Can You Put Alka-Seltzer In Hot Tea? (+ Best way to take it)
Hot tea is definitely a go-to beverage especially when you’re looking to make the common cold and flu give you the much-needed break. Things might get a bit complicated if you’re also seeking relief from other symptoms like headache, heartburn, or upset. So, can you put Alka-Seltzer in a hot tea? Won’t this affect the effectiveness of the drug? Let’s see what the pharmacist has to say.
Key points
- It is not recommended to dissolve Alka-Seltzer in hot tea due to potential reactions between the tablet’s ingredients and those in the tea. This can lead to ineffectiveness or even harmful byproducts.
- Ineffectiveness may result in additional therapy costs and delayed relief, while harmful reactions pose health risks.
- Alka-Seltzer is best dissolved in water at room temperature, as recommended by the manufacturers. Dissolving it in hot water may increase fizziness, but specific products like “Alka-Seltzer Pro Severe Cold and Flu” are exceptions and can be mixed with hot water as directed.
- While water is the preferred medium for Alka-Seltzer dissolution, dissolving it in tea, juice, soda, or milk is also discouraged due to potential interaction risks and slower dissolution rates. Milk, containing fats and proteins, can hinder the tablet’s dissolution.
A Quick One on Alka-Seltzer
Alka-Seltzer is an effervescent tablet formulation containing aspirin, sodium bicarbonate, and citric acid. It is used to gain relief from symptoms like headache, body pains, heartburn, upset stomach, and other minor pains.
When placed in water, the tablets dissolve to give a fizz or bubbles. It is drunk after it has completely dissolved in water.
Can You Put Alka-Seltzer in Hot Tea?
It is not recommended to dissolve Alka-Seltzer in hot tea due to the possible risk of the ingredients in it reacting with the ingredients in the tea.
Depending on the kind of product formed at the end of such a reaction, the drug may either turn out to be ineffective or harmful.
If it’s ineffective, you would be incurring the additional cost of therapy since you may need to repurchase it and initiate the treatment again. Also, apart from the monetary loss, you face a delay in reaping the benefits you desire.
Being ineffective can be manageable since you can just get another tablet from the pack and take it again after a certain period. But what if the reaction forms a product that is harmful to the body?
Most teas, especially herbal green teas often contain natural plant chemicals(phytochemicals) like alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenes, etc. It wouldn’t be strange for any of these to form a complex or react unfavorably with the active ingredients in Alka-Seltzer.
This puts you at an unwanted health risk which could also persist, worsen, or complicate your condition.
Can You Add Alka-Seltzer to Hot Water?
In a general sense, it is not advisable to add Alka-Seltzer to hot water. This is because of the observation that doing this tends to increase the fizziness or bubbling of the solution.
The manufacturers recommend the use of water at room temperature for the dissolution. This has been found to be the best liquid and temperature for the intended reaction to occur.
However, there are certain Alka-Seltzer products such as “Alka-Seltzer Pro Severe Cold and Flu” that can be mixed with hot water before consumption.
This has even been mandated by the manufacturers as stated in their directions for use section in the product leaflet.
Can You Dissolve Alka-Seltzer in any other Liquid?
The fact remains that water is the best liquid for dissolving Alka-Seltzer tablets. As it gives a seemingly more stable reaction, oozing out the bubbles in a not-so-out-of-proportion manner. And also in the fastest possible time.
Opting to dissolve Alka-Seltzer in other liquids like tea, juice, or soda drinks is discouraged due to the potential risk of interaction and a slow dissolution rate.Â
Using milk as a dissolution medium is also discouraged as it contains fats and proteins that can hamper the dissolution rate of the tablets.
What is the Best Way to Take Alka-Seltzer?
Each product may have its unique direction for use. But most of the time, it is best taken by dissolving 2 tablets in 4 ounces of water at room temperature. This may vary, always clarify with your doctor or pharmacist if you are confused about the dosing of this drug.
Hot Drink Mix products like Alka-Seltzer Pro Severe Cold and Flu are to be dissolved in hot water and then taken over 15 minutes. They come in various flavors and are formulated to provide relief for cold and flu symptoms.
The liquid gel formulations which are more like soft capsules, are to be swallowed whole and with water. Regardless of the form, this drug should be taken only as directed by the doctor. Do not exceed the recommended dose as this can heighten your chances of experiencing unpleasant side effects.
If after taking the drugs, your symptoms still persist. It is recommended that you reach out to your doctor to register your complaints.
Final Thoughts
The verdict remains that it is not advisable to put Alka-Seltzer in hot tea due to the possibility of an interaction occurring between the active ingredients in the tablets and the chemicals in the tea.
Also, it has been observed that adding Alka-Seltzer tablets to hot liquids produces more fizz or bubbles than desired. Using carbonated drinks like Sprite will cause a dramatic effervescence that will leave you with little to no drugs after the whole reaction has been completed.
Juices are also not recommended. Same thing with milk as it can slow down the rate at which the tablets dissolve. The recommended liquid for dissolving Alka-Seltzer tablets is water.
So, unless advised otherwise, always use water as your dissolution medium for this drug. And take it as advised by your prescriber.
References
- Alka-Seltzer. (n.d.). Alka-Seltzer Original. Retrieved November 17, 2023, from https://www.alkaseltzer.com/original/products/original
- DailyMed. (n.d.). Alka-Seltzer- Aspirin, Citric Acid, Sodium Bicarbonate Tablet, Effervescent. Retrieved November 17, 2023, from https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/fda/fdaDrugXsl.cfm?setid=5be36a7f-7d1f-468d-9c29-92c8cd3ef1bc&type=display
- Drugs.com. (2023, June 23). Alka-Seltzer. Retrieved November 17, 2023, from https://www.drugs.com/cdi/alka-seltzer.html
- MedlinePlus. (n.d.). Sodium Bicarbonate. Retrieved November 17, 2023, from https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682001.html
- Li, Z., Wang, Z., Shen, B., Chen, C., & Ding, X. (2020). The benefits and risks of aspirin use in the gastrointestinal tract: Analysis of recent studies. Oncology Letters, 20(2). doi:10.3892/ol.2020.11640. Retrieved November 17, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7400979/
- MedlinePlus. (n.d.). Aspirin. Retrieved November 17, 2023, from https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682878.html
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About the Pharmacist
Pharm. John Mark (BPharm) is a licensed pharmacist with over 6 years of experience spanning clinical, community, and hospital pharmacy settings.
His wealth of experience and expertise makes him your knowledgeable and go-to source for all pharmacy and medication-related questions.
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Pharm. Johnhttps://bigpharmonline.com/author/nobleswazzy/
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Pharm. Johnhttps://bigpharmonline.com/author/nobleswazzy/
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Pharm. Johnhttps://bigpharmonline.com/author/nobleswazzy/
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Pharm. Johnhttps://bigpharmonline.com/author/nobleswazzy/
