Bitter medicine may taste less bitter with cold water
#0064 Health & body
Fact rank
B
The link between bitterness and temperature was confirmed in research (primary), but some bitter substances showed no significant difference. It was not tested with medicines, and why the curve is an inverted U is unknown, so B
Wow rank
A
Goes against the assumption that warm water makes medicine easier to take
Usefulness
A
Easy to try the next time you take a bitter powder
Verification: Supported by evidence
AI verification reports the evidence it found; it does not guarantee that a claim is true.
How bitter something tastes depends on temperature, and something cold (around 10°C) can taste less bitter than something at room temperature. This is worth trying when taking bitter medicine.
Why
Perceived bitterness changes with temperature; in one study it was weaker at 10°C and 37°C and stronger in between (21–30°C), an inverted-U pattern. Why it follows this shape is not known.Evidence
Primary Abstract of Green & Andrew (2017, Chemical Senses). When bitter solutions were applied to the tongue at 10, 21, 30 and 37°C, bitterness followed an inverted-U shape. The effect of temperature was significant for quinine, naringin and denatonium, but not for caffeine link
Primary Morita et al. (2003, Yakugaku Zasshi) on a swallowing-aid jelly. Bitterness makes it hard for children to take medicine. In a test placing a bitter substance on the tongue, bitterness was felt after about 29 seconds on its own, but not even after 2 minutes when mixed into the jelly link
Primary Drug information newsletter of Ehime University Hospital (February 2024). Compounds in grapefruit and some other citrus fruits block a drug-metabolising enzyme (CYP3A4) and raise blood levels of some drugs. One glass is enough, and the effect lasts 3–4 days link
Notes and limits
Follow your doctor's or pharmacist's instructions first. The research applied bitter solutions to the tongue; the best temperature for each medicine is not known. Bitterness was also relatively weak at body temperature (37°C), so it cannot be said that warm water makes medicine more bitter. Swallowing-aid jelly has been shown to mask bitterness. Some drinks, such as grapefruit juice, change how medicines work.
Derivations
Derived from: アツアツより少し冷ました時の方がうまい
Derived facts: —