# What happened with Alka Seltzer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 31, 2013, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-with-alka-seltzer/677539 "2013-12-31T03:27:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mornac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Mornac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mornac)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-with-alka-seltzer/677539/1 "2013-12-31T03:27:18Z")
The Alka Setzer of my youth was marketed as a sort of antacid /over-eating/drinking relief thing (“Mama mia! Thatsa spicey-a-meatball!”). These days, the only kind of Alka Seltzer to be found in drugstores is one variety or another of Alka Seltzer cold medicine. Can you still get classic Alka Seltzer for stomach relief? (I suppose expecting it to still come in those cool tube-like bottles would be asking too much). Will Alka Seltzer cold medicine do the same thing for your stomach that the traditional Alka Seltzer did in addition to treating your cold symptoms? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-with-alka-seltzer/677539/2 "2013-12-31T03:35:03Z")
See for yourself: [http://www.alkaseltzer.com/as/index.html](http://www.alkaseltzer.com/as/index.html) > **[Alka-Seltzer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alka-Seltzer)** > > Alka-Seltzer is an effervescent antacid and pain reliever first marketed by the Dr. Miles Medicine Company of Elkhart, Indiana, United States. Alka-Seltzer contains three active ingredients: aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) (ASA), sodium bicarbonate, and anhydrous citric acid. The aspirin is a pain reliever and anti-inflammatory, the sodium bicarbonate is an antacid, and the citric acid reacts with the sodium bicarbonate and water to form effervescence. > It was developed by head chemist Maurice Tre... ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-with-alka-seltzer/677539/3 "2013-12-31T03:45:42Z")
The main reason for the change is the development and promotion of proton inhibitors -stomach acid strength reducers - to treat reflux. Ranitidine (eg brand name Zantac) is over the counter, or omeprazole is prescription . Anyhow, for an immediate treatment, a glass of milk or calcium containing soymilk (I know its not actually milk), does a good instant job for acid reflux, or a low sugar softdrink ,or alcohol, can treat a stomach pain due to overeating or something. (like the discomfort after eating too much fatty product. ) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-with-alka-seltzer/677539/4 "2013-12-31T03:57:48Z")
> [@Mornac](#): > > Can you still get classic Alka Seltzer for stomach relief? (I suppose expecting it to still come in those cool tube-like bottles would be asking too much). I just bought a box of Original Alka-Seltzer this afternoon (Bronx, New York). The label says it’s for heartburn, upset stomach, acid indigestion, with headache and body aches. I’ve never noticed it not being available. I find it the best thing to relieve indigestion due to overeating. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-with-alka-seltzer/677539/5 "2013-12-31T03:59:20Z")
Wasn’t there a forumer of that name here? What happened to him? ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-with-alka-seltzer/677539/6 "2013-12-31T04:38:23Z")
I have always found it almost bizarre that a product designed to ease indigestion [contains aspirin](http://labeling.bayercare.com/omr/online/alka-seltzer-original.pdf) (with aspirin being a prototypical gastric ‘irritant’). ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-with-alka-seltzer/677539/7 "2013-12-31T04:45:02Z")
I always figured that it had just plopped so many times that it just fizzled out. Remember, “Plop. Plop. Fizz. Fizz. Oh how annoying that is?” ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-with-alka-seltzer/677539/8 "2013-12-31T04:48:38Z")
1972 CLIO Hall of Fame commercial: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/VFKifpMtlNs/hqdefault.jpg "AlkaSeltzer "I Can't Believe I Ate The Whole Thing" TV Spot") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFKifpMtlNs) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-with-alka-seltzer/677539/9 "2013-12-31T05:07:53Z")
One thing going against classic AS is the need for instant gratification. Young people are not too likely to want to sit around while the tablets fizz out enough to be ready to drink. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-with-alka-seltzer/677539/10 "2013-12-31T05:33:36Z")
Since I became addicted to sparkling water/seltzer I’ve wondered if I could carry Alka-Seltzer tablets for the times and places where sparkling water is unavailable. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-with-alka-seltzer/677539/11 "2013-12-31T06:20:06Z")
Alka-Seltzer is the epitome of post-war American advertising & consumerism. It came about and was popular because it was a perfect fit for television advertising. IOW it’s not exactly snake oil, but it’s still a complete ‘gimmick’ product. The stomach relief formula is literally nothing more than self dissolving baking soda at like 20x the price. The others are the same, with either aspirin or cold medicine added to it. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-with-alka-seltzer/677539/12 "2013-12-31T07:50:39Z")
