Acid reflux drug warning as common medication 'could trigger Victorian disease'

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Health experts have sounded the alarm over a potential link between a common acid reflux drug and the resurgence of a Victorian-era disease.

Scurvy cases have seen a 25 per cent increase since 2007, with factors such as reliance on junk food amid the cost of living crisis being blamed. However, experts have warned that omeprazole, a reflux drug taken by millions in the UK, could also trigger the condition.

Scurvy is caused by a severe vitamin C deficiency and can lead to symptoms like bleeding gums, loosened teeth, fatigue, and easily bruised skin, the Mirror reports.

Doctors at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Western Australia have now suggested that proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) like omeprazole could be contributing to scurvy development. This is because the drug reduces stomach acid production, making it harder for the body to absorb vitamin C.

Approximately 15 percent of the UK population takes PPIs, with the NHS dispensing 73 million prescriptions in England between 2022 and 2023. These medications are typically prescribed by doctors for symptoms such as indigestion, acid reflux (heartburn), or stomach upset, as well as to protect the stomach from other medications like aspirin or steroids.

The link between the drug and scurvy was first made last summer when a man in his 50s developed a red-brown pinpoint rash that spread from his legs to his hands and arms after taking PPIs and eating a diet lacking in vitamin C. He also wasn't consuming fruits and vegetables and often skipped meals.

Following medical tests, it was found that a patient had zero vitamin C in his blood and lacked other essential nutrients, signalling scurvy. The individual was prescribed a daily dose of vitamin C (1000 mg), along with vitamin D3, folic acid, and a multivitamin, which resolved his rash and returned vitamin levels to normal, reports the Mirror.

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He recently had bariatric surgery for weight loss but could not afford nutritional supplements, doctors disclosed. Weight loss procedures can lead to difficulties in absorbing vitamins and minerals, warns the NHS, potentially causing malnutrition; a strict diet and supplement plan is usually recommended post-surgery to avert such issues.

The case, detailed in the British Medical Journal Case Reports, highlighted: "Scurvy is still seen as a disease of the past, especially in developed countries."

Rising living costs were also blamed for making it tough for individuals to access nutritious food, aside from listing other risk factors such as alcoholism, smoking, eating disorders, low income, obesity, kidney dialysis, and certain medications affecting vitamin C absorption.

The researchers concluded: "Our patient had multiple risk factors, namely, poor dietary habits, obesity, previous bariatric surgery, use of proton pump inhibitors and low-income status. His history of iron, vitamin D and folate deficiencies were also clues to his underlying nutritional deficiency."

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