According to statistics, over 10 million people die from cancer every year. This is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, with lung cancer killing the most number of people. Cancer comes in different forms and is very difficult to combat because aside from its expensive treatment options, sometimes cancer doesn’t show any symptoms until it is already in its severe stages.

It goes without saying that cancer can be deadly, which is why a lot of people change their lifestyles and diets as an attempt to stay safe from this disease. However, if you’re using Zantac, all of your efforts to live a cancer-free life might be useless. There have been claims that several people may have died because of cancer from Zantac. 

What Is Zantac, By The Way? 

Ranitidine, a medication sold under the trade name of Zantac, is given to individuals who want to decrease their stomach acid production. As a generic medication, Zantac is also used in treating gastroesophageal reflux and peptic ulcer disease. Zantac works by blocking the heartburn symptoms of the body by binding with the proteins found in your stomach.

After a healthy person eats, their bodies release gastrin. This is a hormone responsible for aiding digestion by speeding up the movement of your stomach. This can result in easier digestion. Gastrin also functions by releasing histamine, which binds with the body’s receptors, causing the release of gastric acid and then eventually breaking down all of the food.

However, if you have heartburn, the process can be a little different. Heartburn can weaken or relax the muscles that should be responsible for moving food from your mouth to the anus. This reaction can cause an acid reflux as the gastric acid from your food enters your esophagus, leading to heartburn.

Generally, Zantac is taken orally at least two hours before eating food and can be swallowed immediately without chewing. It can also be injected into their muscles or veins.

As for the claims that Zantac can cause cancer to its users, the following points can help you come up with a conclusion:

• According to studies, Ranitidine is prone to break down and become a cancer-causing substance in the body. N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is an organic compound and is known to be one of the most common causes of cancer.
  
  NMDA usually occurs in contaminated drinking water, cured meat, and rocket fuels. However, this compound has been found in Zantac. Low levels of NMDA aren’t harmful to human health, but taking excessive amounts of this compound can increase the user’s risk to cancer and other health conditions.

• The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows 96 nanograms of NDMA intake every day as this amount doesn’t pose any danger to the user. But when Zantac was tested in laboratories, its results showed that the medication actually contains an excess of 2 million nanograms per tablet. This amount is way above the permissible daily intake limit.
  
  When tested for the second time, now using different testing methods and adjusted conditions to mimic the human stomach, Zantac still resulted positive for containing excessive amounts of NDMA. For the second test, authorities found out that Zantac contains around 300,000 of NDMA per tablet. The results might be lesser compared to the initial lab testing, but these numbers are still higher than the intake limit set by the FDA.

• Aside from causing cancer, NDMA can also trigger several other health conditions. When tested in animals and humans, excessive exposure and high doses of NDMA resulted in permanent liver damage and, eventually, death.
  
  Several lab testing results also indicated that NDMA isn’t safe for pregnancy. When pregnant mice were fed with NDMA, their babies were born dead or died hours or days after their birth. Although human tests are still being conducted to test the effects of NDMA, it’s best if pregnant women or those who are trying to conceive steer away from using Zantac.

Talk To An Expert

If you’re looking for an effective and safe solution to your heartburn problems, always make it a point to consult your doctor and ask for their recommendations. Never self-diagnose any diseases no matter how simple, and make sure that you only take medications that don’t come with any health risks and side effects.