What is Zantac?

Zantac is a daily used, over-the-counter drug responsible for reducing the amount of stomach acid your body produces. 

What is the active ingredient in Zantac?

Zantac consists of the active ingredient, ranitidine, which is an H-2 blocker (histamine-2) specially used to treat and prevent ulcers in the first part of the small intestine–the duodenum. 

What is an H-2 blocker?

Although there are different types of H-2 blockers, some are better than others.

Famotidine, cimetidine, nizatidine, and ranitidine are just a few H2 blockers. 

All of these H2 blockers are an over-the-counter medicine that can help treat heartburn as a result of acid reflux or sour stomach and other gastrointestinal complications.

What does Zantac help treat?

Many people use Zantac to help treat and prevent ulcers located in the intestines and stomach which may cause heartburn. 

It is also used to treat medical conditions related to excess amounts of stomach acid such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome or other medical conditions like acid reflux (GERD).

What is Ranitidine?

Ranitidine specifically contains a toxic carcinogen called NDMA (N-nitrosodimethylamine) which is known to cause gastrointestinal cancers in animals and is likely for humans when consumed for a long period of time or when the drug is stored at above-recommended temperatures.

FDA and Zantac/Ranitidine

The FDA requested all manufacturers to pull Zantac and all other prescription and over-the-counter drugs containing ranitidine because of the cancer-causing NDMA.

Are Ranitidine and Zantac the same?

Yes. 

Zantac is the brand name selling an acid-reducing drug containing the active ingredient ranitidine. 

However, due to FDA regulations, all ranitidine-containing Zantac products have been discontinued.

What is NDMA?

NDMA is a nitrite-based preservative to help prevent certain harmful bacteria from growing. 

Where is NDMA found?

NDMA is commonly found in everyday, mass-produced items such as grilled or cured meats, water, dairy products, and industrial manufacturing processes. 

Products consumed every day like meats, water, and dairy contain such a small amount of NDMA that it’s not considered harmful to humans.

However, products made with high levels of NDMA are more common in industrial manufacturing processes, especially for drug production.

Is NDMA harmful?

When NDMA is consumed in high amounts or is not stored at proper temperatures, the effects can be life-threatening. 

Zantac and NDMA

For example, Zantac’s Cool Mint contained 150 mg of ranitidine and 0.00019 mg of NDMA, but when stored above the recommended temperature, the levels of NDMA increased almost 3 times to 0.0007 mg. 

Meanwhile, the FDA recommends consuming 0.00096 mg on a daily basis.

While Zantac’s Cool Mint product itself did not contain over the recommended daily amount of NDMA, as stated before, we consume everyday products containing NDMA, so by the end of the day after eating 3 meals and taking at least one serving of Zantac’s Cool Mint, you can be well over the daily recommended amount of NDMA.

Which foods contain NDMA?

Whiskey, beer, cured meats, and cheeses are some of the most common foods with higher amounts of NDMA. 

What is the risk associated with NDMA consumption?

Eating meats and cheeses alone will not cause cancer, but when consuming these types of foods in high amounts along with taking medications also with high amounts of NDMA, your risk of developing cancer increases.

Zantac/Ranitidine Alternatives

What is famotidine?

Famotidine is a stronger, more potent H2-blocker than ranitidine, but it does not contain the harmful carcinogen, NDMA, thus the FDA approves famotidine in over-the-counter drugs medications. The daily recommended dosage of famotidine is 0.5 mg.

More Zantac Facts

How many Zantac can you take a day?

For Zantac, it is recommended not to exceed over 150 mg twice a day.

What medications CAN be taken with Zantac?

Plavix, Clindamycin, and Ondansetron can all be taken when using Zantac.

What medications cannot be taken with Zantac?

Any medication containing an H-2 blocker CANNOT be taken while using Zantac.

Is Zantac safe during pregnancy?

No! Do NOT take Zantac or any over-the-counter drug containing ranitidine while pregnant as it makes causes birth defects or cancer. Talk to your doctor.

What is Zantac 360?

Zantac 360 is the new line of medication made with the H-2 blocker, famotidine. However, there is still more research being done today to determine the long-threatening effects of famotidine.

Does Zantac Cause Cancer?

In general, no, taking Zantac will not cause cancer, but when stored at improper temperatures or consumed in excessive amounts along with foods high in NDMA, your odds of developing cancer can increase.

Zantac Lawsuit Update

As of September 2022, the plaintiff dropped charges after settling with the defendant for $500,000. Today, Zantac has over 2,000 consolidated lawsuits in federal court. Will you qualify as one of them?

Find out today for free!