CNCA Health

Health Magazine

Beware Of Falling Magnesium Levels When Taking Heartburn Meds

Medicine drug bottle

Just when you thought the FDA was done with warnings about prescription proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), the agency recently issued a new one alerting consumers that magnesium levels may drop with the long-term use of this drug class.

The warning was prompted by a review of 61 cases from medical literature and the agency’s Adverse Event Reporting System that noted a possible link between PPIs like Prevacid and Nexium and hypomagnesemia when taking them, in many cases, for longer than a year.

Low magnesium levels in the bloodstream can be a serious problem for patients, helping to trigger seizures, muscle spasms and arrhythmias, as well as those taking a PPI with medicines like digoxin, used to treat heart failure or an irregular heartbeat.

You’d assume taking a magnesium supplement could lessen the problems PPIs create, as it’s often prescribed, according to the FDA. Three caveats worth mentioning:

  • Have a doctor check your magnesium levels with a simple blood test before starting a PPI for the long-term.
  • Magnesium supplementation didn’t work about 25 percent of the time, forcing patients to stop taking their heartburn drug.
  • Be careful about the quality of the magnesium supplement you’re taking.

FDA.gov March 2, 2011

CardiologyToday.com March 4, 2011

MSNBC March 2, 2011

Recent Posts

  • Swapping Water Fluoridation Chemicals Could Reduce Arsenic in Drinking Water by 99 Percent
  • Are Coffee and Tea Good for You?
  • How Your Sports Team Losing Might Make You Fat
  • Top 10 Nutritious and Affordable Fruits
  • Top Ways To Protect Your Vision Health
  • Top Natural Solutions for More Restful Sleep
  • Top Foods and Nutrients for Heart Health
  • Top 10 Food Ingredients to Avoid
  • Countries with Most Food Safety Violations
  • Starving Cancer: Eat Your Own Chemotherapy?
  • 5 Benefits of Yoga — No Matter What Your Age (Plus, What Type is Right for You)
  • How to Choose the Right Multivitamin: 5 Key Steps
  • The Critical Role of Magnesium in Your Health
  • Omega-3 During Pregnancy May Reduce Risk of Childhood Obesity
  • Fueling Your Body to Boost Your Workout
  • Are Artificial Sweeteners Good for You?
  • Reduce Salt by Adding Vinegar?
  • Most BPA-Free Plastics Still Leach Toxic Chemicals
  • New Blood Test for Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer
  • New Strategy for Creating Custom Cancer Vaccines

© Copyright 2023 CNCA Health · All Rights Reserved ·