 Every once in a while, attending a dinner party becomes the best thing you've done in days. Great company and amazing food are always the premise of a successful evening, but a delicious meal is not always followed by instant satisfaction. In fact, one in five Americans have to suffer the consequences of heartburn. If it's a common issue, you're already reaching for those antacids. Every drug has its downsides, but did you know that there might be a link between indigestion medication and Alzheimer's? The German Center for Neurodegenerative Disease in Bonn examined insurance data on people aged over 75 and came to the conclusion that there's a strong link between heartburn medication and dementia. Their statistics indicate that patients who used proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) , a type of medication associated with strong acid reflux, at least once every three months were 44% more likely to experience neurological damage that leads to dementia. Now would be a good time to re-think your strategy of dealing with acid reflux. Yet another heartburn medication side effect However, the scientists in the German study were unable to identify precisely why PPIs are associated with such a significantly higher risk of dementia. A possible theory is that these drugs result in vitamin B12 deficiencies and therefore caus consumers to manifest symptoms that are identical to Alzheimer's disease . The authors' findings are also supported by another study conducted back in 2013 on proton pump inhibitors. The latter effectively proved that when you treat mice with this type of heartburn medication, they develop high levels of amyloid plaques. These plaques play a crucial role in the on-set of Alzheimer's. Antacids, which are also commonly used to treat heartburn, are no better. Although they are essentially different from PPIs, they can easily cause constipation, diarrhea, bloating and even worsen your condition . That's correct. Heartburn medication can actually increase your levels of stomach acid once you are done taking it. People still cling to missing links In spite of compelling evidence, Dr. Laura Phipps, a member of Alzheimer's Research UK, declared that the study doesn't prove the increased risk of dementia is actually caused by PPIs. According to her, other factors may have contributed to the results and we should not jump to rash conclusions. Nevertheless, according to the Daily Mail , even she acknowledged that '[s]tudies like this, which harness large amounts of medical data to highlight trends in health and dis-ease, are incredibly useful to inform future, detailed, follow-up studies into risk factors for conditions like dementia. When any drug is taken, doctors, pharmacists and patients have to weigh up the benefits against the potential side effects and further studies into this area will help to better inform these decisions.' Next time you're looking to get rid of your heartburn, keep in mind the consequences that indigestion drugs can have on your body. While some of them have been proven beyond any doubt, others are highly possible, but yet to be officially confirmed by the authorities. A pill is the quick way out, but it does not make sense for your health in the long run. Treat your body naturally Instead of running to your general practitioner for a prescription, why not try to cure your acid reflux and digestion problems naturally ? You can try out natural remedies, but also make changes to your lifestyle that will ultimately cure your ache without these potentially disastrous side effects. In another couple of years, the link between these drugs and dementia might be irrevocably proven. If that's the case, is it worth risking your sanity for a condition that can easily be cured in an alternative way? Sources include : DailyMail.co.uk ArchNeur.JAMANetwork.com Journals.PLOS.org 