Side Effects Of Antacid Medications

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Antacid is the common term for a medication that you take to treat acid reflux. Acidity and indigestion is very rampant ailment for us these days. Especially Indians who indulge in rich and spicy food get acid reflux all the time. Antacid medications can treat heartburns effectively and some advertisements claim that they give you instant relief. However, there are some side effects of taking these antacid medications.

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You do not need a prescription to buy an antacid; they are over-the-counter drugs that are available freely. Yet, some of the side effects of these antacids are very deep seated and has far reaching implications for your health. So before you swallow some antacid medications for a heartburn, you would know that you are putting yourself at risk.

Here are some of the worst side effects of taking antacid medications on the regular basis.

It Is An Eyewash
Most doctors will tell you that antacid medications are an eyewash. This is because the medicines do not really help you overcome acidity itself, it only treats the symptoms. The medicine can give you temporary relief from acid reflux but it does not make the indigestion go away.

Erodes Your Stomach
Your stomach is always acidic. You get acidity only when your stomach becomes more acidic than it should be. All these antacids are alkaline solutions that bring down the pH of the stomach. But this chemical reaction often erodes the lining of the stomach.

Kills Good Bacteria
The good bacteria that is there in your gut thrives in an acidic medium of the stomach. The chemically alkaline antacids kill the good bacteria in the stomach. This in turn ruins your natural ability to digest food.

The Rebound Effect
Often, all these antacids do is suppress the stomach acids for a couple of hours. Once the effect of these medications is over, the acid reflux problem surges back vengefully. And this time, your attack of indigestion is much worse. It is much better to go for herbal methods to get rid indigestion so that you don't have to deal with these problems.

Self Medication
The problem is not so much with the antacid medicines by themselves. The problem lies with the way we have with without any prescription. As these drugs are freely available, most people do not see a doctor before having these medicines. Some of these medicines have to be taken on an empty stomach half an hour before eating food. Some of these medicines have to be taken with food as buffering. But we take antacids as and when we like, thinking that there would be no side effects.

You must never take antacids without prescription or proper instructions from the doctors. Always try to avoid medicines and go for herbal methods like drinking green tea or having yogurt to cure indigestion.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.