> [@Isilder](#): > > omeprazole is prescription . In the US? It is not. It has been OTC for I’d estimate 4-6 years now. Nexium, its close family member, is still prescription-only. Supposedly, Alka-Seltzer said to take one tablet as a dose. Then they switched to two tablets, without changing the dosage. In other words, they’re making you take double the dose so that you can buy twice as much, or they added a “plop.” [Snopes says true](http://www.snopes.com/business/genius/alka-seltzer.asp). ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-with-alka-seltzer/677539/13 "2013-12-31T11:13:42Z")
> [@Lazlo Hapsburg](#): > > I always figured that it had just plopped so many times that it just fizzled out. > > Remember, “Plop. Plop. Fizz. Fizz. Oh how annoying that is?” Was it “plop” in America? In the UK I remember it as “plink, plink, fizz”. “Plop” has rather unsavoury overtones over here… ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-with-alka-seltzer/677539/14 "2013-12-31T14:13:39Z")
> [@Isilder](#): > > omeprazole is prescription . > [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > In the US? It is not. It has been OTC for I’d estimate 4-6 years now. Nexium, its close family member, is still prescription-only. I have in front of me a bottle of prescription Omeprazole, 40mg. It was filled this July, and I’m in the US. Prilosec OTC is the same drug, but in a smaller dose. And, as the name suggests, it is OTC. \*\*Colophon \*\*- yes, here it was “plop, plop, fizz, fizz.” ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-with-alka-seltzer/677539/15 "2013-12-31T14:40:02Z")
> [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#): > > \*\*Colophon \*\*- yes, here it was “plop, plop, fizz, fizz.” I take it the word “plop” doesn’t have the faecal connotations it does over here, then? ---
**Author:** ![iamnotbatman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/858c86/32.png) [@iamnotbatman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamnotbatman)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-with-alka-seltzer/677539/16 "2013-12-31T15:18:17Z")
I think it’s a shame that Alka-Selzer is disappearing. It’s still around, but it’s harder and harder to find, especially the original (I keep finding these god-awful artificially sweetened berry flavors). I never used it for stomach problems; it’s just a great medium for aspirin. I love the taste (it’s an acquired taste, but like other examples of acquired tastes such as beer or coffee, it can loved), the aspirin dissolved (not sure if it really is dissolved but whatever) in water allows it to be absorbed by your body faster, and the antacid helps counter the aspirin being hard on the stomach (and has the beneficial side-effect, along with the bubbles, of helping to relieve a gassy/acidic stomach). I really think it is a wonderful combination for anyone who prefers aspirin to other NSAIDs. And the “plop” and “fizz” are just fun. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-with-alka-seltzer/677539/17 "2013-12-31T17:54:11Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > Alka-Seltzer is the epitome of post-war American advertising & consumerism. It came about and was popular because it was a perfect fit for television advertising. IOW it’s not exactly snake oil, but it’s still a complete ‘gimmick’ product. The stomach relief formula is literally nothing more than self dissolving baking soda at like 20x the price. The others are the same, with either aspirin or cold medicine added to it. When my stomach is upset, I dissolve 1/2 tsp. of baking soda in a glass of water. It neutralizes the gas pretty effectively and is much cheaper. > [@Colophon](#): > > I take it the word “plop” doesn’t have the faecal connotations it does over here, then? Yes, it means dropping a deuce here, too. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-with-alka-seltzer/677539/18 "2013-12-31T18:09:03Z")
> [@Mr\_Downtown](#): > > Since I became addicted to sparkling water/seltzer I’ve wondered if I could carry Alka-Seltzer tablets for the times and places where sparkling water is unavailable. Fizzies are back in the USA. [http://www.fizzies.com/available-nationwide/](http://www.fizzies.com/available-nationwide/) ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-with-alka-seltzer/677539/19 "2013-12-31T18:46:48Z")
I have always preferred Andrews Liver Salts. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amF-07lHUDQ) ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-with-alka-seltzer/677539/20 "2013-12-31T18:52:14Z")
> [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#): > > I have in front of me a bottle of prescription Omeprazole, 40mg. It was filled this July, and I’m in the US. > > Prilosec OTC is the same drug, but in a smaller dose. And, as the name suggests, it is OTC. Sure, and you can get prescription aspirin as well. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-with-alka-seltzer/677539.md?page=2)