Some medicines should not be taken with hot water.🌞🌞🌞

When people take medicine, they are concerned about the usage and dosage of the medicine. But in fact, there are also requirements for the water temperature for taking the medicine. Granules, effervescent tablets, dry suspensions, and powders are commonly used clinical dosage forms, especially suitable for children. However, some medicines will have physical and chemical reactions when exposed to heat, which will affect the efficacy and safety. Therefore, it is not suitable to take hot water (>40°C).

1. Vitamins.

Some vitamins, such as vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and vitamin C, are unstable in nature. They are susceptible to oxidation-reduction decomposition when exposed to heat and lose their efficacy. 

Vitamin C: Health products containing vitamin C should also be taken with cold water or warm water. Especially effervescent tablets, should be taken with a glass of cold water or warm water (about 200 ml).

2. Live bacteria preparation.

Under normal circumstances, live bacteria are not resistant to high temperatures. If it is brewed with boiling water or taken, the living bacteria will be killed and the therapeutic effect will be lost. 

• Live Combined Bacillus Subtilis and Enterococcus Faecium: It should be taken with warm boiled water or milk below 40℃. Granular preparations can be taken directly.
• Live Bacillus Licheniformis Preparation: It should be taken with warm water (≤40℃) or milk. When people with dysphagia are taking live Bacillus licheniformis capsules, they can open the capsules and mix the powder with a small amount of warm water (≤40°C) or milk before taking it.

3. β-lactam antibiotics:

β-lactam antibiotics are easily hydrolyzed. Their hydrolyzed substances will not only lose antibacterial activity, but also increase the risk of allergic reactions. when you take β-lactam antibiotics (Especially granules or suspension formulations), you should pay more attention. Commonly used β-lactam antibiotic granules include amoxicillin granules, amoxicillin clavulanate potassium granules, cefixime granules, cefpodoxime proxetil granules and so on.

• Amoxicillin granules: It should be taken with cold boiled water and should be taken as soon as possible.
• Azithromycin dry suspension, granules: Azithromycin is unstable. Pour it into a glass, add an appropriate amount of cold boiled water, dissolve and shake well before taking it orally.

4. Digestive enzymes.

Enzymes are active proteins that will denature and solidify when exposed to heat. This can lead to decreased or loss of efficacy. Commonly used enzyme drugs include pepsin granules, yeast tablets, multi-enzyme tablets, pepsin mixture, and compound amylase oral solution.

• Compound pepsin granules: It needs to be sealed and stored in a cool and dry place (not exceeding 20°C). It should not be taken with hot water.

5. Herbal medicines or Chinese patent medicines containing volatile oil.

Herbal medicines contain fennel, ageratum, dried ginger, mint, borneol, turmeric, nutmeg, nepeta and so on. The volatile oil in them has a greater medicinal value and is easy to volatilize and decompose when exposed to heat. Many Chinese patent medicine granules and granules also contain volatile oil.

6. Cough Syrup.

Such as cough and phlegm syrup, compound licorice mixture, Chuanbei loquat ointment and so on. They are a class of medicines prepared by dissolving cough and anti-inflammatory ingredients in syrup or extract. After the patient takes it, the syrup or extract covers the surface of the inflamed pharyngeal mucosa to form a protective film, which is convenient for quick control of cough and relief of symptoms. If it is taken with hot water, the viscosity of the syrup will be reduced and the efficacy of the protective film will be affected. It is also recommended not to drink water immediately after taking them.

7. Capsule drugs.

Hot water may melt the capsules quickly and lose their efficacy. It may also cause side effects such as damage to the esophagus and gastric mucosa.

8. Lozenges.

Lozenges only need to be in the mouth. After it slowly melts, the medicine can act on the lesion and it don't need to be taken with water. The same is true for sublingual lozenges. You only need to press the pill under the tongue, and it will be effective soon after it melts, and you don't need to drink water to take it.