Scientists Claim People Taking Acid Reflux Drugs Regularly Are At A Higher Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes

A study has found that people who have been consuming acid reflux drugs might be at a 24 percent higher risk of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Experts have warned people saying that those who are taking proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are twice more likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Proton pump inhibitors are available in the market with the brand names of Prilosec and Nexium. The study says that the longer people use acid reflux drugs, the higher the risk of diabetes is. Scientists from Sun Yat-sen University in China have come up with this study. They have said that people, who have been using these medications for more than 2 years, need to get their blood sugar level checked for the diagnosis of diabetes.

Experts have said these proton pump inhibitors block the enzyme in the surface of the stomach, which produces acid, which prevents ulcers in the stomach. It also heals the existing ulcer, acid reflux, and rapid heartburn. There are nearly 15 million people in the US who use PPIs regularly. The team of experts has observed around 205000 participants who have been included in three previous studies the US Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), NHS II, and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS). NHS and NHS II have analyzed the risk factor for chronic ailments among the women, while HPFS has evaluated the risk factor for severe disease in men.

Volunteers of these studies have been asked whether they have used PPIs for more than two years. At the end of the study, nearly 10000 volunteers have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Barring other factors, the risk of type 2 diabetes among people taking PPI has been more than 50 percent. At the same time, the risk of diabetes among people who have not been taking PPI has been quite less. After evaluating other factors like high cholesterol and high blood pressure, people using proton pump inhibitors have been at a 24 percent increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes as compared to those who do not use it. Scientists have claimed that factors like age, sex, and family history are not important factors in increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes among people using PPI while these factors do play a bigger role in the higher risk of diabetes among people with body weight and blood pressure. This study has been published in the journal Gut.