Proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole are known to damage the gut microbiome, but two studies show they can increase your risk of stomach cancer (gastric cancer) by up to 8 times depending how long you take them.
PPIs linked to massive increased risk of stomach cancer
‘PPI’ (proton pump inhibitor) pills, also called acid reflux pills by some people, are medicines that reduce the amount of stomach acid produced by the glands in your stomach. Common brands include omeprazole, lansoprazole, pantoprazole, esomeprazole and rabeprazole.
They are dished out by Doctors and pharmacies throughout the Western world to millions of people for their ‘indigestion’, or for ulcers, or to prevent ulcers forming. Increasingly, many cancer patients find themselves taking PPIs as they are used by oncologists who are worried that their drugs will cause acid reflux.
Proton Pump Inhibitors have now been linked to significant increases in stomach cancer or gastric cancer, according to research by the University College London and University of Hong Kong scientists (1).
Proton Pump Inhibitors have a significant and destructive effect on the gut microbiome and have even been linked with an increased risk of Clostridium difficile, which is more commonly associated with repeated doses of antibiotics!
High doses and long-term use were previously associated with lowered B-12 levels, lowered magnesium levels and a higher risk of osteoporosis. People taking PPIs for a long time also have an increased risk of heart attacks. Other side-effects according to WebMD include reduced liver and/or kidney function, allergies, pancreatitis and Erythema multiforme (Skin blotches and erruptions)
The first study (1) showed that people who use proton pump inhibitors for their ‘acid reflux problems’ are twice as likely as non-users to develop stomach cancer. But if they use the drugs regularly, that risk rises to 5-fold after one year and an incredible 8-fold after three years.
The research results were published in the British Medical Journal ‘Gut’. The researchers noted that the increase in stomach cancer (or gastric cancer) was dose-dependent. If you take just one tablet a week your risk doubles over non-users, But for daily users, after one year the rise in risk was 4.5 and at three years it was 8.3.
The researchers treated the 63,000 subjects with antibiotics to kill Helicobacter pylori at the start of the study. This was because the bacterium itself can cause stomach cancer and they wanted to rule out any involvement. Worryingly, PPIs are often used with drugs to kill H. pylori anyway.
In 2019, a further study (2) was conducted. Again, this eradicated H pylori presence. But again, this study showed that use of PPIs was associated with an increased risk of stomach cancer - this time a doubling of risk.
Gastric cancer remains one of the leading cancers in the world, with a high mortality.
Increased stomach cancer, throat and esophageal cancers?
Chris Woollams, former Oxford University Biochemist and a founder of CANCERactive stated, “PPIs can often be obtained without prescription yet we have told regular readers of this column before how they are one of the worst drugs for the destruction of commensal bacteria in the gut.
Furthermore, this research was done because it was known H. pylori and PPIs together caused GREATER stomach atrophy, so we are not surprised by both these research results at all. I myself was offered on-going omeprazole by a quite insistent UK Doctor even though I don't have acid reflux, and I avoided her persistence by telling her about the research. I'd only gone for a blood sugar and cholesterol check!
The current findings remind me of the HRT studies of more than a twenty years ago. We warned people then that there was clear research that HRT caused a three-fold increase in cancer. But all the Health Authorities played it down. 15 years later, Cancer Research UK finally issued a similar warning. Rather than wait and watch the death toll mount as we did with HRT, why not ban proton pump inhibitors now and make other positive suggestions for acid reflux control? Alternative ‘indigestion’ treatments also exist.
H2 blockers were not linked with increased risks of cancer.”
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