GERD Medications

The purpose of antacids is to neutralize the acid used in digestion. The main drug for milder episodes, they work to relieve occasional and unexpected heartburn cases by neutralizing stomach acids. Antacids are also effective for building up the stomach’s defenses, by causing increased bicarbonate and mucus production.

All kinds of antacids can be obtained over the counter and are the main choice to ease heartburn and its’ milder effects. Although there are many brands available, they all contain and combine the same three things, being aluminum, calcium, and magnesium.

Aluminum comes in salt form and is commonly found at most any drug store in the form of Amphogel or Alternagel. Constipation can frequently occur as a side effect for anyone taking an antacid that contains aluminum salt. It is also advised to avoid taking too much of these antacids, as aluminum salt in too large of doses can cause calcium loss, which in turn may cause osteoporosis.

Calcium carbonate is a very swift and powerful antacid that can be found in Tums, Titralac, and Alka-2. Like Aluminum, the most frequent side effect would be constipation. Though quite infrequent, it is possible to bring about hypercalcemia, where the level of calcium found in the blood is quite high, if one has taken calcium carbonate for an extended amount of time. The dangers of hypercalcemia include kidney failure, so take care to avoid over-consumption of calcium. Thankfully, no other antacid medication can have this effect.

Magnesium salt is available in many forms, including magnesium carbonate, magnesium triplicate, and magnesium hydroxide, the very commonly known and frequently used as Milk of Magnesia. Unlike the other two, magnesium is prone to cause diarrhea. When the three are used together, however, the diarrhea and constipation tend cancel each other out, as with Mylanta and Maalox.