Using popular over-the-counter heartburn medications, such as TUMS or Prilosec, increases the risk of migraines by up to 70 percent, a study suggests.
Researchers at the University of Maryland analyzed data from 11,800 people, including 2,100 who took over-the-counter heartburn medications.
This included patients taking antacid treatments containing calcium carbonate, which is used in TUMS, or proton pump inhibitors such as Prilosec to relieve the burning sensation in the chest.
Twenty-eight percent of participants taking antacids reported experiencing migraines in the previous three months, compared to 24 percent of those not using the treatments.
The results showed that taking calcium carbonate increased the risk of migraine by 30 percent, while taking proton pump inhibitors increased the risk by 70 percent.
The researchers warned that this could be because the medications dehydrate the body and dehydration is a common cause of migraines.
They also expressed concern about the findings., noting previous research had linked the medications to dementia, a condition with which repeated headaches have also been associated, as they increase the risk of damage to blood vessels in the brain.
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Millions of people take over-the-counter medications each year due to heartburn, which affects more than 60 million Americans.
The condition is caused by stomach acid returning to the esophagus (the tube from the mouth to the stomach) causing a burning sensation in the chest.
The treatments have previously been linked to a number of side effects, including nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, gas and dry mouth.
But this study adds to a growing body of evidence that multiple classes of acid reflux medications may be linked to migraines.
The researchers analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a national questionnaire of more than a thousand adults conducted each year in the US.
Data from the 1999 to 2004 surveys were used because they were the only ones that asked participants about migraines or headaches in the previous three months.
A migraine is different from a headache.
Migraines are a neurological disease that can cause severe headaches, as well as nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, mood swings, diarrhea and fatigue.
Patients who suffer from them experience intense, stabbing pain on one or both sides of the head that can last from a few hours to several days.
Most respondents (960 people) took antacids that contained calcium carbonate, which neutralizes stomach acid, or were proton pump inhibitors, which block the secretion of stomach acid.
But some also used H2 blockers like Tagamet, which work by reducing acid levels in the stomach.
These are also available without a prescription.
The researchers found that among those taking proton pump inhibitors, 25 percent reported severe headaches compared with 19 percent of those not using those medications.
And among those using H2 blockers, 25 percent had severe headaches compared with 20 percent of those not taking the medications.
Results showed that those who used calcium carbonate medications were 30 percent more likely to suffer from migraine compared to those who did not.
It also found that those who used proton pump inhibitors were 70 percent more likely to have a severe headache, while those who used H2 blockers were 40 percent more likely to have one.
Dr Margaret Slavin, a nutritional sciences expert involved in the study, said: “Given the wide use of acid-reducing drugs and these potential implications with migraine, these results warrant further investigation.”
“These medications are often considered overprescribed, and new research has shown other risks associated with long-term use of proton pump inhibitors, such as an increased risk of dementia.”
He added: “It is important to note that many people need acid-reducing medications to control acid reflux or other conditions.
“People with migraine or severe headaches who take these medications or supplements should talk to their doctors about whether they should continue.”
The research had limitations, including the fact that only a small number of study participants were using heartburn medications.
The study was published in Neurology clinical practicethe official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.