Drug Induced Nutrient Depletions.

[Guest guest]

Dear Group,

 

Some time back the group was discussing nutrient depletion due to the use of

prescription and over the counter drugs.

 

Here is a book that covers the subject. I personally have not read the book but

thought that I would pass on the information about this resource.

 

It is available from many sources on the web, but am posting this review from

one site.

 

http://www.healingwithnutrition.com/newsclips/archive/drugdepletion.html

 

DRUG INDUCED NUTRIENT DEPLETION HANDBOOKhe Drug-Induced Nutrient Depletion

Handbook

 

Every day physicians write millions of prescriptions and patients dutifully go

to their local pharmacies to get their medications. People trust their doctors

and expect that the drugs they are instructed to take will make them well.

Frequently things go as planned and people get better. On the other hand, the

United States is the sickest country in the world. Our health care budget is

approaching $2 trillion annually and in 1998 Americans spent $94 billion on

prescription drugs. Instead of gaining health from all this money that is spent,

we have the highest rate of chronic degenerative disease in the world. Obviously

something is drastically wrong. One aspect of the problem may be explained in a

recently published book titled The Drug-Induced Nutrient Depletion Handbook.

 

This book alerts health professionals and consumers to the fact that

approximately 1,000 commonly prescribed prescription drugs and many

over-the-counter (OTC) medications deplete one or more nutrients in humans.

Could it be possible that millions of people are taking medications that

unknowingly deplete their bodies of essential nutrients, which in turn creates

more health problems? This article will discuss some of the issues surrounding

this problem and review the major categories of drugs that cause nutrient

depletions.

 

Studies reporting drug-induced nutrient depletions have been appearing in the

scientific literature for decades. However, most of this information did not get

publicized to health professionals or the general public. Literally hundreds of

scientific studies remained buried in a myriad of scientific journals throughout

the world. Now that all this research has been rounded up, organized and

reported in one book, the topic of drug-induced nutrient depletions is beginning

to receive the recognition that it deserves.

 

Commonly prescribed drugs that cause nutrient depletions include oral

contraceptives, estrogen replacement therapy medications, anticonvulsants,

anti-diabetic, anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory and antiulcer drugs,

cholesterol-lowering drugs, beta blockers, phenothiazines, tricyclic

antidepressants, benzodiazepines and antibiotics. In fact, last year's survey of

prescription drug use reveled that 12 of the top 20 drugs prescribed in the

United States in 1998 are drugs that cause nutrient depletions. Thus it is

evident that this problem is affecting the lives and health of millions of

people. Time and space limitations do not permit a thorough coverage of the

health issues related to all of the drug-induced nutrient depletions. In this

article we limit our in-depth coverage to two categories of commonly prescribed

drugs, oral contraceptives and the antiulcer medications.

 

Many people who regularly take medications may not be adversely affected by the

nutrient depletions. However, consider the following facts. Millions of people

regularly eat nutritionally-deficient meals at fast food restaurants. A

nutritional survey sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that

80 percent of Americans do not consume the recommended dietary allowance (RDA)

for one or more of the essential nutrients on a daily basis. Results from the

government-sponsored National Health and Nutrition Examinations Survey

(NHANES-II) revealed that 91 percent of Americans do not eat the suggested three

servings of vegetables and two servings of fruits on a daily basis. In addition

to these nutritional problems, many people also lead fast-paced, high-stress

lifestyles, can't find time to exercise and live in a world where environmental

pollution is at an all-time high. Now if we give drugs to people who are sick,

which drugs further deplete their bodies of nutrients, it just increases the

likelihood that additional health problems will develop. Now that I've provided

an overview of the topic, let's take a detailed look at some of the drugs that

cause nutrient depletions.

 

ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES

 

Back in the mid-1970's studies reporting that oral contraceptives depleted a

variety of nutrients began appearing in the scientific literature. Numerous

studies now document the fact that oral contraceptives deplete the following

nutrients: folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin B2, vitamin C, magnesium

and zinc.

 

Folic acid is one of the most commonly deficient nutrients in the American diet.

