Show 1024: Could Popular Heartburn Drugs Destroy Your Kidneys?

America’s most popular heartburn drugs might be harming our kidneys. Research published in the February issue of JAMA Internal Medicine suggests that regular use of drugs like Nexium, Prevacid or Prilosec is associated with a higher risk of chronic kidney disease. While the research shows an association and doesn’t establish that the drugs are causing kidney damage, this is such a serious outcome that it is worth paying attention.

Alternatives to Popular Heartburn Drugs:

Are there other ways to prevent painful heartburn symptoms? Joe and Terry offer some helpful remedies and invite listeners to share their favorites.

Flu Shot Reactions:

Flu season is off to a slow start this year, but now it is underway. What should you do to minimize your chance of flu? Have you ever had a reaction to a flu shot that lasted for months instead of days? Such problems are supposed to be rare, but they should be reported to the FDA and CDC when they occur. Here’s how to make the report:

Beet Juice for Better Health:

Could beet juice boost your endurance and lower your blood pressure? A new study from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, NC, showed that drinking 2.4 ounces of British beetroot juice for a week improved endurance by 24 percent. It also lowered blood pressure. (Journal of the American College of CardiologyÐHeart Failure, Feb., 2016) Are you drinking beet juice?

Call Us:

For this show, Joe & Terry welcome your questions and stories. Call 888-472-3366 between 7 and 8 am EST on Feb. 13, 2016.

This Week’s Guest:

Lisa Gill is deputy content editor of Best Buy Drugs for Consumer Reports. The Consumer Reports web site is: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/health/prescription-drugs/best-buy-drugs/index.htm