Drugs against acid reflux may cause to vitamin B12 deficiency

December 11, 2013  20:45

Researchers found people who were diagnosed with vitamin B12 deficiency were more likely to be taking proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) and histamine 2 receptor antagonists (H2RAs), compared to those not diagnosed with the condition, CBS News reports.

The drugs are commonly used to treat conditions like acid reflux - also known as GERD - and peptic ulcers.

"This doesn't mean people should stop their medications," Dr. Douglas Corley, the study's senior author, gastroenterologist from Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, California, said. "It does raise the question that people who are taking these medications should have their B12 levels checked".

Humans typically get vitamin B12 from eating animal products. B12 is also added to many processed foods and can also be purchased as a supplement.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to nerve damage and dementia.

For the new study, the researchers compared the medical records of nearly 26,000 Northern California residents who were diagnosed with a vitamin B12 deficiency between 1997 and 2011, and nearly 185,000 people with healthy B12 levels.

Among those who were vitamin B12 deficient, 12 percent had been on PPIs for at least two years and about 4 percent were on H2RAs for an equally long period.

By comparison, among people without a diagnosis of B12 deficiency, 7 percent had been on PPIs for two or more years and 3 percent were on H2RAs long-term.

Not only were PPIs and H2RAs tied to an increased risk of vitamin B12 deficiency, but higher doses were more strongly associated with deficiency than weaker ones, the researchers found.

 

 

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