This is partially due to the fact that people don't eat enough fresh green leafy

vegetables. Folic acid plays a critical role in the production of DNA, which is

our genetic code, and the manufacturer of new cells in the body. A deficiency of

folic acid causes abnormal cells to be produced. Thus problems associated with

folic acid deficiency are more likely to develop in areas of the body that have

a high rate of cellular turnover. The bone marrow, which produces red blood

cells, is one of these areas. Red blood cells have a life span of about 120

days. That means that our bone marrow must continually manufacture enough red

blood cells to reproduce our entire blood supply every four months. If a woman

becomes folic acid deficient, she is not able to produce enough red blood cells,

which results in anemia. The symptoms of anemia include tiredness, weakness and

lethargy.

 

Folic acid deficiency is also a major cause of birth defects such as spina

bifida and cleft palate. Thus women who take oral contraceptives for years may

be increasing their risk of giving birth to a malformed infant. In fact, the

author of a study published in 1982 made the following statement: " Clinicians

are advised to ensure that women who stop taking 'the pill' because they wish to

conceive, have adequate stores of folic acid before becoming pregnant. "

 

Another area of a woman's body with a high rate of cellular turnover is the

uterus. Every month after menstruation the body must generate new cells to

reproduce the uterine lining. If a woman is folic acid deficient, she likely to

produce abnormal cells in the lining of uterus. What happens all too frequently

is that women who go in for their annual PAP smear are told that abnormal cells

have been identified. These abnormal cells represent a precancerous condition,

which is called cervical dysplasia. Over 600,000 hysterectomies are performed on

women in the United States each year. Many of these surgeries could probably be

prevented if women were adequately nourished with folic acid. Since oral

contraceptives are known to deplete folic acid, this obviously increases a

woman's risk of developing cervical dysplasia, which could possibly result in a

hysterectomy.

 

Folic acid is also one of three B vitamins that are necessary to metabolize

homocysteine, which is an amino acid produced during the metabolism of

methionine. Homocysteine is a toxic amino acid that normally gets converted to

other substances very quickly. Inadequate folic acid causes blood levels of

homocysteine is capable of damaging the arteries, which leads to

atherosclerosis. In fact, elevated homocysteine is now recognized as one of the

most serious risk factors to cardiovascular disease. Thus women who take oral

contraceptives for years may be increasing their risk to heart disease. Other

problems associated with folic acid deficiency include depression and increased

risks to breast cancer and colorectal cancer.

 

Vitamin B6 is also depleted by oral contraceptives. Vitamin B6 functions as a

cofactor in more than 100 enzyme reactions in the body. One of the reactions

requiring vitamin B6 is the conversion of the amino acid tryptophan into the

neurotransmitter serotonin. A deficiency of serotonin is strongly associated

with depression. One study evaluating vitamin B6 depletion related to the use of

oral contraceptives reported that one-third of the women were suffering from

depression.

 

In another important biochemical pathway, serotonin is converted into melatonin.

Melatonin is a hormone produced in the pineal gland that induces sleep and

regulates the sleep/wake cycle. Thus a deficiency of vitamin B6 will also

inhibit a woman's ability to synthesize melatonin, which is likely to cause

insomnia. Vitamin B6 is also another one of the B vitamins required for

homocysteine metabolism. Thus the depletion of vitamin B6 also increased a

woman's risk of developing atherosclerosis.

 

Vitamin B12, which is also depleted by oral contraceptives, is the third of the

B vitamins that is required for homocysteine metabolism. Thus birth control

pills deplete all three of the B vitamins that are required for the metabolism

of homocysteine. This means that if women who take oral contraceptives for an

extended period of time are not adequately nourished with these B vitamins, they

are likely to have a much greater risk of developing atherosclerosis later in

life. This disease is a silent killer, which means there are usually no symptoms

or warning signs until a heart attack or stroke happens. Other problems

associated with vitamin B12 deficiency include anemia, depression, memory loss

and neurological degeneration.

 

Studies have reported that oral contraceptives use causes a significant decline

in vitamin C levels. In one study women taking both high-dose and low-dose oral

contraceptives were evaluated. The results revealed that these women had a

decrease in serum levels of vitamin C ranging from 30 percent to 42 percent.

Some of the problems associated with vitamin C deficiency include a weakened

immune system, poor wound healing and easy bruising. Vitamin B2 is also depleted

but its consequences seem to be minor compared to the potential problem

depletions.

