Gripe water

Last updated

Gripe water is a non-prescription product sold in many countries around the world to relieve colic and other gastrointestinal ailments and discomforts of infants. No evidence supports the efficacy of gripe water and one limited study in India questions whether the consumption of gripe water is related to vomiting in babies that already showed signs of colic. [1] The original formula contained alcohol and sugar in addition to sodium bicarbonate and dill oil. Present-day products do not contain alcohol, and may contain fennel, ginger, chamomile or lemon balm in addition to, or as a replacement for, dill oil. Some gripe water products still contain sugar, while others may contain charcoal. Amounts given are one to several teaspoons (5 mL = one teaspoon) per day. [2] [3] [4] [5]

Contents

History

Gripe water was invented in 1851 by William Woodward, an English pharmacist who did his apprenticeship in Lincolnshire and later bought a business in Nottingham. [5] Gripe water was adopted as a prescription by physicians. [6] In the 1840s, babies in Eastern England had a condition known as "fen fever", and during that time there was also an outbreak of malaria in England. Woodward took his inspiration from the treatments for malaria and "fen fever". He noted that the formula used to treat fen fever was an effective "soother of fretful babies and provided relief from gastrointestinal troubles in infants." The original Woodward's Gripe Water contained 3.6% alcohol, dill oil, sodium bicarbonate, sugar, and water. Woodward registered "Gripe Water" as a trademark in 1876. It was initially marketed with the slogan "Granny told Mother and Mother told me." [5] Modern formulations of Woodward's Gripe Water do not contain alcohol or sugar.

Prior to alcohol's removal from the recipe, Woodward's maximum recommended dose of gripe water contained an alcohol content equivalent to much less than one tot of whiskey for an 80 kg adult. It was only in 1992 that Britain mandated that alcohol be removed from gripe water, and in 1993 the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered an automatic detention of all shipments of Woodward's Gripe Water into the U.S. on the basis of its being an unapproved drug. [5] [7] In response to the FDA's import alert, gripe water products are sold as dietary supplements. [5]

Use

The formulation now varies according to brand and the country of manufacture. In most countries alcohol is no longer in the product. Sugar may or may not be in the product. Sodium bicarbonate, dill seed oil, fennel oil and sometimes ginger extract are the ingredients claimed to be effective. Evidence of gripe water's effectiveness has been limited to anecdotal accounts.[ medical citation needed ] Its commercial success has led to imitation brands of varying formulas. [8]

Gripe water is recommended by some pediatricians and alternative practitioners as a 'natural' option. [9] It is available in the United States as an over-the-counter dietary supplement. A 2000 review in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine found that most of the ingredients in Woodward's gripe water are of little value in relieving infantile discomfort and that any benefit may be no more complicated than the baby receiving some sweet-tasting liquid. [5] A 2012 review also came out against the use of these products. [3] Yet, commercial attention has continued to grow as companies have produced product options claiming to provide various digestive benefits, like Wellements who introduced a probiotic gripe water in 2016. [10]

In a 2015 study of 350 infants conducted in Puducherry, India, two-thirds of mothers of infants ages 1 to 6 months admitted to administering gripe water to their children at least once a day. [1] The mothers believed that gripe water helps in digestion and prevents stomach ache. However, infant colic, vomiting and constipation were significantly more common in gripe water administered infants compared to those who were exclusively breast fed. The study did not indicate the rate of constipation or vomiting prior to the use of gripe water to compare with during use. Constipation was reported for 19.5% of the infants who were given gripe water compared to 5.8% for those who were not. [1]

Health Warnings

More recent studies of gripe water have revealed the contents of the solution today. The original brand of gripe water created by Woodward and one of the most popular brands of gripe water today, was originally a mixture of alcohol and sugar. [3]

The CDC has issued warnings to parents regarding various products containing lead, including gripe water. Health departments from the local to international level [11] warn against its use for infants due to lack of research and highly varied ingredients.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Infant formula</span> Manufactured food designed for feeding infants

Infant formula, also called baby formula, simply formula, baby milk or infant milk, is an ultra-processed food designed and marketed for feeding to babies and infants under 12 months of age, usually prepared for bottle-feeding or cup-feeding from powder or liquid. The U.S. Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) defines infant formula as "a food which purports to be or is represented for special dietary use solely as a food for infants by reason of its simulation of human milk or its suitability as a complete or partial substitute for human milk".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toothpaste</span> Substance to clean and maintain teeth

