GERD Drugs and Osteoporosis: Try Toronto Chiropractic Nutrition & Food Advice

GERD - GastroEsophageal Reflux Disease. Acid Reflux. Could they come up with a more appealing name for this condition?! It’s not an appealing condition at all, but the drugs that are sometimes prescribed – proton pump inhibitors - may lead to osteoporosis. Two conditions for one! Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre can talk with you about the condition and offer some chiropractic nutrition advice.

1. First, what is GERD? Toronto GERD sufferers can tell you it’s no fun! GERD is a chronic digestive disease where a backwash of acid from the stomach irritates the lining of your esophagus. Acid reflux and heartburn are common signs of GERD. If such symptoms happen more than twice a week, GERD is likely the diagnosis.
2. Second, how do the GERD drugs - proton pump inhibitors (esomeprazole, lansoprazole, or pantoprazole) - affect you? A new research paper compared 114 GERD patients on these proton pump inhibitors to 110 healthy people not on them. Bone mass density was measured in both groups at the beginning and end of the study (mean treatment time was 8.5 months). Researchers found a significant reduction in bone density in the proton pump inhibitor patients. (1) As you know, bone mass density is an indicator of bone health, and a reduction may lead to higher osteoporosis risk.
3. Third, what nutritional advice might you follow to combat any resulting osteoporosis? Let’s talk about that at your next Toronto chiropractic appointment. Likely, calcium supplementation may be considered, and diet modifications may be suggested. A GERD diet may be reviewed with you as well. What’s a GERD diet? That may be different for different Toronto GERD sufferers, but avoiding fried and fatty foods, acidic foods, whole milk, caffeinated beverages, alcohol, and spicy foods is a good starting point. (2) You can experiment with foods and watch for your body’s reaction to them.

So, rely on your Toronto chiropractic physician to have the latest information on conditions that affect you from the spine to other such conditions like GERD. Approaches to various conditions like nutrition and even spinal manipulation may complement the other therapies you are receiving. So if you have GERD or know someone who does, contact Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre today. You’ll be glad you did!