A pharmacist has warned against self-medicating with Omeprazole, a common heartburn treatment, saying it can worsen digestion and cause severe stomach pain when taken before heavy meals.
Juan Jiménez, a pharmacist from Cádiz, posted a video on social media recounting an encounter with a customer who wanted to buy the medicine without a prescription to "protect his stomach" before a barbecue. The video has received more than 400,000 views.
Why self-medicating with Omeprazole can backfire
Mr Jiménez explained that Omeprazole lowers stomach acid and prevents the activation of an enzyme called pepsin, which digests proteins. This can make digestion considerably slower and more laborious, and could even trigger severe stomach pain.
Around one in seven Brits takes a proton pump inhibitor such as Omeprazole, which is mainly prescribed to ease heartburn and acidity following meals. However, taking the drug without proper supervision can carry risks, as every medicine has specific usage guidelines that should be followed precisely.
Pharmacist's advice to customers
In the video, Mr Jiménez described telling a young customer: "There is nothing worse than buying Omeprazole without a prescription and, on top of that, believing you need to take it to protect your stomach before a barbecue."
He steered the customer away from Omeprazole and instead recommended Colitab, which contains digestive enzymes such as anise, fennel, cumin, and passionflower. "These digestive enzymes are needed to digest that meat and all the food you are going to devour at the barbecue," he said.
Mr Jiménez concluded: "If you self-medicate with Omeprazole before you go out for a 'big meal' and then come to see me, I'm going to have a word with you. It's for your own good."
