The Best Alternatives to Zantac, Which the FDA Just Recalled Due to Possible Cancer Risk
The Food and Drug Administration has recalled the popular heartburn medication ranitidine, known by the brand name Zantac.
The FDA asked manufacturers to pull the drug from shelves “immediately” due to concerns that it may cause cancer.
Doctors explain what you should do if you regularly take Zantac, and the best Zantac alternatives to consider for heartburn.
Fans of the popular heartburn medication ranitidine (known by the brand name Zantac) were shocked earlier this week when the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asked companies to stop selling the drug.
In a press release, the FDA asked manufacturers to pull the drug from shelves “immediately” due to concerns that it may cause cancer. The FDA specifically said that the agency determined that an impurity in some ranitidine products called N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) increases over time. When the drug is stored at higher than room temperatures, it can cause “unacceptable” levels of NDMA.
NDMA is considered a probable human carcinogen, meaning it could cause cancer. Low levels of NDMA is found in foods and water and is not expected to increase your risk of cancer, the FDA explained. But being regularly exposed to higher levels of NDMA could increase your risk.
The FDA said the agency decided to act after the organization tested and evaluated ranitidine and found that NDMA levels increased under normal storage conditions, and increased “significantly” in samples that were stored at higher temperatures. “The testing also showed that the older a ranitidine product is, or the longer the length of time since it was manufactured, the greater the level of NDMA,” the FDA said.
“As a result of this immediate market withdrawal request, ranitidine products will not be available for new or existing prescriptions or OTC use in the U.S.,” the FDA concluded.
So, what should you do if you’ve been taking Zantac?
First, don’t freak out. Experts don’t know what this means at this point. “I have been giving this medication for the last 30 years and I have not seen anything concerning—but you cannot be sure,” says Ashkan Farhadi, M.D., a gastroenterologist at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, Calif. He points out that, as of now, there are no reports of any cancer cases related to Zantac use.
Still, that’s not a risk you want to take. If you have a box of the medication at home, the FDA recommends that you safely dispose of it. (They have steps on how to do this online.)
If you’ve taken Zantac here and there, it’s probably not something you should be concerned about, says Robert Weber, Pharm.D., pharmacy administrator at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Even if you’ve been a heavy user of the medication, it’s still unclear what, exactly, that could mean for your overall health, Dr. Farhadi says. “This is just hypothetical at this point,” he says.
What are the best Zantac alternatives for heartburn?
According to the FDA, the following heartburn medications do not have the same risks from NDMA:
famotidine (Pepcid)
cimetidine (Tagamet)
esomeprazole (Nexium)
lansoprazole (Prevacid)
omeprazole (Prilosec)
If you’ve been relying on Zantac for relief, Dr. Farhadi recommends looking into famotidine (Pepcid). “It works in a similar fashion,” she says.
Dr. Weber also recommends taking a second look at your diet to see how you can reduce your heartburn. “Caffeine is a major contributor to heartburn,” he says. “Other foods include alcohol, particularly red wine, black pepper, garlic, raw onions, and spicy foods and hot sauce,” he says. Other foods like chocolate, and citrus fruits and products, such as lemons, oranges, OJ, and tomatoes can cause issues, too, he says.
Keep in mind that you’ll probably want to check in with your doctor when you go off Zantac if you’ve been using it for a while. “Abruptly stopping ranitidine may cause a rebound of acid in your stomach, so speak with your healthcare provider before stopping this product,” Dr. Weber says.
Like what you just read? You’ll love our magazine! Go here to subscribe. Don’t miss a thing by downloading Apple News here and following Prevention. Oh, and we’re on Instagram too.
You Might Also Like
Solve the daily Crossword
