Will tonic water cause hearing loss?

Q. I drink tonic water all the time. (Really it is half tonic water and half regular water to help with the cramps I get in my legs.) A friend told me the other day that tonic water has been linked to hearing loss. Is that true?

A. Tonic water contains quinine, which is why it seems to help with leg cramps. Quinine also has been known to cause both hearing loss and ringing in the ears.

The dose you are getting is extremely low, however, so it is not clear that this would be a danger. Tonic water can contain no more than 83 mg of quinine per liter in the U.S. Since you are diluting your tonic water, you aren’t getting very much quinine.

Concerns about quinine toxicity (irregular heart rhythms, blood disorders and severe allergy) led the Food and Drug Administration to forbid its use for preventing leg cramps. When doctors prescribed quinine for this purpose, the dose was 200 to 300 mg a night.

Q. I have been on a high-fiber, low-fat diet for a year. I have lost weight, but have more pounds to lose, so I would like to remain on the diet.

However, my bowel movements have changed significantly during the year. I am now suffering from constant flatulence and loose and watery stools. It is embarrassing and stressful.

Is there a natural supplement I could take to correct this problem? How long will it take to get results?

A. A high-fiber, low-fat diet is considered a healthy way to cut calories and lose weight without suffering from extreme hunger. Fiber can lead to flatulence, so that might be part of the problem.

You should discuss this change in bowel habits with your doctor so that any serious issues can be ruled out. After that, you might consider keeping a chart of what you eat and your reactions.

We are sending you our Guide to Digestive Disorders for tips to achieve regularity and reduce flatulence. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (61 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. G-3, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It also can be downloaded for $2 from our Web site: www.peoplespharmacy.com. We hope it will help you within a few weeks.

Q. Back in the 1970s, I had an attack of kidney stones while on vacation. I was rushed to the hospital, where I was told that at 32 I was young for kidney stones but that they were caused by calcium deposits.

When I got home, I cut way back on my calcium intake. In the next few months, I had two more attacks that sent me to the hospital.

My wife did some research and found a report from a study in Europe. It showed that a daily dose of 300 mg of magnesium and 10 mg of vitamin B-6 seemed to be helpful in preventing kidney stones. I followed that advice and have not had any more stones since 1975. After a few years, I even started enjoying cheese and yogurt again.

A. Thanks for sharing your experience. Vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine) and magnesium deficiencies were investigated as causes of kidney stones in the 1960s and 1970s. We could find no recent research on such nutritional approaches.

Magnesium deficiency is relatively common, though, so taking this mineral is a low-risk tactic for healthy people. There is evidence that taking potassium- magnesium citrate may help prevent the formation of kidney stones (Journal of Urology, June 2007).

In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of The Vindicator or e-mail them via their Web site: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their newest book is “Favorite Foods From The People’s Pharmacy: Mother Nature’s Medicine.”

2010 King Features Syndicate Inc.