Omeprazole Worsens Candida– Alternatives are Available!

Omeprazole, usually known under the trade name of Prilosec, is a hugely popular medication for stomach ulcers.  This blog piece explains why Candida sufferers should not take Omeprazole.  I have another blog piece explaining other problems with this medication, which is that it doesn’t always work.  To see this, click here.

Let me introduce myself.  I am Dr. Bruce Semon, M.D., Ph.D., a board certified psychiatrist and Ph.D. nutritionist.  I specialize in treatment of Candida as well as the problems associated with it. To understand why Omeprazole is bad for Candida sufferers, first understand how Omeprazole works.  Omeprazole works by stopping stomach acid.  If you have an ulcer or reflux, your doctor may have told you that excess stomach acid is causing those problems.  Omeprazole actually  inhibits the production of stomach acid.  Omeprazole helps ulcer pain and is often prescribed for all kinds of abdominal pain.  Omeprazole is now easily available over the counter, so many people take it for pain relief.

Omeprazole may be OK for a few weeks if you genuinely have an ulcer.   The studies show that Omeprazole is effective in about 8 weeks.   However, patients often start Omeprazole then continue it forever.

What is the problem with Omeprazole for people who suffer from Candida albicans?

 Let’s start by understanding that stomach acid is very normal.  In fact, stomach acid kills yeast.  If you take Omeprazole forever to  stop the production of stomach acid, you lose your natural defense against yeast in your stomach.  Taking Omeprazole makes it much harder to clear your intestine of yeast.  Given, from other pages on this website, that intestinal Candida albicans can cause all kinds of health problems, ranging from depression to multiple sclerosis, any of you who take Omeprazole, you should reconsider whether you want to continue taking Omeprazole if you want to conquer such yeast related problems.

So what should you do if you have an ulcer or gastroesophageal reflux?

First, instead of trying Omeprazole as your first line medication, try some of the other medications.    I actually recommend not taking any of the medications in the same category as Omeprazole, such as pantaprazole (Protonix).    You can try the older drug ranitidine (Zantac). If you want to avoid medications altogether,  good treatment for ulcers is making juice from fresh green cabbage, freezing it in ice cube trays, and taking one cube (defrosted) a few times a day until the ulcer resolves.  Believe it or not, this treatment has been studied in humans and animals and has been shown to be effective.  It really works.    In addition, Candida sufferers who get treated for yeast usually clear up their reflux problems.

If you need Omeprazole because nothing else works, keep in mind that once you clear up the problem, you should consider stopping  it.    In any event, if you have a history of Candida related problems, you should not take it forever.  If you see side effects such as rashes, hives, or itching, or other yeast-related problems, call your health care practitioner immediately.

Please feel free to contact me for appointments and Telemedicine consultations.