Toothpaste is a paste or gel dentifrice used with a toothbrush to clean and maintain the aesthetics and health of teeth. Toothpaste is used to promote oral hygiene: it is an abrasive that aids in removing dental plaque and food from the teeth, assists in suppressing halitosis, and delivers active ingredients to help prevent tooth decay and gum disease (gingivitis). Owing to differences in composition and fluoride content, not all toothpastes are equally effective in maintaining oral health. The decline of tooth decay during the 20th century has been attributed to the introduction and regular use of fluoride-containing toothpastes worldwide. Large amounts of swallowed toothpaste can be poisonous. Common colors for toothpaste include white and blue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sodium bicarbonate</span> Chemical compound

Sodium bicarbonate (IUPAC name: sodium hydrogencarbonate), commonly known as baking soda or bicarbonate of soda, is a chemical compound with the formula NaHCO3. It is a salt composed of a sodium cation (Na+) and a bicarbonate anion (HCO3−). Sodium bicarbonate is a white solid that is crystalline, but often appears as a fine powder. It has a slightly salty, alkaline taste resembling that of washing soda (sodium carbonate). The natural mineral form is nahcolite. It is a component of the mineral natron and is found dissolved in many mineral springs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laxative</span> Agents that relax and loosen the bowels and stools

Laxatives, purgatives, or aperients are substances that loosen stools and increase bowel movements. They are used to treat and prevent constipation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baking powder</span> Dry chemical leavening agent

Baking powder is a dry chemical leavening agent, a mixture of a carbonate or bicarbonate and a weak acid. The base and acid are prevented from reacting prematurely by the inclusion of a buffer such as cornstarch. Baking powder is used to increase the volume and lighten the texture of baked goods. It works by releasing carbon dioxide gas into a batter or dough through an acid–base reaction, causing bubbles in the wet mixture to expand and thus leavening the mixture. The first single-acting baking powder was developed by food manufacturer Alfred Bird in England in 1843. The first double-acting baking powder, which releases some carbon dioxide when dampened and later releases more of the gas when heated by baking, was developed by Eben Norton Horsford in the U.S. in the 1860s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lactitol</span> Chemical compound

Lactitol is a disaccharide sugar alcohol produced from lactose. It is used as a replacement bulk sweetener for low calorie foods with 30–40% of the sweetness of sucrose. It is also used medically as a laxative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baby colic</span> Medical condition

Baby colic, also known as infantile colic, is defined as episodes of crying for more than three hours a day, for more than three days a week, for three weeks in an otherwise healthy child. Often crying occurs in the evening. It typically does not result in long-term problems. The crying can result in frustration of the parents, depression following delivery, excess visits to the doctor, and child abuse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oral rehydration therapy</span> Type of fluid replacement used to prevent and treat dehydration

Oral rehydration therapy (ORT) is a type of fluid replacement used to prevent and treat dehydration, especially due to diarrhea. It involves drinking water with modest amounts of sugar and salts, specifically sodium and potassium. Oral rehydration therapy can also be given by a nasogastric tube. Therapy should routinely include the use of zinc supplements. Use of oral rehydration therapy has been estimated to decrease the risk of death from diarrhea by up to 93%.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nutrition facts label</span> Table of nutrition facts on food labels

The nutrition facts label is a label required on most packaged food in many countries, showing what nutrients and other ingredients are in the food. Labels are usually based on official nutritional rating systems. Most countries also release overall nutrition guides for general educational purposes. In some cases, the guides are based on different dietary targets for various nutrients than the labels on specific foods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milk allergy</span> Type of food allergy caused by milk

Milk allergy is an adverse immune reaction to one or more proteins in cow's milk. Symptoms may take hours to days to manifest, with symptoms including atopic dermatitis, inflammation of the esophagus, enteropathy involving the small intestine and proctocolitis involving the rectum and colon. However, rapid anaphylaxis is possible, a potentially life-threatening condition that requires treatment with epinephrine, among other measures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Creamola Foam</span>

Creamola Foam was a soft drink produced in the form of effervescent crystals that were mixed with water. It was manufactured in Glasgow and sold in the UK from the 1950s, until Nestlé ended production in October 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hydrocodone/paracetamol</span> Combination pain relief drug

Hydrocodone/paracetamol is the combination of the pain medications hydrocodone and paracetamol (acetaminophen). It is used to treat moderate to severe pain. It is taken by mouth. Recreational use is common in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breath Savers</span> Brand of mint candy made by Hersheys

