the stomach will produce even more acid in response.

[Author]

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