GERD Medicines Can Cause Vitamin B-12 Deficiency

Brad53 · 07-09-2006, 10:20 AM

I have known this for a while, and wanted to share this with you guys. Apparently the Proton Pump Inhibitors (Prevacid, Prilosec, Nexium) prevent vitamin B-12 from breaking down in the stomach, due to the decrease in stomach acid. B-12 is normally broken down in the stomach and absorbed in the small intestine.

I have been taking PPIs for 7 years. I had erosions in my esophagus and stomach. I had ulcers in my small intestine. A second endoscopic analysis showed the medicines had worked and all had healed.

When I tried to stop the PPIs, I had terrible ulcer pain. My gastro said that I would have to take these medicines for life. Well, originally the FDA had approved the use of PPIs for only 8 weeks. There was data available on people who had took them longer. These people had Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome, where the stomach produces way too much acid.

So, I was concerned with taking this medicine for so long, and still am. I have a vitamin B-12 deficiency that has already done it's damage, which is peripheral neuropathy. I have had PN for quite some time, but I haven't known what caused it. I found out recently that a B-12 deficiency lasting long enough, will definitely damage the nerves.

I urge you guys to get checked and prevent this from happening to you.

taape · 07-09-2006, 02:18 PM

Thank you for letting us know. I guess one can get tested to see what their B 12 level is and then take supplements? Sorry to hear that you have damage due to this. Can you still take supplements to prevent any further damage?

Brad53 · 07-09-2006, 06:11 PM

I guess that time will tell if the PN is permanent. I am eating B-12, folic acid and vitamin B-6, lol. I think that B-6 can be toxic in large amounts. I skip it sometimes. Pernicious Anemia is one form of B-12 deficiency. My CBC blood test showed some abnormalities. One was the MCV (Mean Corpuscular Volume) measurement. It was really high. It means your red blood cells are really too big.

This test result came back last fall. I started taking extra B-12 and all. I thought it would go away, but was retested about 3 weeks ago and it is still abnormal. I have had peripheral neuropathy for years and the neurologist could not tell me the cause. I thought it was from taking statins, but now, I don't know...

I am going to start either getting the B-12 shots, or take the sublingual B-12 (under the tongue).

Do you know if anyone has been able to stop taking the PPIs after being on them for a long time? Thanks in advance