What is the Difference Between Rolaids and Tums?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Rolaids and Tums are both over-the-counter antacids used to treat heartburn and related symptoms. The primary difference between these two medications is their active ingredients:
- Rolaids: This medication contains a combination of calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide. Calcium carbonate helps move acid into the stomach, while magnesium hydroxide neutralizes the acid and can also work as a laxative, causing diarrhea.
- Tums: This medication contains only calcium carbonate as its active ingredient. Calcium carbonate neutralizes and reduces acid levels in the stomach.
Both Rolaids and Tums are available in various formulations, such as chewable tablets, sugar-free versions, and other flavors like peppermint, berries, orange, and cherry. However, Rolaids also offers extra, ultra, and advanced strength formulations, which Tums does not provide.
Both medications have potential side effects, so it is essential to monitor yourself or a loved one closely while using either product. Common side effects associated with Rolaids include long-term side effects, while Tums is associated with gas and constipation. Gastroenterologists generally do not prescribe calcium carbonate-containing antacids like Tums due to the phenomenon called acid rebound, which stimulates gastrin release and leads to an overproduction of acid after the direct acid-neutralizing effects are exhausted. However, this concern has not been shown to be clinically significant.
Comparative Table: Rolaids vs Tums
The main difference between Rolaids and Tums lies in their active ingredients:
- Rolaids contains a combination of calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide.
- Tums contains only calcium carbonate as its active ingredient.
Both Rolaids and Tums are over-the-counter (OTC) medications used to provide fast symptom relief for heartburn and indigestion. They work by neutralizing and reducing acid levels in the stomach.
Aspect | Rolaids | Tums |
---|---|---|
Active Ingredients | Calcium carbonate and Magnesium hydroxide | Calcium carbonate |
Combination Medication | Yes | No |
Function | Neutralizes and reduces acid levels in the stomach | Neutralizes and reduces acid levels in the stomach |
Magnesium hydroxide, present in Rolaids, can also act as a laxative, causing diarrhea. Tums, on the other hand, is available in various formulations, such as chewable tablets, chewy bites, smoothies, and sugar-free options. Both medications are generally recommended for adults and adolescents 12 years and older.
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