 

Oral contraceptives also deplete two minerals, magnesium and zinc. Magnesium is

another nutrient that is frequently deficient in U.S. diets. One study reported

that approximately 75% of Americans do not get the RDA for magnesium on a daily

basis. Thus women taking birth control pills will be increasingly susceptible to

becoming magnesium deficient. Magnesium deficiency can result in cardiovascular

problems, osteoporosis, muscle cramps, weakness, insomnia, anxiety and

depression.

 

One of the most frequent side affects associated with the use of oral

contraceptives is the increases risk of blood clots. Magnesium depletion

increases the risk of forming blood clots. Actually calcium and magnesium,

working together, are one of the key mechanisms that regulate the blood clotting

process. Calcium increases clotting while magnesium decreases clotting. Since

oral contraceptives deplete magnesium, this creates an imbalance in the

calcium/magnesium ratio, increasing the likelihood of creating side effects

associated with clotting problems. As excess of calcium relative to magnesium

can also cause skeletal problems. This is because the body beings to each

magnesium out of the skeleton in an effort to keep the calcium/magnesium ration

in the extra cellular fluid in balance.

 

Oral contraceptive-induced zinc depletion can result in a weakened immune

system, poor wound healing and a loss of the sense of smell and taste. This

concludes our review of the nutrient depletions associated with oral

contraceptives.

 

Antiulcer Medications

 

In 1998 antiulcer medication was the largest selling category of drugs in the

pharmaceutical industry, accounting for over $6 billion in sales in the United

States. There are two main classes of anitulcer medications. The first group

(cimetidine, ranitidine, famotidine and nizatadin) belong to a class of drugs

known as the H-2 Receptor Antagonists or H-2 Blockers. More recently a class of

drugs known as the proton pump inhibitors (omeprzole and lansoprazole) have

become very successful. In 1998 omeprazole was the top selling prescription drug

in the United States, accounting for nearly $3 billion in sales.

 

These drugs function by lowering the amount of stomach acid, which can relieve

the pain associated with heartburn, acid indigestion and ulcers. However the

level of acidity in the gastrointestinal tract is a critical factor that

regulates the absorption of many nutrients in the process of making the GI tract

less acidic, antiulcer medications inhibit the absorption of various vitamins

and minerals. Studies have reported that H-2 Receptor Antagonists deplete

vitamin B12, folic acid, vitamin D and the minerals calcium, iron and zinc.

Because of the proton pump inhibitors are a newer class of drugs, fewer studies

have been conducted regarding nutrient depletions. To date vitamin B12 is the

only drug that has been documented to be depleted by the proton pump inhibitors.

There is an added concern regarding the H-2 Receptor Antagonists because the FDA

has allowed them to be taken off prescription-only status. This means people can

have unlimited access to these medications without any monitoring or advice from

health professionals.

 

The possible health problems related to the depletion of folic acid, vitamin

B12, and zinc> were mentioned earlier during the discussion of oral

contraceptives. Additional nutrient depletions associated with antiulcer drugs

include the following. Depletion of vitamin D could result in skeletal problems

such as osteoporosis as well as muscle weakness, tooth decay and hearing loss.

Problems associated with calcium depletion include osteoporosis, heart and blood

pressure irregularities and tooth decay. Depletion of iron could result in hair

loss, brittle nails and anemia, with accompanying feelings of weakness, fatigue

and low energy.

 

The likelihood of developing health problems resulting from drug-induced

nutrient depletion is compounded when an individual takes more tan one drug that

depletes the same nutrients. For example, consider the plight of a woman on

birth control pills who begins to regularly rely on H-2 Blocker drugs to treat

her acid indigestion or an ulcer. Both drugs deplete folic acid, vitamin B12 and

zinc. This just increases the risk that the depletion of these nutrients might

become severe enough to create additional health problems.

 

We have been able to evaluate only two classes of drugs in this article. However

each class of drugs has its own unique profile of depleted nutrients. Health

professionals and people taking medications should become familiar with this

topic. Nutritional supplementation can be used to prevent or overcome

drug-induced nutrient depletions. In many case this can increase the

effectiveness of a medication, reduce the incidence of side effects and

contribute to a longer, healthier life.

 

[Ross Pelton, R.Ph.,Ph.D.,C.N.N., co-author of The Drug-Induced Nutrient

Depletion Handbook, Total Health for Longevity, Vol. 21, Number 5]

 

 

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