Is it safe to drink too much tonic water with quinine
If you love the taste of tonic water and drink this refreshing liquid at regular intervals then you might have also asked yourself is it safe to drink too much tonic water with quinine? The answer depends on your existing health as well as the quantity that you sip on in a day.
Quinine emerged as a leading drug in the seventeenth century that was sourced from the bark of the cinchona tree to fight many diseases including malaria. Over time, quinine also proved to be an effective fighter against arthritis, lupus, leg cramps, and many other devastating diseases. This miracle drug was also developed artificially too. Since quinine was quite bitter in taste, most medicines used sweeteners to offset the bitter taste and in the process found out that small amounts of quinine mixed with tonic water created a wonderful drink that could be enjoyed just like fizzy soda.
However, in recent years, scientists have discovered that quinine causes several undesired side-effects such as causing an irregular heart rhythm, constipation, and diarrhea, among a few others. Patients that are administered quinine also need constant monitoring of their heart as well as blood glucose levels. Quinine is banned in the USA since the FDA received several complaints related to quinine that was used for medical treatment.
On the other hand, quinine that is used for non-medical purposes such as being infused in very small quantities in tonic water has seen a spurt in popularity all across the globe. Big brands such as Pepsico and Schweppes, among several others offer tonic water mixed with very low levels of quinine to produce a bitter-sweet taste that tickles the taste buds of drinkers. If you love the taste of tonic water then you should consider these following facts before you decide on whether you are drinking too much quinine.
You should firstly confirm if you have any existing heart problem or are afflicted with diabetes. You should also ensure that your digestion is strong enough to ingest small quantities of quinine without any problem. The dangers of too much quinine are usually exhibited by people that already have a medical condition related to the heart or simply exhibit intolerance to quinine upon drinking tonic water.
If you are a healthy person that is already consuming tonic water at regular intervals without any problems then you should probably not worry. In fact, several people suffering from migraine and leg cramps have reported substantial improvement in their condition when they drink tonic water that contains very small quantities of quinine. However, as with all other foods and drinks, drinking moderate amounts of tonic water that translates into a couple of glasses every day should not present any problem at all even as you enjoy the unique taste of quinine.
In recent days, there have been several confusing stories surrounding the use and dangers of quinine. Quinine, when used in extremely small quantities in creating tasty tonic water does not harm healthy people and is in fact beneficial for people that suffer from several debilitating problems. If you have not been exhibiting any side-effects or are a healthy person then do not worry about whether you drink too much tonic water with quinine and simply enjoy drinking your tonic water at moderate levels.