Most UK GPs are hard working conscientious people who keep up with a very wide range of medical research and alerts. However from comments made on this forum there are a small number who are too over-worked or poor with admin to do a thorough job.
I’m lucky in that my GP is in the former category and pointed me to the following US alert on long term PPI usage: NCBI link
The link is quite a long read, but in essence it says if you have been on PPIs for a while (especially omeprazole), then you may well have deficiencies for the following:
Vitamin B12 – your GP SHOULD pick this up in a blood test, but if they don’t you can try using a sublingual methyl cobalamine supplement. B12 has an absorption pathway that defies all logic and GPs will tell you that most B12 supplements fail to get into the blood stream. Sublingual intake of methyl cobalamine offers a better chance of success, but your GP may have to resort to regular injections.
Vitamin C – the Medical Mafia has been railing against these supplements for years which is probably why my GP took the easy way of just pointing me to the info!
Calcium – avoid the pills they CAN cause heart disease according to the BMJ, probably better to dose up with natural yoghurt.
Iron – any deficiency should show up in your blood tests, but this is a dangerous one to supplement. Probably better to have liver and bacon a couple of times a month.
Magnesium – do try and find acceptable ways of supplementing this. I take roughly 0.25grms, i.e. a level salt-spoon of Epsom salts sprinkled over my breakfast. Tastes vile if you have too much, so please note, salt not tea spoon! You can however buy magnesium in pill form from health food shops.
I suspect my GP passed the info to me in this way because there is a cultural antagonism within some elements of the medical community against vitamin and mineral supplementation, and it was easier for her to point me towards a life-style choice than fight unnecessary battles with NICE etc.
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