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THE UNIQUE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY
ACID-STOPPING MEDICATIONS DISCUSSION Acid-stopping medications such as Prilosec,
Prevacid and Nexium (and more versions are coming) work by
interfering with the “proton pump” and stopping the production
of hydrochloric acid by the gastric parietal cells in the
stomach. What is often not mentioned is that these
drugs also stop the parietal cells from producing Intrinsic
Factor, which is necessary for the absorption of Vitamin B12. These drugs induce a state of
hypochlorhydria in the stomach, which negatively affects the
function of the other digestive organs. A pH of about 2 in the
stomach is necessary to trigger the pancreas to begin production
and release of its enzymes, and the liver and gall bladder to
engage bile flow. Initially this class of drugs was only
permitted to be taken for a six-week period, and they were used
for ulcers and GERD. Now they are used for months and even years
at a time, and are routinely prescribed for any and all GI
symptoms. THIS IS PHYSIOLOGICAL INSANITY It is officially reported that thereare few
side effects to these drugs, and that the side effects tend to
be mild. But what is actually being perpetrated is a form of
physiological and biochemical insanity. The main reason that this is insanity is
that over 90% of people with “acid indigestion” are not making
too much stomach acid but too
little stomach acid. The
physiology is this: Stress stimulates the Sympathetic Nervous
System into action. The affect of the Sympathetics on digestion
is to shut it down, not turn it up, as we have been wrongly
told, See “THE MYTH OF ACID INDIGESTION” (available from
doctor). It is the rotting food in the stomach that
produces organic acids of putrefaction and fermentation, and
these cause the acid of acid indigestion. Naturally an antacid or acid stopping drug
makes the symptoms temporarily better, but at the cost of making
the problem increasingly worse over time. These drugs virturallly stop digestion, and
therefore most absorption, from occurring. WHAT ARE THE RESULTS:
Especially proteins and most minerals
cannot be digested without a strong acid medium beginning in the
stomach. The consequence is that these patients will begin to
feed off their own protein reserves (muscle and organs) and
mineral reserves (bone density). Pancreas and bile function are
also inhibited, causing malabsorption of all nutrients and all
fats.
When food is not digested properly
beginning in the stomach, it will putrefy and ferment-literally,
rot as it proceeds through the warm, moist environment of the GI
tract. The resulting systemic toxicity must be dealt with
continually, which will sooner or later overwhelm the organs of
detoxification. The resulting symptoms are bloating, gas,
diarrhea or constipation.
A state of permanent hypochlorhydria is
induced, and the consequence of this is both dire and extreme,
yet it is completely ignored by conventional medicine. What disease processes are related to
hypochlorhydria? The short answer is “Any and all disease
processes.” This is understood without much explanation by
anyone who appreciates the incredible dilemma presented to the
body by severe ongoing malnutrition and toxicity. For a detailed discussion of
hypochlorhydria and its many consequences, which were clearly
understood in medicine in the earlier part of the 20th
century (before antacid medications), see the three-part article
“Hypochlorhydria-A Review” by Judy Kitchen in the Townsend
Letter for Doctors and Patients, Oct., Nov., and Dec. 2001.
The low pH of gastric juice is designed to
sterilize the content of food. Without the low pH of the
stomach, a person is susceptible to any type of food
or water -borne parasite. Parasite infections have become far more
common than is currently recognized, primarily due to lack of
proper testing procedures. A single ransom stool test (as
performed in hospitals) is very unlikely to detect most parasite
infections. Specialty testing must be done, such as the Diagnos
Techs GI 2 or parasite testing from Great Smokies Lab.
Another result of prolonged use of
acid-stoppers is degeneration of the gastric mucosa. When correcting digestive problems with
natural remedies after the use of antacids, the problem is
resolved in a few weeks. (Correction consists of
boosting digestion, not
inhibiting it.) When correcting digestive problems with natural remedies after the use of acid-stoppping medication, the problem usually takes many months to correct. It appears that considerable degeneration of the gastric mucosa takes place. This makes sense, since the constant presence of rotting food on the mucosa has to cause problems. The first part of the natural protocol must therefore address the healing of the gastric mucosa before any boosting of gastric secretion can take place.
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