Quinine Water

Quinine is a natural white alkaloid that is used primarily for treating malaria, due to its various actions of being antipyretic, anti malarial and anti-inflammatory agent. Few know that when referring to quinine water, we are referring to nothing but tonic water, which is commonly mixed with gin to form the famous gin and tonic drink.

Although initially, this agent was used only to treat malaria, its use now has increased to many more conditions. Quinine nowadays, is also used to treat diseases like lupus, chronic arthritis and leg cramps occurring at night. However, there is little to no evidence to prove this drug as beneficial for treating nocturnal leg cramps.

Two reports were published before FDA banned the use of quinine or tonic water for leg cramps. Both the reports said that the frequency of leg cramps was reduced to a great extent, however, the severity and duration was not reduced.

Hence, it was concluded that the drug was not effective for treating the problems and the serious risk of life-threatening consequences outweighs its benefits.

Although FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has not approved the use of quinine for treating nocturnal leg cramps, it is commonly used for treating leg cramps even today. In fact, some even use it in cases of restless leg syndrome.

However, the efficacy of this line of treatment is dubious for several reasons. To begin with, most of the tonic water available today has a very small amount of quinine, which according to some people, isn't really enough to bring about any considerable difference, especially in cases where the person has severe leg pain.

And the tonic water is usually flavored and mixed with sugar or corn syrup, making it further less bitter and less effective. The FDA has asked for the quinine in tonic water to be a mere 83 parts per million.

Some doctors and patients say that this amount is enough to bring about some relief. It is said that eight to sixteen ounces of this liquid at night helps to prevent nocturnal leg cramps. This is the reason why the use of tonic water for leg cramps has become quite a common off-label medication for dealing with this chronic problem.

However, the FDA is yet to be convinced and due to the potential side effects of quinine, is skeptical about making the use of quinine for leg cramps a normal treatment option.

Also, the use of quinine sulfate for leg cramps is said to give better results when compared to quinine water, but at the same time, has a lot more side effects when compared to tonic water. In the end, the choice is yours; you may or may not avail of the tonic water benefits, but it is best to ask your doctor before you do so.

One of the common misconceptions regarding tonic water is that by taking this water in an adequate amount of doses, you can treat or at least prevent the occurrence of malaria. This could not be further from the truth.

As mentioned earlier, the quinine content in tonic water is a mere 83 ppm, where the dosage of quinine to treat malaria is somewhere around 300mg tablets thrice a day! Hence, quinine water really provides no amount of prevention against malaria.

You'll be better off taking other precautionary measures when dealing with malaria. However, if you do wish to take this water as a curative or preventive agent for any disease or condition, please ask your doctor about it and then go ahead with it.

Mild:

• Headache
• Ringing in the ears
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Skin rash
• Itching
• Blurred vision
• Upset stomach
• Vomiting
• Hot flushes
• Confusion

Severe:

• Kidney failure
• Strokes
• Heart attacks
• Thrombocytopenia
• Liver failure
• Hearing loss

Avoid Using Quinine Water If You Have...

• A blood clotting disorder
• Long QT Syndrome (heart rhythm disorder)
• Optic neuritis (inflammation of the nerves in the eyes)
• G-6-PD (an enzyme deficiency)

• An allergic reaction to quinine
• An abnormal ECG (electrocardiogram; a test for measuring electrical activity of the heart)

Alternative Treatment Options
Leg Cramps: Firstly, get to the root cause of your leg cramping. There is a whole lot of varied causes for cramps in the legs at night. Consult the doctor for diagnosis where he shall determine the underlying causes of leg cramps.

The conditions that can trigger leg cramps include electrolyte imbalance (insufficient amount of minerals and fluids) in the body, dystonia (movement disorders), blood vessel disease, diabetes, inflammation of any part of the body, nerve damage, liver or thyroid disease and interaction of medications in the body.

Once the cause is diagnosed by the doctor, it will be easier to begin with the proper treatment.

Non-drug treatment for nocturnal leg cramping includes various physical activities like walking, mild exercising, relaxation techniques, hot showers, massage, etc., which will offer some relief. The doctor can even treat this condition with diet supplementation.

For severe condition, a group of medications has been approved by FDA that includes drugs like Verapamil, Carisoprodol, Gabapentin, etc., which showed positive results in many people.

Malaria: As far as the treatment for malaria is concerned, quinine sulfate is most times found to be effective rather than quinine water. Quinine, while used for malarial treatment, has the potential to kill the parasites causing the disease.

It prevents the formation of specific substances where the malarial parasites inhabit. However, consult your health care provider for other treatment options before beginning with any.

This off-label drug is still being used for the treatment of people suffering from leg cramps at night, which is not yet approved by the FDA.

It is advisable to talk to your doctor about all the other drug and non-drug treatment options for the condition. The high possibility of life-threatening consequences and lack of satisfactory evidences, puts a question mark on its usage.

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only and does not, in any way, intend to replace the advice of a medical expert.