The number of people experiencing dementia has been slowly increasing over the last several decades, and medical experts argue that more and more people will develop the degenerative disease over the coming decades if they don’t find out how to stop it.
Therefore, extensive research has been conducted to find out if there are ways to prevent dementia, and one study found something incredibly interesting: an extremely common over-the-counter medicine may be increasing the risk of dementia.
What Is Dementia?
An estimated 6.7 million Americans and more than 55 million people worldwide are currently living with dementia. The degenerative condition can affect absolutely anyone, though it most often presents in the elderly.
While doctors understand the results of dementia, such as memory loss, declining cognitive abilities, and the inability to complete daily tasks, they actually know very little about what causes this frustrating disease.
Understanding the Science Behind Dementia
Researchers have concluded that long-term alcohol abuse, brain injuries, brain tumors, low or changes in vitamin levels, and genetic predispositions can all lead to dementia. But they don’t understand why some people with absolutely none of these contract the illness.
A long-held theory is that certain modern medicines are leading to an increased number of otherwise healthy people developing dementia. Therefore, teams of researchers around the world have dedicated themselves to trying to find out which medicines could be causing dementia.
The University of Minnesota Study Linking Medicine to Dementia
In August 2023, a team at the University actually found a modern medicine that is undoubtedly linked to dementia.
The researchers, led by Dr. Lamakshi Lakshminarayan, conducted an extensive study for five and a half years to get their answer, which may now be able to protect thousands of people from developing dementia.
Let’s Talk Numbers: The Team Followed 5,712 People
The nine doctors who facilitated the study followed 5,712 people aged 45 or older (with an average age of 75) who did not have dementia.
They saw the subject for their first visit in 2011 and published their final findings in August 2023, and over those 12 years, they found something incredibly interesting.
Looking for a Correlation Between a Commonly Used Medicine and Dementia
They specifically chose those 5,712 people because they were looking for a correlation between a very specific over-the-counter medicine and dementia.
In order to properly determine if their hypothesis was correct, they chose some people who had never taken the medicine, some who had taken it for less than 2.8 years, others who had used it for between 2.8 and 4.4 years, and a fourth group who had taken the specific meds more than 4.4 years before the trials began.
The Medicine Linked to Dementia
The medicine they were testing is called proton pump inhibitors, or PPIs. PPIs are extremely common in most over-the-counter medicines that fight heartburn, as they reduce stomach acid by neutralizing the enzymes in the stomach lining that produce the irritating acid.
As Dr. Lakshminarayan explained, “People take these drugs regularly, so we examined if they are linked to a higher risk of dementia.”
Those Who Took PPIs for More than 4.4 Years Were More Likely to Develop Dementia
Dr. Lakshminarayan and his colleagues found their hypothesis to be correct. Of the 4,222 people who did not take PPIs, only 19 in every 1,000 people developed dementia. Whereas 24 in every 1,000 people who took the medication for more than 4.4 years contracted the degenerative condition.
However, while they noticed a significant increase in dementia for those who took the drug for more than 4.4 years, they did not see the same effect in those who had only taken PPIs for 2.8 to 4.4 years. Their conclusion: Long-term PPI use is connected to dementia.
The Research Cannot Confirm That Acid Reflux Drugs Cause Dementia
It’s important to understand that this study does not prove that acid reflux disease literally causes dementia, but it does show an association.
Dr. Lakshminarayan explained, “More research is needed to confirm our findings and explore reasons for the possible link between long-term proton pump inhibitor use and a higher risk of dementia.”
More Than One-Third of Americans Experience Acid Reflux
One of the reasons why this study is so important is because one-third of all adults in the US experience acid reflux, and UCI Health reported that around 15 million Americans are currently taking PPIs to treat their condition.
Therefore, if this study proves true and future research confirms that PPIs can and do increase one’s chances of developing dementia, millions of people could save themselves from the horrible disease simply by stopping this kind of treatment.
There Are Ways to Combat Acid Reflux Without Medication
Dr. Lakshminarayan wants those reading about his study to understand that “while there are various ways to treat acid reflux, such as taking antacids, maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding late meals and certain foods, different approaches may not work for everyone.”
He understands that some people will unquestionably need medication for their acid reflux, and he doesn’t even recommend automatically stopping taking PPIs.
If You Take Acid Reflux Medications, Talk to Your Doctor About Choosing an Option Without PPIs
The doctor explained, “It is important that people taking these medications speak with their doctor before making any changes to discuss the best treatment for them because stopping these drugs abruptly may result in worse symptoms.”
If you are taking PPIs for acid reflux or you’re not sure what kind of medicine you are taking, it’s definitely time to talk to your doctor about other options. While they cannot yet say for sure that PPI use can cause dementia, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
