Antacids are widely used medicines that help ease heartburn, indigestion, and upset stomach by reducing the amount of acid in the stomach. But now, researchers have found that these common drugs may do more than just calm the stomach—they might also help people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar.
Type 2 diabetes is a serious health condition that affects nearly 1 in 10 people around the world. It happens when the body can’t use insulin properly, making it hard to control blood sugar levels.
People with type 2 diabetes often need to follow a healthy lifestyle, take medications, or use insulin to manage their condition. But a new study by researchers at the University of Maryland suggests that antacids could be an unexpected new tool in the fight against high blood sugar.
The researchers looked at how antacids affected people with diabetes. They reviewed seven clinical trials that involved 342 participants who already had diabetes. These trials compared people who received standard diabetes care (like diet, exercise, and medications) with those who received the same care plus antacids.
The results showed that taking antacids in addition to regular treatment helped lower two key measures of blood sugar.
First, it reduced HbA1c levels—a marker of average blood sugar over a few months—by 0.36%. Second, it lowered fasting blood sugar levels by about 10 mg/dl. These are small but meaningful changes that could help many people better manage their condition.
However, the study also looked at whether taking antacids might help prevent diabetes in the first place. For this part, the team analyzed data from five large studies involving over 244,000 people who did not have diabetes. In these cases, the researchers found no strong evidence that antacids reduced the risk of developing diabetes.
This means that while antacids may help people who already have diabetes control their blood sugar, they probably don’t protect people from getting diabetes in the first place.
The findings are important for both patients and healthcare providers. People with diabetes should know that the antacids they may already be taking for stomach issues could also be helping to lower their blood sugar.
Doctors should also consider this when prescribing or reviewing medications for patients with diabetes, as these effects could be part of an overall treatment plan.
The study was led by Dr. Carol Chiung-Hui Peng and published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. It adds to growing research showing that some medications might have unexpected benefits beyond their original use.
If you have type 2 diabetes and want to keep your blood sugar under control, there are several things you can do. Eating a healthy, balanced diet is key—choose whole foods, lean proteins, and avoid too much sugar or processed food. Regular physical activity, even walking 30 minutes a day, can make a big difference.
Make sure to take your medications exactly as prescribed, monitor your blood sugar levels often, and find ways to manage stress. Sleep is also important—aim for 7 to 8 hours each night.
Most importantly, work closely with your healthcare provider to create a treatment plan that’s right for you. And if you’re already taking antacids for other reasons, talk to your doctor to see if they might also support your diabetes care.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies that MIND diet may reduce risk of vision loss disease, and Vitamin D could benefit people with diabetic neuropathic pain.
For more information about diabetes, please see recent studies that Vitamin E could help reduce blood sugar and insulin resistance in diabetes, and results showing eating eggs in a healthy diet may reduce risks of diabetes, high blood pressure.
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