Why Gin & Tonic does not prevent malaria

Many people believe that a Gin & Tonic can help prevent malaria. Unfortunately, that’s just a myth.

The story begins in British colonial India during the 1800s. At the time, malaria was a serious threat to British soldiers and officials living there. Doctors prescribed quinine, a natural medicine made from the bark of the cinchona tree, to help prevent and treat the disease.

The problem? Quinine is incredibly bitter.

To make it easier to drink, soldiers mixed it with water, sugar and lime juice. This refreshing drink became known as Indian Tonic Water. It wasn’t long before someone added their ration of gin and the famous Gin & Tonic was born.

Where Did Quinine Come From?

Quinine was first discovered by indigenous people living in the Andes Mountains of present-day Peru and Bolivia. Spanish explorers learned about its healing properties in the early 1600s.

According to legend, Ana de Osorio, the Countess of Chinchón, became seriously ill while in Peru. Jesuit priests treated her with a drink made from the bark of the cinchona tree, often called Peruvian Bark. She recovered, and the remedy soon spread throughout Europe as one of the first effective treatments for malaria.

How Does Quinine Work?

Malaria is caused by tiny parasites that are spread through the bite of infected mosquitoes.

Once inside the body, these parasites invade red blood cells. Quinine interferes with the parasite’s ability to survive, eventually killing it. For centuries, it was one of the world’s most important medicines for fighting malaria and helped save countless lives.

Why Doesn’t Gin & Tonic Prevent Malaria Today?

Here’s the important part: modern tonic water contains only a tiny amount of quinine.

In the 1800s, tonic water was made as a medicinal drink and contained much higher levels of quinine. Today’s tonic water is regulated in most countries to around 83 mg per litre, just enough to give it its distinctive bitter flavour.

To get the same amount of quinine that people once used to help prevent malaria, you would have to drink an impossible amount of tonic water, which would be both unsafe and impractical.