Can heartburn medicines keep me from having enough vitamin B-12?

Answer From Elizabeth Rajan, M.D.

Some studies have found a link between heartburn medicines and low vitamin B-12 levels. Not having enough vitamin B-12 is called vitamin B-12 deficiency.

Medicines to treat heartburn, also called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), work by blocking stomach acid. Blocking stomach acid can keep the body from taking in vitamin B-12.

Why is this important? Vitamin B-12 deficiency can cause complications if it's not treated. These can include a condition in which the blood makes too few red blood cells, called anemia, and swelling of the tongue, called glossitis. Other complications include numbness and trouble walking.

Two common types of GERD medicines have been linked to vitamin B-12 deficiency:

  • H-2-receptor blockers. These include cimetidine (Tagamet HB), famotidine (Pepcid AC) and ranitidine.
  • Proton pump inhibitors. These include omeprazole (Prilosec), esomeprazole (Nexium) and lansoprazole (Prevacid).

Some studies have found that taking either type of medicine daily for a year or more increases the risk of vitamin B-12 deficiency.

If you're worried about your vitamin B-12 level, talk with your healthcare professional. If your B-12 level is low, ask if a lower dose of your GERD medicine might control your symptoms. And ask if you need to take a vitamin B-12 supplement.

With

Elizabeth Rajan, M.D.

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July 09, 2024 See more Expert Answers

See also

  1. Asthma and acid reflux
  2. Bile reflux
  3. Breastfeeding and medications
  4. Cough
  5. Counting calories
  6. Diabetic Gastroparesis
  7. Gastroparesis
  8. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
  9. GERD: Can certain medications make it worse?
  10. Honey: An effective cough remedy?
  11. What causes laryngospasm?
  12. Minimally invasive anti-reflux procedures
  13. Minimally invasive anti-reflux surgery
  14. Needle biopsy
  15. Nissen fundoplication
  16. Opera Star's Surgery
  17. Relaxation techniques
  18. Scleroderma
  19. Upper endoscopy
  20. Endoscopy
  21. Fundoplication
  22. X-ray