Prevacid, also known as Lansoprazole, has many side effects. This medication is used to neutralize acid in the stomach. Doctors prescribe it to treat ulcers and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), otherwise known as acid reflux. It is also commonly administered to people undergoing chemotherapy.
The most common side effects of Prevacid are stomach pain and diarrhea. In addition, the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) has recently announced that patients who took Prevacid for a year or more are at greater risk for fractures. But there are other side effects, as well.
Some patients taking Prevacid have reported thinning hair and hair loss. Furthermore, they have reported decreased blood cell size as indicated by MCV values. (MCV stands for Mean Cell Volume.) The purpose of blood is to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the organs of the body. A decrease in the size of the blood cells would result in fatigue, which is another side effect of Prevacid. All of these symptoms are indications of a vitamin B12 deficiency, and can be easily remedied with vitamin B12 supplementation.
In fact, women who have complained about hair loss and fatigue benefitted greatly from taking vitamin B12, even though they were still taking Prevacid. They have stated that their hair grew back, and that they felt more energetic.
If you are taking Prevacid, and if you are suffering from hair loss or fatigue, you can relieve these symptoms by supplementing your diet with vitamin B12.