How are you taking your tablets? Did you know that beverages can influence drug absorption? During the ingestion of sparkling water, a lot of CO₂ in the form of a constant stream of bubbles is released. During trials, it could be shown that this stream of bubbles increases the speed at which a conventional paracetamol tablet is dissolved, possibly leading to a trend towards a faster and less variable absorption. Within AGePOP, we are investigating whether this could improve the reliability and speed of absorption of paracetamol tablets in older adults.

While the effect of food on drug absorption has been the subject of studies for a long time, the impact of beverages is often neglected. Oral formulations are predominantly developed and tested to be ingested with 240 mL of still water. However, in clinical practice, the choice of beverage may vary considerably based on local habits and personal preferences. During a clinical trial at the drug delivery and disposition laboratory (KU Leuven), it was shown that sparkling water can alter the absorption of immediate-release paracetamol tablets. The ingestion of sparkling water led to a faster and less variable absorption, possibly due to pressure events in the upper GI tract and an increased dissolution rate¹. Within AGePOP, we are currently investigating whether this could be used to improve the variable absorption of paracetamol seen in older adults.

1. Van Den Abeele J, Brouwers J, Deloose E, Tack J, Augustijns P. The Effect of Sparkling Water on Intraluminal Formulation Behavior and Systemic Drug Performance. J Pharm Sci. 2017;106(9):2472-2482. doi:10.1016/j.xphs.2017.03.039