Breath Savers is a brand of mint manufactured by the Hershey Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macrogol</span> Medication for constipation, classified as an osmotic laxative

Macrogol, also known as polyethylene glycol (PEG), is used as a medication to treat constipation in children and adults. It is taken by mouth. Benefits usually occur within three days. Generally it is only recommended for up to two weeks. It is also used as an excipient. It is also used to clear the bowels before a colonoscopy, when the onset of the laxative effect is more rapid, typically within an hour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cleaning agent</span> Substance used to remove dirt or other contaminants

Cleaning agents or hard-surface cleaners are substances used to remove dirt, including dust, stains, foul odors, and clutter on surfaces. Purposes of cleaning agents include health, beauty, removing offensive odor, and avoiding the spread of dirt and contaminants to oneself and others. Some cleaning agents can kill bacteria and clean at the same time. Others, called degreasers, contain organic solvents to help dissolve oils and fats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shampoo</span> Hair care product

Shampoo is a hair care product, typically in the form of a viscous liquid, that is used for cleaning hair. Less commonly, shampoo is available in solid bar format. Shampoo is used by applying it to wet hair, massaging the product into the scalp, and then rinsing it out. Some users may follow a shampooing with the use of hair conditioner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Management of dehydration</span>

The management of dehydration typically involves the use of oral rehydration solution (ORS). Standard home solutions such as salted rice water, salted yogurt drinks, vegetable and chicken soups with salt can be given. Home solutions such as water in which cereal has been cooked, unsalted soup, green coconut water, weak tea (unsweetened), and unsweetened fresh fruit juices can have from half a teaspoon to full teaspoon of salt added per liter. Clean plain water can also be one of several fluids given. There are commercial solutions such as Pedialyte, and relief agencies such as UNICEF widely distribute packets of salts and sugar. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes a homemade ORS with one liter water with one teaspoon salt and six teaspoons sugar added. The WHO; however, does not generally recommend homemade solutions as how to make them is easily forgotten. Rehydration Project recommends adding the same amount of sugar but only one-half a teaspoon of salt, stating that this more dilute approach is less risky with very little loss of effectiveness. Both agree that drinks with too much sugar or salt can make dehydration worse.

Parodontax is a brand name of toothpaste and mouthwash currently owned by Haleon, previously GSK.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Jain K, Gunasekaran D, Venkatesh C, Soundararajan P (2015). "Gripe Water Administration in Infants 1–6 months of Age-A Cross-sectional Study". J Clin Diagn Res. 9 (11): SC06–8. doi:10.7860/JCDR/2015/13727.6738. PMC   4668494 . PMID   26673749.
  2. ↑ Roberts, Donna M.; Ostapchuk, Michael; O'Brien, James G. (August 15, 2004). "Infantile Colic". American Family Physician . 70 (4): 735–40. PMID   15338787 . Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 Adhisivam, B. (2012). "Is Gripe Water Baby-Friendly?". Journal of Pharmacology & Pharmacotherapeutics. 3 (2): 207–08. doi: 10.4103/0976-500X.95544 (inactive 31 January 2024). PMC   3356971 . PMID   22629105.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of January 2024 (link)
  4. ↑ Illingworth, C.; Timmins, J. (1990). "Gripe Water: What Is It? Why Is It Given?". Health Visitor . 63 (11): 378. PMID   2266018.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Blumenthal, Ivan (April 2000). "The Gripe Water Story". Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. 93 (4): 172–74. doi:10.1177/014107680009300404. PMC   1297971 . PMID   10844880.
  6. ↑ Onwhyn, J (January–April 1898). "Notes, Short Comments, and Answers to Correspondents". The Lancet. 1 (Part 1): 414–416. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(01)98389-8.
  7. ↑ FDA Import Alert # 66-41
  8. ↑ Zimmerman, DR (1992). Zimmerman's Complete Guide to Nonprescription Drugs. Visible Ink Press. ISBN   0-8103-8874-X.
  9. ↑ Lauren Feder, MD (2005). Natural Baby and Childcare. Hatherleigh. p. 432.
  10. ↑ "Wellements Introduces First-to-Market Probiotic Gripe Water". 2016-08-22.
  11. ↑ "GUIDELINES FOR THE IDENTIFICATION AND MANAGEMENT OF LEAD EXPOSURE IN PREGNANT AND LACTATING WOMEN" (PDF). CDC.gov.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.