Pantoprazole is among the class of medications called proton-pump inhibitors (PPI). It is normally used for the treatment of stomach ulcers and short-term treatment of erosive esophagitis due to gastroesophageal reflux disease. Pantoprazole suppresses the final step in gastric acid production (not neutralizes the already secreted acid).
Why Take Pantoprazole First Thing In The Morning?
Studies have found that taking the dose in the morning (30 minutes before eating) had a larger effect on stomach pH compared to evening dosing. We are not quite aware of any definitive explanation for this. My hypothesis is that the patient has been in a fasted state for longer if taking the medication in the morning (i.e. nothing eaten overnight because you’re asleep). Once you swallow pantoprazole with a glass of water, it takes around 30 minutes for it to be absorbed and distributed in effective concentration at the site of action, which is the stomach tissue containing acid secreting pumps.
The drug will only bind to and block the action of these pumps when they are actively secreting H+ ions into the stomach lumen. The act of eating food turns these pumps on. That’s why it is best to wait 30 minutes before eating. My hypothesis is that these pumps are more primed for activity after a period of fasting (i.e., before the first meal of the day). Remember, only active pumps are targets of the medication. The active pumps get bound up and taken out of commission by the drug, and the pumps are more primed for activity after a longer fasting period. That’s why the first meal of the day is called breakfast… because you are breaking your fast.
Hence, if you take pantoprazole 30 minutes before breakfast, you’ll get better results than if you were to take it 30 minutes before dinner.
If the pantoprazole is prescribed once a day, the physician asks you to take it on an empty stomach (i.e., in the morning) to get ready to inhibit the acid secretions when you take the first meal. If it is recommended to be taken twice a day, then it should be taken half an hour (or more) before the meal.
Pantoprazole is currently the best drug for acid reflux, commonly combined with domperidome for an anti-emetic effect.
Pentoprazole can be taken at any time. Most of the time, the dose is 40 mg OD (once a day) in the morning before breakfast. It can be taken at 20 mg BD (morning and evening).
The best time to take it is an hour before breakfast. Acid production is greater if you eat something. This is a natural reflex of the body to produce more acid to digest food. Any tablet or capsule needs a minimum of one hour to show the effect.
The capsule is enteric coated or SR, so you have to take it without breaking it as a single unit at a time. You can’t take a half dose at a time.
Although PPI has a very safe record of no side effects, long-term consumption may lead to magnesium depletion in the body, causing muscle weakness and cramps. This is a serious concern nowadays, as many people use PPI as a routine for many months without a prescription. It is one sort of habit-forming or dependancy. There are other natural remedies to avoid the use of PPI.
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