Famotidine
Prescription ·Exploratory record · not publication-reviewed ·Updated July 13, 2026
A histamine-2 receptor antagonist used for the treatment and prevention of duodenal and gastric ulcers, GERD, erosive esophagitis, and conditions involving pathological gastric acid hypersecretion. Famotidine provides effective acid suppression with a favorable drug interaction profile compared to cimetidine.
Exploratory record, not a reviewed medical publication.
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This generated database record has not completed a claim-level review by a qualified human medical reviewer. Bibliography links and evidence labels are not approval. The page remains available for reference and is excluded from search indexing.
What the research says.
A quick, data-only summary. The full evidence, dosing, and sources are below.
A histamine-2 receptor antagonist used for the treatment and prevention of duodenal and gastric ulcers, GERD, erosive esophagitis, and conditions involving pathological gastric acid hypersecretion. NutriStack rates the supporting evidence as strong. Common adult dosing is 20–40 mg once or twice daily (as prescribed by your physician), though a prescriber sets the actual dose. With long-term use it can deplete vitamin b12. This profile indexes 10 sources.
The bottom line
Evidence rating strong. Most-documented uses: relief of heartburn and acid indigestion, healing of duodenal ulcers, treatment of gerd symptoms. 10 sources indexed (1995–2025), with 0 interaction records on file.
How it works, mechanistically.
Core mechanism
Competitively blocks histamine H2 receptors on the basolateral membrane of gastric parietal cells, inhibiting histamine-stimulated acid secretion. This reduces both basal and nocturnal acid output as well as acid secretion stimulated by food, pentagastrin, and other secretagogues.4
Dosing & protocol.
Can be taken with or without food; for heartburn prevention, take 15–60 minutes before eating trigger foods
What it depletes.
Nutrients this medication can lower over time, and what to replace.
Vitamin B12
MildChronic H2 receptor blockade reduces gastric acid needed to release food-bound vitamin B12 before intrinsic factor binding.
Full safety detail.
Sources, by evidence tier.
Numbered references. Citations throughout the page link here.
Meta-analyses & systematic reviews
1- 1Meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials comparing lansoprazole with ranitidine or famotidine in the treatment of acute duodenal ulcerPMIDPoynard T, Lemaire M, Agostini H · European journal of gastroenterology & hepatology · 1995
Poynard T, Lemaire M, Agostini H. Meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials comparing lansoprazole with ranitidine or famotidine in the treatment of acute duodenal ulcer. European journal of gastroenterology & hepatology. 1995
Randomized controlled trials
2- 2Famotidine in the treatment of functional dyspepsia: a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trialPMIDAmini M, Ghamar Chehreh ME, Khedmat H et al. · The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association · 2012
Amini M, Ghamar Chehreh ME, Khedmat H et al.. Famotidine in the treatment of functional dyspepsia: a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association. 2012
- 3Randomized comparative study of omeprazole and famotidine in reflux esophagitisPMIDKawano S, Murata H, Tsuji S et al. · Journal of gastroenterology and hepatology · 2002
Kawano S, Murata H, Tsuji S et al.. Randomized comparative study of omeprazole and famotidine in reflux esophagitis. Journal of gastroenterology and hepatology. 2002
Reviews & position papers
2- 4A Real-World Disproportionality Analysis of Histamine H2-Receptors Antagonists (Famotidine): A Pharmacovigilance Study Based on Spontaneous Reports in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting SystemPMIDZhang D, Cai Y, Sun Y et al. · Drug development research · 2025
Zhang D, Cai Y, Sun Y et al.. A Real-World Disproportionality Analysis of Histamine H2-Receptors Antagonists (Famotidine): A Pharmacovigilance Study Based on Spontaneous Reports in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System. Drug development research. 2025
- 5Gastroprotective efficacy and safety of single-tablet ibuprofen/famotidine vs ibuprofen in older personsPMIDBello AE, Kent JD, Holt RJ · The Physician and sportsmedicine · 2015
Bello AE, Kent JD, Holt RJ. Gastroprotective efficacy and safety of single-tablet ibuprofen/famotidine vs ibuprofen in older persons. The Physician and sportsmedicine. 2015
Reference material
5- 6Howden CW, Tytgat GN. The tolerability and safety profile of famotidine. Clin Ther. 1996.Source linkedPMID
- 7Sabesin SM et al. Famotidine versus ranitidine for the short-term treatment of duodenal ulcer. Am J Med. 1986.Source linkedPMID
- 8Chiu L et al. Effect of famotidine on hospitalized patients with COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2021.Source linkedPMID
- 9Chenchula S, Ray A, Sadasivam B. Famotidine Repurposing for Novel Corona Virus Disease of 2019: A Systematic Review. Drug research. 2021Source linkedPMID
- 10Leary PJ, Rayner SG, Branch KRH et al.. Effect of Famotidine on Outcomes in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Chest. 2025Source linkedPMID
Common questions.
Quick answers about Famotidine, drawn from the data on this page.
What is Famotidine?
A histamine-2 receptor antagonist used for the treatment and prevention of duodenal and gastric ulcers, GERD, erosive esophagitis, and conditions involving pathological gastric acid hypersecretion. Famotidine provides effective acid suppression with a favorable drug interaction profile compared to cimetidine.
What is Famotidine used for?
Commonly cited benefits of Famotidine include: Relief of heartburn and acid indigestion; Healing of duodenal ulcers; Treatment of GERD symptoms; Maintenance therapy for duodenal ulcer healing; Treatment of pathological hypersecretory conditions. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as strong.
What is a typical dose of Famotidine?
A typical adult dose of Famotidine is 20–40 mg once or twice daily (as prescribed by your physician). The commonly recommended form is Tablet or oral suspension; IV available. These are general ranges, not personalized advice; confirm the right dose with a clinician.
What are the side effects of Famotidine?
Reported side effects include headache, dizziness, constipation, diarrhea, fatigue, muscle cramps. This is educational information; check with a healthcare professional before use.
How strong is the evidence for Famotidine?
NutriStack rates this as Strong, meaning multiple high-quality meta-analyses or systematic reviews converge on the same finding. Full tier criteria are at https://nutristackapp.com/methodology/evidence-tiers.
Use this with your stack
Famotidine in NutriStack.
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