Why the liquid you take with your medication matters

Some alkaline mineral and medicinal waters may weaken the enteric coating of medications within just a few minutes, potentially reducing their effectiveness, according to a new study by Semmelweis University. The study, published in Pharmaceutics, found that if the active ingredient is released too early in the stomach rather than in the intestinal tract, it may reduce—and in extreme cases, even eliminate—the effectiveness of certain anti-reflux, gastroprotective, psychiatric or anti-inflammatory pain-relief medications.