Drugs for GERD are dangerous because our bodies require digestive enzymes, particularly hydrochloric acid and pepsin.  PPIs, otherwise known as proton pump inhibitors, switch off the secretion of hydrochloric acid in the stomach to severely reduce acid flow.  On the surface this may seem to make sense since the person with GERD is complaining of acid reflux.  Rather than using a drug to switch off the flow of acid, to me it would make more sense to find out what’s causing heartburn and GERD.  In my observation, a couple of things cause acid reflux.  Initially, a diminished flow of hydrochloric acid is due, in some cases, to aging and the American diet.  The American diet is extremely high in sugar and carbohydrates which causes heartburn.  Because of the unfounded fear of fats, Americans have been warned to avoid fats which ultimately leads them to eat more sugar and carbohydrates.  A simple way to cure GERD and heartburn is to consume an oil from the peel of citrus fruits combined with an oil from sea buckthorn berries.  This will cure GERD and heartburn in about three weeks.  Then use this oil combination as you choose.  The danger of PPIs, sometimes known as Nexium, is that they completely eliminate the flow of hydrochloric acid.  We need hydrochloric acid to initiate the flow of pepsin, an enzyme in our stomach that digests our proteins.  Hydrochloric acid sterilizes the gut to prevent the overgrowth of candida and bacteria.  Calcium, iron and other minerals require hydrochloric acid to break them down for assimilation and absorption.  B-12 also can’t be absorbed without hydrochloric acid.  So while it’s true that Nexium and all other PPIs will stop acid production, in time the inhibition of hydrochloric acid will create deficiencies of calcium, iron and B-12, allow an overgrowth of candida and bacteria in the gut, and prevent the absorption of proteins needed for muscle building.  There is plenty of research that indicates PPIs should only be used temporarily, but if you don’t get rid of the cause which PPIs don’t, how can you ever get off the PPIs?   Some people have been on PPIs for years which creates an unusually large number of bone fractures, particularly of the femur and jaw bone.