Omeprazole belongs to the group of drugs which reduce the amount of acid in your stomach. It is a powerful inhibitor of gastric acid, which regulates digestion and eliminates microbes. Also, it is used for treating certain conditions which are results from excess gastric acid.
However, Omeprazole can seriously harm your health.
Most of us have ever used this drug, especially in the treatment of gastric discomfort. However, this gastric protector can turn into harmful drug when used for years. The main problem lies in the addiction to this drug. When treating gastritis, Omeprazole is one of the predominant drugs and its consumption can turn into a habit.
With a regular consumption for more than one year, Omeprazole affects the body’s absorption of vitamin B12 and thus causes serious conditions such as: depression, anemia, dementia and other neurological problems.
The Dangers of Omeprazole for Our Health
Vitamin B12 stimulates the production of red blood cells and when there are problems with the absorption of this vitamin, fatigue takes place immediately.
Omeprazole can significantly harm the central nervous system and thus affect the overall health of the body.
Other well-known risk of omeprazole is that it can reduce the calcium absorption by the body and cause fractures, bone and muscle problems.
Its use has also been connected with some respiratory problems, especially in the older population. According to Ph.D. in pharmacy, Monica Hidalgo from the National Center for Drug Information in Costa Rica, the gastric acid is important for protecting the organism from various viruses and bacteria mainly related to respiratory problems. With a regular consumption of Omeprazole, this gastric acid is removed, thus giving place to many toxic and harmful substances in the organism.
The Kaiser Permanente Institute, has conducted a study focused on the dangers of Omeprazole on people’s health. In the study participated 26 thousand patients, some of them regularly used Omeprazole every day while the others have never used this drug in their lifetime. The results were surprising, those who consumed Omeprazole had a 65% risk of vitamin B12 deficiency in comparison to those who had never used it.
