It is of critical importance to note that the intended, reasonable use of these drugs has been hugely overshot. Approved by the FDA for short-term use only, these drugs are now taken daily by millions of people, sometimes for decades. Doctors have fallen asleep at the wheel when it comes to safeguarding patients from the harmful effects of medication abuse, and are now guilty of over-prescribing. The potential complications from PPIs are vast, as each individual responds to these and all drugs differently. It is up to each person to determine his or her acceptable level of risk, and a proper determination of risk cannot be made without first knowing the facts. Based on the latest science, the following risk factors represent our top five reasons why you should never take a proton pump inhibitor.