Taking medication with alkaline water can reduce drug effectiveness, Hungarian study finds
Translated from Hungarian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
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- Taking medication with alkaline mineral water can weaken the protective coating of some drugs, reducing their effectiveness.
- This occurs when the active ingredient dissolves too early in the stomach instead of the intestines.
- Researchers recommend using plain tap water to ensure medication efficacy.
A recent study by pharmacists at Semmelweis University in Hungary has revealed that taking medications with certain alkaline mineral waters can significantly compromise their effectiveness. The research, published in the journal Pharmaceutics, found that some alkaline and mineral waters can weaken the protective coating of gastric-resistant drugs within minutes.
Gastric-resistant medications are designed to release their active ingredients in the intestines, not the stomach, to prevent degradation by stomach acid or to avoid irritating the stomach lining. This special coating is found in drugs used for conditions like reflux, stomach protection, psychiatric issues, and pain relief.
The small drug pellet doesn't know if it's in the intestine or still in the glass. If the environment's pH is similar, the coating can start to dissolve in the same way.
The study observed that highly alkaline waters with high mineral and ion content caused the most significant degradation. In some cases, the protective coating began to break down after just five minutes, and over 90% of the active ingredient could be released prematurely within 15-30 minutes. In contrast, more acidic liquids like apple juice showed much less impact on the coating's stability.
Dr. Kállai-Szabó Nikolett, a senior lecturer at Semmelweis University's Faculty of Pharmacy and the study's lead author, explained that the drug coating cannot distinguish between the stomach's environment and a beverage with a similar pH. While it is common knowledge in the medical field to take pills with plain tap water, this is not always clear to patients given the wide variety of bottled waters available. The researchers analyzed the instructions for 103 gastric-resistant drugs, finding that 42 of them lacked information on what liquids should be used for administration.
It is taken for granted in the profession that medications are taken with simple tap water, but this is not always clear to patients today, as there are many types of mineral and medicinal waters available.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Magyar Nemzet in Hungarian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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