A study released in the Archives of Internal Medicine reveals that several antacid drugs increase the risk of fractures in postmenopausal women.
These drugs are potent inhibitors of acid and help prevent and heal stomach ulcers and gastroesophageal reflux. The problem is that although they are effective, they have harmful side effects.
The risk of spinal fractures increased by 45%, forearm and wrist fractures by 26% and, for all fractures combined, the risk is 25% higher.
These are the results of an eight-year study of 130,487 women aged 50-79 years.
Unfortunately, this type of drug is prescribed even in the mildest cases of simple heartburn, whereas in earlier times our grandparents relieved the same problem with baking soda.