Weight Loss after Stopping Omeprazole 

People suffering from stomach acidity or GERD are quite familiar with the Omeprazole drug. It treats gastroesophageal reflux disease and acid reflux. But I assume your question is, how is Omeprazole and weight loss connected to each other?

Are you intrigued to know the reason behind weight loss after stopping Omeprazole?

Proton pump inhibitors, such as omeprazole, can aid weight gain in long-term usage. It is still being determined why omeprazole increases weight. 

If you suffer from GERD, you face a lack of appetite. When you start taking Omeprazole, your appetite increases, which can play a role in weight gain. As soon as you stop using the medicine, you frequently lose your increased appetite and begin to lose weight.

Depending on an individual’s health condition, omeprazole can cause weight gain or loss. If you gained weight as a side effect of omeprazole, you might lose those extra pounds after stopping this medicine. Keep reading to know more details about how omeprazole affects people’s body weight.

Weight Loss after Stopping Omeprazole 

Omeprazole pills or capsules clinical studies did not reveal any effect on weight changes. However, certain omeprazole adverse consequences may result in weight fluctuations. 

A low vitamin B12 level, which can happen with omeprazole long-term usage, can also cause weight loss.

As in the present scenario, we don’t find any clinical trial that clearly indicates a patient will lose weight after stopping Omeprazole, we need to understand how Omeprazole works.

How Omeprazole Works?

A proton pump inhibitor (PPI) is a class of medication that includes omeprazole. Our stomach lining has enzymes known as proton pumps. These proton pumps help to produce stomach aid. Interestingly, this acid is needed to break down the food you eat. When you are taking Omeprazole, you are making way for this medicine to interfere with the proton pump’s ability to function properly. As a result, the stomach ends up producing less acid compared to before.

From the above-mentioned information, we can understand this medicine directly can’t contribute to weight loss or gain. Now Let’s have a look at some side effects of this medicine.

Side Effects of Omeprazole

Minor side effects include dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, stomach ache or vomiting.

Major Side effects can include yellow skin and darker urination. You will end up feeling more tired than usual. 

If you have been taking Omeprazole for a long period, you can develop Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus. These diseases cause rashes, especially on sun-exposed skin parts. Though. it’s a rare side effect, but it can be severe and cause joint pain as well.

Be sure to contact your doctor if you have any major or minor symptoms:.

Now if we analyze how Omeprazole works and its side effects, we can get a clear idea that it really doesn’t have any mechanism to aid weight loss or gain.

So, the only way a person on Omeprazole can gain weight is by having an increased appetite. Once they leave the medicine, they might notice a decrease in food cravings, resulting in weight loss.

You can generally try to maintain a healthy diet plan to control weight gain or loss. 

The research found that a 10% weight loss in males and a 5% to 10% weight loss in women may assist with GERD symptoms. You may be able to reduce the dosage of your PPI or stop taking it entirely if you lose weight.

Does Omeprazole Stop You Losing Weight?

There is no scientific proof that Omeprazole stops you from losing weight. But there can be other factors that can prevent you from losing weight.

Omeprazole takes care of your stomach acidity and increases your hunger, This can be a reason behind your inability to lose weight. You can maintain a healthy weight if you monitor your food intake and add exercise to your routine.

Omeprazole decreases the formation of stomach acid. This might impact how well certain minerals, including calcium, iron, magnesium, and vitamin B12, are absorbed. 

Sometimes, these vitamin shortages might cause changes in metabolism or problems with weight. Having said that, this can happen if you are taking omeprazole for a long period

Can Omeprazole Cause Weight Gain?

Patients using this medicine for a more extended time faced weight gain. But is there enough research-based evidence to show Omeprazole’s effect on weight gain? 

The answer is no. As long as there isn’t extensive scientific research done on this medicine’s role in weight gain, we can’t fully put the blame on it.

According to a study conducted by NIH, two groups were created to test the effect of omeprazole on weight fluctuation. In one group, they put people suffering from GERD and taking PPIs for treatment. In another group, they gathered people without GERD.

The result was surprising. The patients taking PPIs for two years had noticed their body weight and BMI increased. One-third of the patients who were on PPIs for two years experienced weight gain of more than 5% in their baseline body weight. On the other hand, only 4% of people who were not on Omeprazole had experienced an average weight gain of 7.5 lbs.

In fact, over one-third of the people taking PPIs experienced a more than 5% increase in baseline body weight — an average of about 7.5 lbs (3.5 kg). Only 4% of the people without GERD had an increase in body weight.

While on Omeprazole, you can maintain a healthy weight by avoiding eating shortly before night and exercising frequently. 

How Long Does Omeprazole Stay in Your System after You Stop Taking It?

If you take one Omeprazole, it will be cleared from your system within 3-4 hours. The half portion of Omeprazole gets removed in less than an hour.  The liver totally breaks down omeprazole. The sulphone and hydroxy omeprazole are the two primary plasma metabolites, neither of which is involved in the antisecretory action.

How to Naturally Control Stomach Acid Without Medication

We have seen some discussions on social forums about people discussing weight loss after taking PPI. It will be wonderful if you focus on your overall food intake and lifestyle changes to avoid taking medicines for GERD or acid reflux. Here are some tips for you to make this journey easier:

Eat Small Portion 

Have you ever heard of the term “Grazing”? Grazing means eating constantly but in small portions. I know you are thinking about horses and cows. Humans also can do grazing by snacking or eating a little at a time. 

More reflux into the esophagus may occur when the stomach is full. So, portion control will help you control stomach gas.

Avoid Certain Food And Beverages

Oily and greasy food might appeal to you, but if you are a GERD patient, you must learn to say no to this food item. Don’t forget about the burp you hear after drinking carbonated drinks. Yes, avoiding them will decrease your stomach acidity naturally.

Focus on Physical Exercise

If you go for a walk or do gentle exercises daily, you will see significant improvement in your gut health. Refrain from doing any strenuous activity right after eating. After-dinner strolls are an excellent option. However, vigorous exercise, mainly if it requires bending over, might cause acid to enter the esophagus.

Drink Water

Water can help you address your stomach gas naturally. The esophagus won’t be as irritated by stomach acid if it is diluted with water. This may also lessen the heartburn-related burning sensation in the chest, So drink water throughout the day.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• How Long Does It Take for Your Stomach to Return to Normal after Omeprazole?

Your stomach cells might produce more acid if you stop using PPIs since there is nothing left to neutralize it. Because of this, you might anticipate experiencing some side effects for roughly two weeks after stopping omeprazole.

• What to Eat When Coming Out of Omeprazole?

You just need to eat on time and avoid meals that cause stomach gas. It’s better to eat less oily food and drink lots of water.

• What Happens When Omeprazole Is Stopped?

Stopping abruptly might cause your stomach to create much more acid and bring back your symptoms. Other withdrawal symptoms include nausea, flatulence, depression, fatigue, and insomnia. This can be avoided by progressively lowering the dosage before quitting it altogether.

Bottom Line

Omeprazole has so many clinically proven side effects, but weight loss is not one of them. Omeprazole weight loss injection is not effective for weight loss but for treating stomach gas. But many have experienced weight gain while taking this drug and lost weight after leaving it. Weight loss after stopping Omeprazole is possible by following a good lifestyle and taking care of your diet. Instead of just stopping this medicine, take the doctor’s advice and follow his instructions to avoid withdrawal symptoms.