Alka-Seltzer

Alka-Seltzer is an over-the-counter remedy sold for headache and indigestion.

Made by the U.S.-based Miles Laboratories, Alka-Seltzer is a combination of asprin and bicarbonate, designed to treat pain and simultaneously neutralize excess stomach acid (the "Alka" being derived from the word "alkali"). It is provided in the form of large effernescent tablets which are to dissolved (two at a time for the usual adult dosage) into a glass of water; the resulting mixture, which is carbonated by the effects of the bicarbonate's reaction with the water.

The product has been extensively advertised since the beginning of the mass media era in the U.S. It was formerly marketed as something of a cure-all; at one time its ads even suggested taking it for "the blahs". Subsequent regulation has taken into consideration that asprin is a relatively powerful drug which is not tolerated by everyone and should not generally be taken at all by children or adolescents due to its linkage to Reye's syndrome; the product is no longer marketed in this fashion.

The product has suffered a decline in popularity in recent decades; there are apparently several factors involved in this. One is the increasing medical awareness of the U.S. general public, most of whom now realize that it is not advisable to take a multi-symptom treatment product unless one has all of the symptoms that it treats (i.e., in Alka-Seltzer's case, a headache simultaneous with stomach upset.) Another is a general trend away in the U.S. from asprin-based products to those based on other pain relievers, notably acetominiphen and ibuprofen. A third would be the product's taste, rather off-putting to some; in recent decades flavored versions have been available as a concession to that fact. At one time the product was available in both long glass tubes and foil packets; the later is the primary way the product is provided today, with two tablets in each packet.

As the sale of the original product has declined, Miles has put the famous brand onto new products, some of which now are neither effernecent nor contain asprin. This is because the billions of dollars building the brand through advertsing are still yielding benefits; many Americans still remember catch phrases from its ads such as "I can't believe I ate the whole thing," and "Mama mia, that was some spicy metball." Also, millions also remember the "Speedy" character, an American advertising icon, who was either a little boy or an elf (opinions vary) whose body was one Alka-Seltzer tablet while he wore another as a hat. It seems likely that the products bearing the "Alka-Selter" brand will be available well into the future, even if the original product is not at some point.