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Q. I have been drinking a liter or two of tonic water a week for nearly 25 years. Now I'm reading about risks associated with quinine. How much is too much? How much quinine is in tonic? What are the side effects? Should I stop drinking tonic water?
A. Quinine has been used medicinally to ward off malaria since the 17th century. The normal dose to treat malaria is 648 mg every eight hours for a week. A glass of tonic has roughly 20 mg, so you can see that there is a big difference.
Some people are so susceptible to serious side effects from quinine that they must avoid even the small amount in tonic water. For them, quinine may cause life-threatening heart rhythm disturbances, severe skin reactions and several blood-related complications. That is why the FDA banned quinine for treating leg cramps.
Since you have not experienced any complications for 25 years, it is unlikely that you need to give up tonic. A glass or two daily should not cause you problems.
I, too, love the flavor of quinine tonic. I started drinking it in the mid-1980's and later realized that in the same time period I first noticed two developments: tinnitis and an irregular heart beat (currently being treated as Atrial Fibrillation). I don't drink any sweet soda, but I still love the quinine!
PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE: QUININE CAN CAUSE TINNITUS. IF YOU EXPERIENCE THIS, YOU SHOULD PROBABLY GIVE UP TONIC.
Most tonic water on the market today contains no quinine. This has been the case for several years now.
I have been drinking at least 48 ounces or better of diet tonic for the past two years with no side effect. i ahve had my blood checked. I do not think it has harmed me in any way
I was a tonic lover and it was my social drink of choice. I consumed 1-2 bottles a week. An Indian doctor told me to be careful and not drink tonic, (maybe that was the one with quinine) since drinking it could cause vision problems and contribute to night blindness. I always thought my worsening night vision was just do to aging.
I gave up tonic, but wish I could enjoy it again.
Is there evidence to suggest night vision problems are related to drinking tonic with quinine?
Thanks.
A former tonic drinker
I just want to know what the positive & negative effects are towards drinking tonic water with quinine for people who have arthritis, I'm a bartender and one of my customers who suffers from arthritis says she drinks it all the time. And I was just wanting to know more about it before I tell my mother who is suffering from arthritis to start drinking tonic water with quinine. Thanks again, Rick.
Quinine is off limits for those of us with ITP (low platelets), as it can cause platelet levels to drop.
I drink a liter of tonic diet tonic water a day -- I love it. Mine says it has quinine in it. What kinds do not? I love the taste, but am a little concerned about the quinins.
All my life I have been told that tonic should never be drunk by children. Can you please comment on that?
My brother started drinking tonic water with quinine to help him sleep. He had lazy leg syndrome and could not sleep. Would this create any other medical problems? Says sleeps fine every night. Uses it one half hour before bed time and sleeps all night.
Is there any difference in the quinine content of the assorted bands of tonic water? Or do they all have about the same "roughly 20 mg" per glass? Or do they have just have flavoring without quinine?
Thanks for any information.