Don’t take drugs with fizzy drinks, experts warn
Medical experts have warned Nigerians to desist from taking painkillers with carbonated drinks.
They drew attention to the inherent dangers while speaking with PUNCH Healthwise in separate interviews, noting that water remains the best and medically advisable liquid recommended to take painkillers and other drugs.
The experts also asserted that painkillers must not be taken with alcohol due to the release of harmful metabolisms in the body.
A former Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, had in 2017, after a meeting with the Department of Food and Drug Services, Federal Ministry of Health, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, and Standards Organisation of Nigeria, to address concerns about two carbonated drinks said that although some carbonated drinks were safe for consumption, they should not be used to take drugs.
During the meeting, a previously circulated WhatsApp post about taking painkillers with carbonated drinks, which resurfaced, was widely shared and deliberated on.
Speaking on the implication of combining drugs and drink, a Consultant Pharmacist, Dr Lolu Ojo, said that such action could affect the efficacy of the drug.
He stressed that alcohol must not be taken with painkillers or any drug due to the potential exacerbation of unwanted effects.
“However, the best drink that the body accepts without issues is water and I will advise everybody to take their drugs with water. Taking your drugs with any other drink could affect the dissolution, release, efficacy and safety of the drug depending on the nature of the drink,” he warned.
Ojo, who is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Merit Healthcare Limited, advised Nigerians to imbibe healthy habits such as exercising regularly and avoiding sedentary lifestyles.
He said, “Eating a balanced diet, light and early dinner, drinking lots of water, sleeping well for about eight to nine hours daily and avoiding stress. Check your blood pressure and sugar level, and do carry out regular total health check-ups.”
On his part, a medical practitioner, Olusina Ajidahun, said dissolving painkillers or taking them with fizzy drinks should be stopped and discouraged.
He condemned the act of dissolving more than the required dosage of painkillers in carbonated drinks, stating that excessive intake of painkillers could cause damage to the liver and other vital organs.
“When a drug is formulated, they have a measure of acidity and alkalinity, which is called pH. Many drugs have a pH that they work with, so when the drugs are taken with fizzy drinks, some of which may be a bit acidic or alkaline, they can affect the way the drugs function.
“For example, fizzy drinks with milk contents, when taken with some drugs, don’t work well. Some of the contents in some drinks can also affect the absorption of the drug and reduce its efficacy.”
“Also, when you have more of the drinks in the system, it increases the risk of side effects that are not commonly attributed to the drugs,” he said.
Ajidahun clarified that although taking painkillers with carbonated drinks was yet to be associated with any health problems, such a combination could make the drugs ineffective.
“It is best to take drugs with water. Also, various drugs have various ways they have to be taken. Some drugs are meant to be taken on an empty stomach, while some work best with fatty foods. So when such drugs are taken with fizzy drinks, it distorts the way the drugs act,” he said.
The medical doctor urged Nigerians to adhere to drug prescriptions, stating that unhealthy drug habits cause drug resistance and lead to a strain on disease treatment.
Ajidahun added, “Stick to your pharmacist’s instructions when you are given a drug. You would be told the best time to use it and the dos and don’ts of the drugs. Please stick to the drug recommendation. Don’t mix your drugs with alcohol. For example, if you mix paracetamol with alcohol, it increases the chance of liver damage because toxic metabolites are released with such a combination. Don’t take drugs at the slightest discomfort.”
