The short explanation
It can. Stomach acid helps the body absorb iron from food and release vitamin B12 from protein. Some acidity medicines, especially those that strongly reduce acid and are used for a long time, can lower absorption of both. Over years this may contribute to low iron, low B12 or anaemia in some people. This does not mean you should stop your medicine suddenly, because acid symptoms can return strongly. It is a good reason to ask your doctor whether you still need it, whether a lower-strength approach could work, and whether your iron and B12 should be checked.
What depends on your situation
The parts of this that change from woman to woman. Uncertainty is stated, not hidden.
- Many people continue acidity tablets for years without a review. A periodic check of whether they are still needed is sensible.
- Diet, alcohol, smoking, late-night meals and weight also affect acidity, and changing these may reduce the need for medicine.
- Ongoing acidity, difficulty swallowing, weight loss or black stools are reasons for a doctor to look further, sometimes with an endoscopy.
What this answer cannot determine
The boundary of online education. These need a clinician who can see you.
- This cannot tell you whether your medicine has affected your levels. Blood tests for haemoglobin, ferritin and B12 are needed.
Questions for your clinician
Take these with you. You can add any of them to an appointment card.
- Do I still need this acidity medicine every day, or only when symptoms flare?
- Can we check my iron and B12 levels?
- Is there a way to reduce or stop it safely?
- Should I have an endoscopy given how long I have had acidity?
When to seek help
Clinician-approved guidance for this topic. When in doubt, being seen is never the wrong choice.
Emergency — call 112 now
- Call 112 if you vomit blood or pass black, tarry stools with dizziness.
Book an appointment soon
- See a doctor within a few days if you have difficulty swallowing, weight loss or worsening tiredness.
Raise it at a routine appointment
- Book a routine review of your acidity medicine and ask for iron and B12 tests.
Sources
The evidence this explanation is built on.
- Iron deficiency anaemia NHS
- Iron MedlinePlus (US National Library of Medicine)
- Anemia MedlinePlus (US National Library of Medicine)
Who wrote and reviewed this
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- Author
- AskHer Editorial (AI-assisted draft) AskHer's editorial team — not an individual clinician Works in English, தமிழ், हिन्दी
- Clinical reviewer
- Nobody yet No clinician has signed this answer off, and no person on the editorial team has read it yet. That is what the “Written with AI assistance” label means. It is queued for an editor to read, and then for a clinician who works in this area. The sources it was drafted against are listed above.
- Review status
- Written with AI assistance — not yet reviewed by a person
- Last reviewed
- Not yet reviewed by a person
- Version
- 1
Correction history
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No corrections have been made since this answer was first published.
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