This Common Heartburn Drug Could Be Eating Away at Your Mind

No Long-Term Studies, Yet Lifelong Prescriptions

PPIs like omeprazole (Prilosec), lansoprazole (Prevacid), and esomeprazole (Nexium) were only ever approved for short-term use—typically 4 to 8 weeks. Yet millions of people stay on these drugs for years, even decades.

Emerging research links long-term PPI use to:

• Increased risk of dementia
• Magnesium and B12 deficiency
• Kidney disease
• Bone fractures
• Gut dysbiosis and bacterial overgrowth

The Heartburn Myth: It’s Not Too Much Acid

Contrary to popular belief, most heartburn isn’t caused by too much stomach acid—it’s caused by too little. Low stomach acid leads to improper digestion, fermentation in the stomach, and upward pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter. The result? Reflux.

Suppressing acid even further with PPIs only makes the root problem worse over time.

Why the Carnivore Diet Can Help

The carnivore diet—centered around meat, fat, and organ meats—removes plant-based foods that often irritate the gut or trigger reflux. This ancestral approach to eating helps:

• Restore stomach acid levels naturally
• Eliminate plant toxins and lectins
• Heal the gut lining and reduce inflammation

By giving your digestive system what it truly evolved to handle—animal-based nutrition—you can reduce the need for acid-suppressing drugs altogether.

Baking Soda: A Simple and Effective Remedy

One of the safest, most accessible ways to calm occasional heartburn is with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate).

How to use it:

• Mix 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water. Find it here 
• Drink slowly after meals or when symptoms occur
• Use occasionally—this is not a daily solution, but a temporary fix

Baking soda neutralizes excess stomach acid on contact and is free from the long-term dangers of PPIs.

The Bottom Line

PPIs are overprescribed, under-regulated, and dangerously misunderstood. Their long-term use has never been proven safe and is increasingly linked to devastating health consequences like dementia.

Rather than masking symptoms, it’s time to treat the root cause. Support your digestion with real food, ancestral wisdom, and natural remedies. Skip the pill. Choose health.