Salvital Effervescent Powder 375g

Relief of mild indigestion and heartburn, and as a refreshing effervescent saline drink after heavy sweating. The alkaline mineral salts neutralise stomach acid, which is what settles the burn, and the lemon flavour makes it palatable enough to drink as a cool beverage.

It is not sold or formulated as a laxative, but it can act like one for some people. It contains magnesium sulfate - the same salt sold as Epsom salts - which draws water into the bowel and is a recognised saline laxative in its own right. If that effect is unwelcome, keep to occasional use and follow the pack directions.

Used occasionally and as directed, most adults tolerate it well. The reason to be careful is the sodium: it is high, so it does not suit a sodium-restricted diet, and anyone managing high blood pressure, heart failure or kidney problems should check with a pharmacist before using it at all.

It is intended for occasional use, not as a daily product. Regular long-term use means a repeated sodium load, and it may also mask indigestion that has a cause worth investigating. Persistent heartburn or reflux should be assessed rather than managed indefinitely with health salts.

Mineral salts - sodium carbonates (additive 500) and magnesium sulfate (additive 518) - with food acids malic acid (296) and tartaric acid (334), plus sugar and lemon flavour. The salts do the alkalising, the acids create the effervescence when it meets water.

Not a complete one. It supplies sodium and magnesium salts, which replace some of what is lost through sweat, but it is not a balanced oral rehydration formula. For dehydration after vomiting, diarrhoea or illness, a purpose-built rehydration product is the correct choice.

Both are effervescent antacid salts taken in water for indigestion, and in practice people choose on habit and taste. The meaningful difference is that it includes magnesium sulfate alongside its sodium salts, which is why it has more of a reputation for loosening the bowels. Eno is the more purely antacid of the two.

Many people use it for that, and the effervescence plus alkaline salts can bring relief when bloating comes with an acid stomach after eating. It is not a treatment for persistent bloating, though - bloating that keeps recurring, or comes with pain or changed bowel habits, needs a doctor rather than health salts.

It is not recommended for children under 12 without medical advice, because of the sodium content. If a child is dehydrated or unwell, use an oral rehydration product formulated for children instead, and speak to a pharmacist or doctor.