What’s in an Alka-Seltzer Tablet?
Alka-Seltzer is a brand name used to describe a combination of generic medicines. Each tablet contains:
- Aspirin (325mg)
- Anhydrous citric acid (1000mg)
- Sodium bicarbonate (1916mg)
Aspirin or acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It provides pain-relief by blocking the production of a substance in your body that causes swelling and inflammation.
Sodium bicarbonate neutralizes the excess acid in your stomach, helping to relieve indigestion and heartburn. Sodium bicarbonate also reacts with the anhydrous citric acid in Alka-Seltzer to dissolve the tablets and make a fizzy drink.
What is Alka-Seltzer Mainly Used For?
In the US alone, Bayer produces and sells around 2.5 billion tablets each year. Almost all of those will be taken by people hoping to ease acid indigestion or heartburn, relieve minor body aches, or treat headaches.
Alka-Seltzer is a nonprescription medication, but that doesn’t mean health professionals don’t occasionally prescribe it for certain conditions. The aspirin in an Alka-Seltzer is sometimes recommended at a low dose to help prevent heart attacks and strokes in high-risk individuals.
Of course, if you plan to use it for any medical reason, you should always check the product guidelines and follow the advice of your physician.
