Drinking tonic water with quinine for cramps could provide relief

If you suffer from painful cramps that prevent you from working or relaxing with ease then drinking tonic water with quinine for cramps could provide relief. Most brands of tonic water contain very small quantities of quinine that could offer instant relief from leg cramps and several other painful afflictions too.

Quinine was primarily used to treat malaria way back during the seventeenth century. This once-revered wonder drug was sourced from the bark of the cinchona tree although modern science also offers several synthetic derivatives. As news about its fighting abilities spread throughout the world, several countries began cultivating cinchona trees and began using this drug to treat additional diseases such as lupus, arthritis, etc.

Quinine is extremely bitter in taste and many patients were not able to ingest it in pill form. In olden days, quinine was usually consumed with wine and even with gin to balance the bitterness with sweet alcohol. Quinine was also administered intravenously to patients suffering from several diseases. However, modern science also uncovered several harmful side-effects associated with high doses of quinine. These included irregular heart-beats, diarrhea, and constipation, among others. Patients would need constant monitoring of their heart as well as blood glucose levels during the duration of their treatment.

The FDA accepted the dangers of using quinine in medical treatments and recently banned it as a medicine. However, non-medical use of quinine was permitted as long as the maximum amount of quinine in any product was still below the prescribed limits. Thus, quinine was permitted to be blended in very small amounts in tonic water, which in turn imparted a bitter-sweet and delicious taste to the much-loved drink. Several reputed brands sell tonic water that contains small quantities of quinine to impart a unique taste.

However, many people around the globe that loved sipping on tonic water with quinine discovered that drinking this form of tonic water provided relief from painful leg cramps. The internet too played a part in spreading the news about quinine for cramps that enabled many more patients to try sipping on tonic water to reap the benefits. Several people also claimed relief from painful migraines after drinking tonic water that contained quinine.

On the other hand, experts cautioned about the dangers of tonic water with quinine, especially for people that had existing heart problems, blood glucose problems, and digestion problems. In such cases, active cardiac and glucose monitoring would be required even as the person tried to get relief from painful cramps by drinking tonic water. If you have such medical problems then you should attempt to get relief by drinking tonic water with quinine only after getting expert medical advice and under medical supervision.

Quinine had its share of glory as a fighter against malaria for almost three centuries. However, side-effects associated with quinine have compelled several countries to ban or restrict its use for medical purposes. On the other hand, several people have reported experiencing noticeable levels of relief after drinking quinine with tonic water. If you too experience painful leg cramps then you should certainly try quinine for cramps provided you take adequate precautions.