Tums is an over-the-counter (OTC) antacid to treat acid reflux and other symptoms of indigestion. While it’s safe to drink alcohol while taking Tums, drinking the substance can lead to additional stomach irritation and worsen acid reflux symptoms.
This article examines the side effects of drinking alcohol if you have heartburn and the precautions to take while using Tums to ease your symptoms.
What To Know About Tums
Tums is used to treat the following symptoms:
● indigestion
● heartburn
● upset stomach
These symptoms are all linked to excess stomach acid. Tums have calcium carbonate with a high pH value and that’s why it works so well for indigestion. This means it neutralizes the acid when you take it while balancing the pH level in your stomach.
Tums is also a nutritional supplement for individuals who don’t get enough dietary calcium (hypocalcemia) which can result in osteoporosis.
Is It Safe To Drink Alcohol If You Take Tums?
You can drink alcohol when you take Tums as there’s no recorded interaction between calcium carbonate and alcohol. However, alcohol can aggravate heartburn and other symptoms connected with indigestion. This is because alcoholic beverages can boost gastric acid secretions.
Alcohol also relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter, which prevents acid from flowing up from your stomach into your esophagus. As such, consider avoiding alcohol altogether if you’ve taken Tums because you’re suffering from heartburn, as it’s not meant to treat heartburn caused by alcohol consumption.
You can also minimize alcohol-related heartburn by using the 2015-2020 U.S. Dietary Guidelines.
What Are The Most Common Side Effects?
Despite Tums being generally safe to use for heartburn, these are some side effects that could occur:
● diarrhea or constipation
● dry mouth
● gas and belching
● loss of appetite
● abdominal pain or cramps
Usually, these symptoms will go away once you stop taking Tums. However, you should contact your doctor if you’re side effects are severe and continue even when you stop taking the medication.
Safety Precautions
Tums are generally safe for adults and children above the age of 12. For children under 12 and pregnant women, consult a doctor or pharmacist about recommended doses.
Before taking Tums, let your doctor know if:
● you’re currently taking other prescription or non-prescription drugs, including herbal supplements and vitamins
● you have or have kidney or liver disease
● you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to conceive
● you have or have had a stomach condition
Conclusion
Tums is a common OTC medication used to treat heartburn and other indigestion symptoms. Although it’s safe to drink alcohol while taking Tums, you should also consider that alcohol can worsen heartburn. As such, it’s generally a good idea to avoid alcohol when you have heartburn.
