09/22/2025
Ever heard about the link between long-term use of heartburn medications, specifically proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), and an increased risk of dementia? 🤔 A recent study in Neurology found that folks aged 45 and up, who popped PPIs for more than four years had a 33% higher chance of developing dementia than those who steered clear of these meds.
And there’s millions of people in the US who take some type of acid-reducing medication on a regular basis, so this is a real problem.
Now, I’m not discounting the fact that heartburn is a problem and needs to be treated but popping a PPI forever is not taking care of the underlying problem and is causing a whole host of other problems in the long run.
First, let’s look at possible underlying causes of heartburn.
➡️ H-pylori (a bacteria)
➡️ SIBO
➡️ Gluten sensitivity
➡️ Stress
➡️ Alcohol
➡️ Obesity
Now let’s see how PPI’s lower our overall health and contribute to dementia.
Interfere with the absorption of essential nutrients like our minerals and B-vitamins.
Minerals like magnesium and iron.
B vitamins, in particular B-12, are closely associated with dementia and detoxification
Make it harder to break down our protein, becoming protein deficient and slowing down transit time.
Allow pathogenic bacteria to live in our digestive tract
Cause inflammation in other parts of the gut.
Considering how common acid reflux and GERD affect millions of folks worldwide, this finding adds a curious twist to the story. 🌍 So, if you're on the PPI train, chat with your doctor before hitting the brakes. Abruptly stopping these meds might bring on a wave of not-so-fun symptoms.
In the meantime explore the possible underlying problem and support your body by supplementing with vitamins and minerals.
So, what are your thoughts on this? Have you heard about it before, or is this a new revelation?
