Side effects from antacids are rare. However, they can occur, even when you use them according to the directions. Antacids can either cause constipation or have a laxative effect. Some people have had allergic reactions.
Antacids might also increase the risk of developing sensitivities to certain foods. Many antacids — including Maalox, Mylanta, Rolaids and Tums — contain calcium. If you take too much or take them for longer than directed, you could get an overdose of calcium. Too much calcium can cause:. Excess calcium can also lead to alkalosis.
If you feel like you need to use a lot of an antacid for relief, that might be a sign of another condition. Antacids can interfere with the function of other drugs. If you take other medications, check with your doctor or pharmacist before using antacids.
Some antacids, such as Alka-Seltzer, contain aspirin. The Food and Drug Administration issued a safety alert about this type of antacid in June This alert was issued because of reports of serious bleeding related to aspirin-containing antacids. Antacids can often relieve symptoms of excess stomach acid. However, sometimes these symptoms mean you have a more serious condition. An upset stomach could actually be gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD or a peptic ulcer.
Antacids can only soothe, not cure, some of the symptoms of these conditions. Some heart attack symptoms can also mimic stomach pains. You may be having a heart attack if you have severe chest pain that lasts longer than two minutes with any of the following symptoms:.
If you have acid reflux or other symptoms caused by stomach acidity, get to know your OTC medications. Antacids neutralize the acid that your stomach makes. This can make you more comfortable. Eat smaller meals throughout the day, rather than larger meals.
This will help ensure that gastric acid does not go unopposed in the stomach, but rather has food to digest. Eliminate caffeine and alcohol as these are big acid reflux culprits. Other common triggers include chocolate, citrus, mint, tomatoes, black pepper, garlic, onions, spicy foods, and fatty foods. Know your food sensititivies. While the aboved mentioned foods are common causes of heartburn, problem foods can differ from person to person. Food sensitivities can lead to inflammation and a cascade of stomach and intestinal symptoms.
Licorice has been show to alleviate acid reflux symptoms. It may also protect the stomach and esophagus from acid by increasing mucus production. DGL is a form of licorice that has substantial amounts of glycyrrhizan removed.
Glycyrrhizan is the component in licorice that can increase blood pressure. Always consult your doctor before taking any supplements. Marshmallow Tea. In the herbal world, marshmallow is classified as a delmulcent, meaning it decreases inflammation by forming a barrier in the gastrointestinal tract against irritants such as stomach acid, ie your very own marshmellow fort against stomach acid.
For our organic, physician formulated loose leaf tea visit www. Lastly, while I do believe that Tums or equivalent antacids should be a staple in everyone's medicine chest, they should be used sparingly. Think of them like bandaids; great for short term use.
It is important to seek medical help if you are suffering from pronlonged heartburn to figure out the cause, and treat accordingly. Click here to book your appointment today. If you are frequently taking Tums or another calcium carbonate antacid, do not forget to tell your doctor, especially before running any bloodwork. Frequent consumption may show an increase in calcium levels on blood work. Important Disclaimer: The information provided on this site is intended for your general knowledge only; it is NOT meant to substitute professional medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions.
Struggles to get to the clinic? What do Tums do? The reason Tums work so well is because their main ingredient, calcium carbonate is basic and when exposed to the hydrochloric acid in your stomach, the carbonate group binds to the hydrogen.
This gets rid of the free floating acid, but in the process frees up calcium ions, allowing them to be absorbed by the body. That leads to the main potential downside to the question of how many Tums can I take: a decent amount of readily absorbable calcium.
The mineral is vital to bone and overall good health, but too much can be toxic to the body, particularly the heart and kidneys. We know about this link between calcium and health problems partially because it used to be quite a common syndrome. Back in the day, the only method we had to treat peptic ulcer disease in which an ulcer forms in the stomach lining was with a combination of milk and sodium bicarbonate, and then later calcium bicarbonate.
Researchers think the kidney problems result from too much calcium and neutralizing agents building up in the kidneys, which prevents them from being able to filter these compounds out. However incidental case reports show that milk-alkali syndrome still pops up from time-to-time, and often it stems from taking far too much calcium carbonate, or Tums. So how many Tums can you take and how often can you take Tums?
According to one report on recent cases of milk-alkali syndrome, the question is almost impossible to answer for the general population.
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