Stomach acid effects on oral Bisphosphonates

[Nanaedake]

Has anyone got experience of how Bisphosphonates are affected by stomach acid? Could reduced stomach acid cause unresponsive esophageal valves that then leak stomach contents after taking Bisphosphonates?

Presumably, Bisphosphonates are tested on healthy volunteers, not those people with coexisting conditions. This could mean that no matter how 'correctly' people take their medicine they may experience adverse effects due to another condition affecting the way their stomach works. Is there any research into this?

According to some information a thyroid condition, for example, may cause low stomach acid.

Also, why does the NHS prescribe calcium carbonate for osteoporosis? I've read it neutralises stomach acid and is often included in antacid medicines.

I thought good stomach acid is needed to extract nutrients efficiently from food?

Why can't the NHS prescribe calcium citrate and a separate vitamin D3? Vit D3 should be taken with the fattest meal of the day but calcium citrate can be taken any time and doesn't neutralise stomach acid.

None of it makes any good sense to me.

[pigeonCl-HU]

Hi Nanaedake, totally agree with you regarding stomach acid, necessary for the efficient extraction of nutrients from the food we eat.

Yet everywhere you look, stomach acid seems to be the bad guy.

I never thought much of the fashionable "alkaline" diet.

What you say about calcium, carbonate vs. citrate, makes sense to me.

I can only assume that carbonate is prescribes as it contains higher percentage of elemental calcium then citrate, and is the cheaper of the two....

pigeon

[Markarska]

I agree with you. I have used acid suppressant tablets for years but now my gp and rheumatologist both agree that these can reduce the absorption of calcium etc and I am weaning myself off them. I think calcium carbonate is just the cheapest option but I hope to get adequate calcium from my diet. I take vit D3 separately, and K2. I have no idea if anything I am doing will work but so far have resisted bisphosphonates due to side effects for acid reflux and don’t want injections incase of bad reactions. It’s all a shot in the dark really!

[Nanaedake in reply to Markarska]

I read that adequate magnesium helps absorb calcium so am using a magnesium spray. Unless you have kidney disease your body excretes any excess. My fingernails are growing really well so it could be good for bones too. I'm also supplementing folate which is always a bit low despite eating greens every day. I take methylfolate which is most absorbable.

I don't want an infusion or injections either. I feel much better not taking Bisphosphonates. They made me feel ill.

[Markarska in reply to Nanaedake]

I use a magnesium spray too and take folic acid which I have to use as on methotrexate for inflammatory arthritis. My gp wants me to have an annual injection but I am resisting.

[Nanaedake in reply to Markarska]

Have you ever tried going gluten free? I've been doing it for about 18 months because apparently if sensitive to gluten it can prevent you absorbing calcium properly. I don't know if it helps or not.

[Markarska in reply to Nanaedake]

Not something I have tried.

[Titian8 in reply to Markarska]

I love to take Epsom Salt (magnesium sulphate) baths as prefer taking the least amount of pills/supplements possible. I buy it in bulk 10kg tubs and works out quite cheap.

Good advice re stopping PPI's. They are prescribed too often, too quickly with serious side effects when gentler more natural alternatives can work just as effectively. Wish I had done my research on these 'prazoles ' years ago. I successfully stopped them also after too many years of use.