| Osteoporosis may be increased by acid reflux | | | | esophagitis. |
| medications: Osteoporosis is increased by | | | | Reflux symptoms respond to a gluten-free diet: |
| long-term use of acid blocker medications called | | | | Several patients I have evaluated for reflux |
| proton pump inhibitors (PPI's), like nexium, prilosec, | | | | symptoms, particularly when these symptoms |
| and prevacid according to a new study. These PPI | | | | were poorly controlled or the patient was |
| medications consistently are at the top of the list | | | | considering surgery rather than take daily |
| of most commonly prescribed drugs. Prilosec OTC | | | | medications, were found to have celiac disease or |
| is also available without a prescription. When | | | | non-celiac gluten sensitivity. In my experience, |
| heartburn, the primary symptom of acid reflux, is | | | | reflux symptoms frequently dramatically improve |
| chronic doctors usually prescribe PPI's like nexium. | | | | on a gluten free diet. |
| Heartburn is a common unrecognized symptom | | | | The positive effect of a gluten-free diet in |
| of celiac disease: | | | | relieving heartburn is not limited to celiac disease: |
| Most doctors are unaware that heartburn is a | | | | The beneficial effect of a gluten-free diet has |
| common symptom of undiagnosed celiac disease. | | | | been observed not only in celiac disease patients |
| Most are also unaware that osteoporosis is a | | | | but also in those not meeting strict diagnostic |
| common complication of this disorder. As a result, | | | | criteria for CD. Prior to starting a gluten-free diet I |
| medications that may cause or worsen | | | | took a daily proton pump inhibitor myself. After a |
| osteoporosis are being given to or taken by | | | | GFD, I occasionally experience heartburn when I |
| people who have heartburn due to unrecognized | | | | drink too much coffee or combine coffee, alcohol |
| CD. The result is that the misdiagnosis of the root | | | | and chocolate in the same meal. In my opinion, |
| cause of the problem leads to treatment that | | | | everyone with significant heartburn or a diagnosis |
| may also be causing or worsening osteoporosis. | | | | of reflux disease should be screened for gluten |
| Osteoporosis, though it increases with age, occurs | | | | sensitivity and/or consider a trial of GFD. |
| earlier in bowel diseases: | | | | How much does celiac disease increase the risk of |
| The prevalence is less than 15% at age 50 but | | | | osteoporosis? |
| increases to almost 30% at age 60, 50% at age | | | | How much celiac disease increases osteoporosis is |
| 70 and 70% at age 80. As a practicing | | | | debated. Studies have shown from small increases |
| gastroenterologist I have noted an increasing | | | | (1.5-1.8 times) to much larger (3-5 times) |
| number of below 60-year-old women and many | | | | increases of osteoporosis in CD. Such increased |
| more men who have been diagnosed with | | | | risk has prompted for calls for screening all people |
| osteoporosis who have never been screened for | | | | with celiac disease for osteoporosis and all people |
| celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease, both | | | | with osteoporosis for celiac disease. |
| intestinal conditions commonly associated with an | | | | Increased risk of osteoporosis raises concern |
| increase risk of osteoporosis. | | | | about long-term use of acid blocking medication: |
| Few doctors are aware that osteoporosis and | | | | With this new study raising the concern about |
| heartburn are associated with celiac: | | | | long-term use of acid blocking medications causing |
| One study has highlighted the unawareness of | | | | an increase risk of osteoporosis and the |
| primary care doctors that osteoporosis is | | | | frequently unrecognized association of heartburn |
| associated with celiac disease. A large survey | | | | with undiagnosed celiac disease the use of these |
| documented that less than half of doctors are | | | | medications without excluding CD and considering |
| aware that osteoporosis is a manifestation of | | | | this side effect is dangerous. Do not blindly accept |
| celiac disease. Heartburn is also a common | | | | a doctor's offer to write you a prescription for |
| symptom also not commonly recognized by | | | | acid blocker medications without looking further |
| doctors as a manifestation of celiac disease. | | | | into the possible causes of your heartburn as well |
| Gluten ingestion can impair gastric emptying | | | | as the risks of simply treating your symptom |
| resulting in more gastro-esophageal reflux. Initiation | | | | with a medication that may actually be worsening |
| of a gluten-free diet has been shown to diminish | | | | the complication risks of an underlying undiagnosed |
| reflux symptoms and result in the healing of | | | | problem that can be simply treated by diet. |