Do you suffer from heartburn? Here is the answer for your relief: We’ve found the very best over the counter, maximum strength, heartburn medications proven to be the most effective amongst competitors.
Unfortunately, approximately 20% of Americans are affected by heartburn. Fortunately, there are plenty of available treatment options to stop your suffering. We’re here to help provide you with fast, effective relief from that lingering stomach acid causing your heartburn to flare up.
After taking a deep dive into the most reputable clinical research to identify the best possible treatments, we’ve got answers for you. As it turns out, the best treatment depends on how severe your symptoms are. There are three active ingredients that have been proven effective to protect against heartburn – Antacids, H2 blockers and PPIs, or proton pump inhibitors. But what do these really mean?
Antacids
Antacids are packed full of ingredients that are moderately effective at neutralizing your stomach acid. In fact, that’s us putting it lightly. Ever taken an Alka Seltzer? We’re sorry to report that baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, does nothing for you.
Research shows that Alka Seltzer is actually very ineffective at neutralizing your stomach acid. It is also full of high sodium content, another no-no. Sorry to break the news, but if you’re taking Alka Seltzer for your heartburn you’re probably not experiencing any real relief.
H2 Blockers
H2 is what tells your stomach to produce acid. There are three H2 blockers: Cimetidine, Ranitidine, and Famotidine. These fight to prevent heartburn by blocking your body’s response to the chemical that tells your stomach to produce acid.
The downside? In some rare cases, Cimetidine has been linked to gynecomastia (breast enlargement in males). You should also be very cautious if you’re on any prescription medication, as it is also more likely to interfere with it. Ditch any heartburn products that have Cimetidine and try to stick to Ranitidine or Famotidine.
PPIs
These are much more potent than any H2 blockers because they completely stop your stomach from producing any acid. Approved by the FDA back in 2001, Esomeprazole is the newest PPI, but has extensive research that is quite impressive.
In fact, esomeprazole was found to promote faster healing than other PPIs – So much so, that a single dose is more effective than a double dose of competing PPIs! With that being said, we are dumping all other ingredients and exclusively providing you with esomeprazole-based heartburn medications.
Now that you have a better understanding of the active ingredients that are proven to be effective, here is our list of the very best over the counter, maximum strength, heartburn medications:
1. Tums Ultra Strength 1000 – Best for Mild Heartburn
2. Rolaids Ultra Strength Soft Chews – Runner-Up for Mild Heartburn
3. Zantac 150 – Best for Moderate Heartburn
4. Nexium 24HR – Best for Intense Heartburn