Supplements for Acid Reflux-Related Vitamin Deficiency

Acid reflux is a problem that millions of people deal with every day. In Western countries, about 10% to 20% of people experience GERD, with around 6% dealing with severe cases.

But acid reflux can be responsible for health problems that extend beyond the outward symptoms of the condition. 

Beyond the usual symptoms like heartburn and nausea, acid reflux or GERD can also cause vitamin deficiencies that may negatively affect your health. In many cases, these deficiencies aren’t caused by the condition itself but by the medications used to treat it.

• When you’re suffering from acid reflux, shutting down acid production in your stomach may seem like the best way to neutralize your symptoms. 
• But, while this can provide some short-term relief, you can deplete your body of much-needed nutrients in the long term. 

So, if you want to keep acid reflux at bay without draining your body of vital vitamins, what’s the best move?

For many people facing this dilemma, taking supplements for acid reflux has proved to be effective. 

In this article, we’re going to discuss different supplements for GERD and acid reflux that can keep you fit and healthy. 

The Role of Proton Pump Inhibitors and Vitamin Deficiency 

Medication is one of the most common ways to address acid reflux symptoms and provide relief. Three types of medications are used to treat reflux: 

• Proton pump inhibitors or PPIs (ex., Nexium, Prilosec) 
• H2 blockers (ex., Pepcid, Tagamet) 
• Antacids (ex. Tums, Maalox). 

These medications work by suppressing the production of acid in the stomach. They come in some over-the-counter form. 

However, for more severe cases of acid reflux, you may be able to get prescription-strength acid reflux medicine from your doctor. Each of these medications reduces the amount of acid in your stomach, causing the pH balance in your stomach to shift to a more neutral level. 

If you don’t know much about what pH is, here’s a crash course: 

• pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution with a scale ranging from zero to fourteen
• The more acidic a solution, the lower the pH. 
• Conversely, the more alkaline or basic a substance is, the higher the number will be. 
• Seven, sitting right in the middle of the scale, is considered a neutral level. 

According to Dr. Keith Halperin, the pH of our stomach is vital to the digestion of many nutrients and acts as the first line of defense against harmful bacteria and viruses. 

In his article “Stomach Acid, pH and Health,” he explains that the stomach is a reservoir of strong acid, requiring a very acidic pH of 1.5 to 2.5 to maintain digestive health. 

He goes on to explain how a lack of hydrochloric acid, the acid that determines stomach pH levels, affects the digestion of iron, folate, B12, calcium, and protein.

Author Suzy Cohen, a licensed pharmacist for over twenty years, asserts that it’s possible to get diagnosed with a new disease when deprived of certain nutrients for too long. 

To avoid depriving yourself of nutrients, you might try other methods to find acid reflux relief. 

For instance,

• Sleeping on MedCline’s patented GERD pillow can potentially reduce reflux symptoms while keeping you comfortable through the night. 

If you don’t need medicines for acid reflux, consider vitamins and supplements that can help offset the side effects of those drugs. 

Take a look at the list below to find which supplements might work best for you.

Folate

Folate, also called vitamin B9, is a water-soluble vitamin that your body needs to make DNA, produce red blood cells, and support overall cell growth and function. For your body to properly absorb it, the gut’s pH needs to stay between 5.5 and 6.0. 

• When you take H2 blockers, the gut’s pH rises, making it harder for folate to be absorbed. 
• Low folate levels can lead to or worsen conditions like atherosclerosis and may trigger symptoms such as confusion, depression, irritability, pale skin, and megaloblastic anemia.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is naturally found in stomach acid. 

• It’s a nutrient that serves a variety of different purposes. 
• It acts as an antioxidant, and it’s essential in the production of collagen
• It reinforces your immune system, keeping it strong enough to fight against germs and other harmful bacteria. 

Iron

Iron deficiency can occur in people taking cimetidine, an H2 blocker. Studies show iron absorption can drop by 28–65% with doses of 300–900 mg because the gut’s pH rises. 

Low iron isn’t just a minor issue; it can cause fatigue, shortness of breath, pale skin, heart palpitations, dizziness, anxiety, hair loss, muscle twitches, and even mood or behavioral changes.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 in food is bound to protein, and your stomach acid is what frees it so your body can absorb it. Without enough B12 or with a vitamin B12 deficiency, you might feel fatigued, weak, confused, or even depressed. It can also lead to nerve problems and, in some cases, psychiatric or dementia-like symptoms.

Think of it this way

• Stomach acid acts like a key that unlocks B12 from the protein in food.
• If your stomach isn’t making enough acid due to vitamin B12 acid reflux or medications like H2 blockers and other acid-reducing drugs, it can be harder to absorb B12 from meals.
• Supplemental B12 isn’t affected by low stomach acid and can be absorbed without it.

In short, acid blockers can keep you from getting B12 out of your meals.

Magnesium

Reports of hypomagnesemia have occurred with long-term PPI use (greater than 1 year). PPIs can block the active transport of magnesium in the intestine, causing low magnesium and resulting in serious pathophysiology, including cardiac arrhythmia, muscle spasms, tetany, hypocalcemia, epileptic convulsions (seizures), hypoparathyroidism, and depression. 

There’s a blood test available to determine your red blood cell (RBC) levels of magnesium.

Vitamin A

Beta carotene forms vitamin A in the body, but it itself is not absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract very well in the presence of omeprazole (a PPI drug) because of the higher pH levels.  

So, natural beta carotene or plain vitamin A supplements may be necessary if you have one or more of the following symptoms: 

• Dry eyes
• Peeling nails
• Dry hair
• Dry skin
• Grey spots in the eyes (Bitot’s spots)
• Night blindness 
• Impaired immunity

Probiotics (Lactobacillus)

Gastric ulcer patients show bacterial overgrowth in the jejunum and fat malabsorption after omeprazole treatment. The bacterial overgrowth included anaerobes and aerobes and is more than likely associated with a drug-induced shift to neutral pH. 

Also, probiotics protect against bacterial adhesion of Helicobacter pylori, the organism known to cause ulceration. Having poor gut integrity due to low probiotic status can affect immunity, levels of energy, and weight. 

Signs that you may not have enough of these friendly organisms in your mucosal barrier include: 

• Autoimmune issues
• Skin rashes
• Digestive issues 
• Sugar cravings
• Fatigue
• Unexplained weight gain or loss
• Unexplained mood disorders

Vitamin D

Activation of vitamin D occurs partly in the stomach and then in the liver. If the acid is reduced in the stomach, complete activation does not occur. Data suggest that cimetidine treatment affects vitamin D levels, due to the fact that one month after cessation of therapy, D levels rose significantly. Vitamin D is important both for maintaining a good mood and preventing infections.  

The Bottom Line

If you’ve been dealing with acid reflux or GERD, it’s only natural to seek out help. But keep in mind that the solution to this condition can bring its own unique set of problems. Acid reflux medications like PPIs can reduce the acidity in your stomach and impact the pH levels of your stomach acid, which can result in vitamin deficiencies and other consequences.

While it’s important to be aware of the effects on your body when taking medications, you should always consult your doctor before making any changes to your regimen. If you’re taking acid blockers and have noticed health problems or experienced some of the symptoms listed above, talk to your doctor to see if any of the above supplements are right for you. 

Lastly, it’s always safe to supplement your treatments with lifestyle changes. Avoiding trigger foods, eating smaller meals, and sleeping with MedCline can help neutralize acid reflux while maintaining the proper acidic levels for optimal digestive health.