Using acid reflux drugs like TUMS and Prilosec raise risk of migraine by up to 70 percent, study warns

Utilizing well-liked over-the-counter heartburn medicines like TUMS or Prilosec raises your danger of affected by migraines by as much as 70 p.c, a research suggests.

Researchers on the College of Maryland analyzed knowledge on 11,800 folks, together with 2,100 who took over-the-counter anti-heartburn medicines.

This included sufferers taking antacid remedies containing calcium carbonate, which is utilized in TUMS, or proton pump inhibitors like Prilosec to ease the burning sensation within the chest.

Twenty-eight p.c of contributors who took antacids reported affected by migraines within the earlier three months, in comparison with 24 p.c of those that weren’t utilizing the remedies.

Outcomes confirmed taking calcium carbonate raised migraine danger by 30 p.c, whereas taking proton pump inhibitors raised the chance by 70 p.c. 

Researchers warned this could possibly be as a result of the medicines dehydrate the physique and dehydration is a standard reason behind migraines. 

Additionally they raised considerations over the findings, warning earlier analysis had linked the medicine to dementia — a situation repeated complications have additionally been related to as they elevate the chance of harm to blood vessels within the mind.

Thousands and thousands take the over-the-counter medicines yearly resulting from heartburn — which afflicts greater than 60million Individuals.

The situation is brought on by abdomen acid backing up into the esophagus — the tube operating from the mouth to the abdomen — inflicting a burning sensation within the chest.

The remedies have beforehand been linked to a bunch of unwanted side effects, together with nausea, vomiting, lack of urge for food, gasoline and a dry mouth.

However this research provides to a rising physique of proof that a number of courses of acid reflux disease medicines could possibly be linked to migraines.

Researchers analyzed knowledge from the Nationwide Well being and Vitamin Analysis Survey (NHANES), a nationwide questionnaire on greater than a thousand adults carried out yearly within the US.

Knowledge from the 1999 to 2004 surveys was used as a result of these have been the one ones that requested contributors a query on migraines or complications throughout the earlier three months.

A migraine is totally different from a headache.

Migraines are a neurological illness that may trigger extreme head ache, in addition to nausea, vomiting, blurry imaginative and prescient, temper adjustments, diarrhea and fatigue.

Sufferers affected by them expertise a extreme, throbbing ache on one or either side of the top that may final from just a few hours to a number of days.

The vast majority of survey respondents — 960 folks — took antacids that both contained calcium carbonate, which neutralizes abdomen acid, or have been proton pump inhibitors, which block abdomen acid secretion.

However some additionally used H2 blockers like Tagamet as a substitute, which work by decreasing acid ranges within the abdomen. 

These are additionally accessible over-the-counter.

The researchers discovered that for these taking proton pump inhibitors, 25 p.c reported extreme complications in comparison with 19 p.c for these not utilizing the medicine.

And amongst these utilizing H2 blockers, 25 p.c had extreme complications in comparison with 20 p.c of these not taking the medicine.

Outcomes confirmed those that used medicines with calcium carbonate have been 30 p.c extra prone to have a migraine in comparison with those that didn’t.

It additionally discovered those that used proton pump inhibitors have been 70 p.c extra prone to endure from a extreme headache, whereas these utilizing H2 blockers have been 40 p.c extra prone to have one.

Dr Margaret Slavin, a diet science skilled concerned with the research, mentioned: ‘Given the large utilization of acid-reducing medicine and these potential implications with migraine, these outcomes warrant additional investigation.

‘These medicine are sometimes thought of to be overprescribed, and new analysis has proven different dangers tied to long-term use of proton pump inhibitors, comparable to an elevated danger of dementia.’

She added: ‘It is essential to notice that many individuals do want acid-reducing medicines to handle acid reflux disease or different circumstances.

‘Individuals with migraine or extreme headache who’re taking these medicine or dietary supplements ought to speak with their docs about whether or not they need to proceed.’

The analysis did have limitations, together with that solely a small variety of contributors within the research have been truly utilizing heartburn medicines. 

The research was revealed in Neurology Medical Observe, the official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.