If you regularly reach for over-the-counter antacids to deal with stomach problems, there’s something you should know…
These medications come with some very serious side effects — so serious that even the FDA can’t ignore them any longer.
That’s why the FDA recently issued a warning related to the life-threatening consequences of taking over-the-counter antacids that contain aspirin.
It turns out, these popular treatments for acid reflux and indigestion (like Alka Seltzer and Bromo Seltzer) can cause stomach and intestinal bleeding so severe that you may require a blood transfusion.
Now, this side effect isn’t super common (the FDA has only recorded eight new cases in the past seven years). But the consequences of stomach and intestinal bleeding are serious enough to warrant a long pause before you pop another aspirin-filled antacid — especially if certain factors put you more at risk for developing severe bleeding from drugs that contain aspirin…
Like if you’re 60 or older, have a history of stomach ulcers or bleeding problems, take blood-thinning drugs, take steroids (like prednisone), take other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (like ibuprofen or naproxen) or drink three or more adult beverages a day.
And these risk factors apply to any and all drugs that contains aspirin… not just antacids.
You may remember that in 2009, the FDA issued a similar warning for aspirin and other NSAIDs, saying that these drugs increase your risk of intestinal bleeding…
But that doesn’t stop millions of Americans from taking aspirin and other NSAIDs regularly. And I’m sure just as many Americans will continue to seek the comfort of a little plop, plop, fizz, fizz action from time to time.
Of course, many of the people who do, might not even realize that there’s aspirin in their antacid… which is part of what makes this side effect so scary.
When you’re taking a medication to ease stomach-related symptoms, you don’t necessarily expect to get a dose of something as notoriously irritating to the stomach as aspirin (because, besides stomach bleeding, aspirin is also known to cause nausea, heartburn, stomach pain and vomiting).
This surprise factor could make it all too easy for a person with one (or more) risk factors for intestinal bleeding to unwittingly put themselves in jeopardy.
Unless of course, you steer clear of OTC antacids all together…
Because if you find that you need to resort to these medications to keep your stomach happy, something is seriously out of whack. And that’s an issue you want to take care of right away through safe, natural remedies like a healthy diet and supplements (such as probiotics and digestive enzymes) rather than just masking the symptoms with dangerous drugs.
And for those desperate times when you really need to get your Alka Seltzer fix, stick to Alka Seltzer Gold. It contains all the stomach-soothing ingredients without sneaking in a dose of aspirin.
Sources:
“Warning: Aspirin-Containing Antacid Medicines Can Cause Bleeding.” The U.S. Food & Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
“Aspirin.” U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://www.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
