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Can you take Tums after drinking alcohol? Do tums help with hangovers? If you’ve landed on this page, chances are you’re not feeling too great and looking for a potential remedy for your hangover woes.
Tums are one of the most popular antacid brands in the US and are sold over the counter in stores and pharmacies around the country.
You may be wondering whether taking tums interacts with alcohol. Or even whether tums can be beneficial for hangovers.
In this article, we aim to clear things up by taking a closer look at everything you need to know.
HOW DO TUMS WORK, AND WHAT ARE THEY USED FOR?
As you probably know, Tums is an antacid. Its primary use is to settle symptoms of indigestion, also known as "heartburn."
The active ingredient is calcium carbonate, which helps neutralize stomach acid.
Many different types of antacids are available on the market, and they all work slightly differently. Tums would be on the weak side of the spectrum in terms of how well they neutralize stomach acid.
Calcium carbonate-based antacids in the UK are not routinely used for this purpose. (1)
With the basics out the way, let's focus on all things tums and alcohol-related.
DO TUMS INTERACT WITH ALCOHOL?
A drug interaction is a change in the action or side effects of a drug caused by taking it with something else, such as food, beverage, supplement, or another drug.
The active ingredient in tums, calcium carbonate, does not interact with alcohol.
So, in theory, there shouldn't be a problem with taking tums if you've been drinking alcohol. That said, everyone is different and may experience adverse effects.
CAN YOU TAKE TUMS AFTER DRINKING ALCOHOL?
If you've had a few drinks and are experiencing heartburn symptoms, then yes, tums can be taken after drinking alcohol.
Developing heartburn after drinking alcohol is quite common, and there are many different causes. Alcohol relaxes the muscles in your lower esophagus, which prevents the contents of your stomach from splashing back. Alcohol also dehydrates your body, which is a crucial factor in hangover symptoms like headaches and dizziness.
In addition, alcohol can increase stomach acid secretions and also inflame your stomach lining. (2)
With that said, the manufacturers say that Tums are not intended for use before or while consuming alcohol as a way to prevent heartburn. (3)
This means you shouldn't be taking tums in anticipation of getting heartburn to prevent those symptoms from coming on.
DO TUMS HELP WITH HANGOVERS?
Hangovers are caused by drinking too much alcohol. The science behind alcohol and hangovers is complex. However, scientists generally believe a combination of factors, including dehydration, low blood sugar, the buildup of acetaldehyde (a toxic byproduct of alcohol metabolism), inflammation, and poor sleep quality, collectively contribute to hangover symptoms, which include nausea, headache, muscle aches, and poor concentration, to mention just a few.
Some people also get hangover heartburn, and in this case, tums may help.
However, Tums only addresses the symptoms of heartburn and doesn't tackle the primary causes of hangovers, like dehydration and low blood sugar. Rehydration, for example, is a crucial step in alleviating hangover symptoms. While Tums may temporarily relieve acid reflux, they won't help you with other symptoms, like fatigue or dizziness.
DO TUMS PREVENT HANGOVERS?
You may be wondering if tums can be used to prevent a hangover from happening in the first place.
Unfortunately, tums have no role in this. Taking tums before drinking alcohol to prevent hangovers will have zero effect because they don't address the root causes of a hangover, such as acetaldehyde toxicity, dehydration, or disrupted sleep.
As an antacid, Tums only neutralizes stomach acid. Hangovers are prevented by drinking less alcohol at a slower pace so that your liver can metabolize it before damage is caused. Unfortunately, Tums will not prevent a hangover.
DO TUMS HELP WITH AN UPSET STOMACH AFTER ALCOHOL?
"Stomach upset" means different things to different people. We've mentioned that if referring to indigestion after drinking alcohol, then tums could help.
However, if by an upset stomach you mean abdominal pain or diarrhea, tums are unlikely to help.
There are many causes of stomach pain and diarrhea, and tums are only helpful for neutralizing stomach acid.
ANYTHING ELSE TO CONSIDER?
Suppose you're experiencing indigestion, heartburn, or any stomach upset. Before taking any medication, it is best to always speak to your pharmacist or doctor for advice.
At the same time, if you're taking Tums regularly and still experiencing symptoms, it's time to seek expert help.
It's also important to note that common hangover remedies like greasy foods or "hair of the dog" (drinking more alcohol the following day) won't cure a hangover and might only provide you with temporary comfort. Neither addresses the physiological causes of hangovers, just like Tums only offers relief for specific symptoms.
Trying to remedy any of the adverse effects of alcohol with Tums is not the ideal approach. The best way to prevent adverse effects from drinking alcohol is to reduce how much you're drinking.
If you do drink alcohol, rehydrating with water and replenishing your lost electrolytes is essential for your recovery. For severe hangovers, some people turn to IV therapy, although its effectiveness against hangovers is debatable.
Furthermore, the type of alcohol you're drinking could also be the source of your problems—for example, intolerances to gluten or congeners in alcohol. You can find out more about this in our article about bloating after drinking alcohol.
TUMS AND ALCOHOL – FINAL WORDS
That brings us to the end of our look into all things related to tums and alcohol.
In summary, taking Tums will:
– Help with acid reflux/heartburn/indigestion
– It does not "interact" with alcohol
– Will not prevent or treat a hangover beyond relieving heartburn
Suppose you are experiencing symptoms after drinking alcohol. In that case, it's always best to speak to your doctor before assuming your symptoms are related to a specific medical problem. After all, that's what they are there for!