Medicinal water
( Bad Kissingen around 1830)
Healing water is natural, mineral-rich water that is said to have a healing, soothing or preventive effect. It is one of the oldest natural remedies . A healing water can be used internally for drinking cures or externally for medicinal baths. In 2013, 77.4 million liters of medicinal water were sold in Germany.
conditions
The term "natural healing water" is not legally defined in Germany. However, in many laws (e.g. in the Medicines Act) it is assumed to be clearly defined. A definition can be derived from the federal mineral spring law, the state water laws and the health resort legislation (KOG) of the states. Natural healing water comes from underground, original, pure water resources that are protected from contamination and are officially recognized as a healing spring. The term “mineral spring” is laid down in the Federal Water Management Act and in the state laws based on it.
Natural healing water is natural, no substances are removed or added to it. But the mere term "healing water" is also used for natural healing water that comes from a healing spring. The therapeutic uses and applications of medicinal waters include drinking cures on site, therapeutic use for bathing and inhalation purposes, shipping medicinal waters , and the extraction and marketing of medicinal spring preparations. Bottling must take place at the source.
Legal classification
In Germany and Austria, medicinal waters are legally regulated as medicinal products and require official drug approval. This is how medicinal water differs from mineral water , which is subject to food law. The prerequisite for the approval of a drug is in principle evidence of a preventive, relieving or healing effect. Medicinal waters that are unpackaged on the market or that are used externally or by inhalation on site are exempt from the authorization requirement according to Section 21 (2) No. 1e AMG .
Medicinal water can be bought over the counter, i. H. neither prescription nor pharmacy required . In accordance with § 10 and § 11 AMG, shortened information is possible for labeling . It is usually offered in stores next to natural mineral water.
Effect and ingredients
The different types of medicinal water are said to work by stimulating the function of the metabolism and organs such as the stomach, intestines, heart, circulation and kidneys.
One kilogram or one liter of water must contain at least one gram of dissolved minerals or trace elements. Precise information on ingredients and their mode of action must be shown on the bottle label.
Guide values for the ingredients in medicinal water:
| Magnesium (Mg 2+ ) | > 100 mg / l |
| Calcium (Ca 2+ ) | > 250 mg / l |
| Fluoride (F - ) | > 1 mg / l |
| Sulfate (SO 4 2− ) | > 1200 mg / l |
| Hydrogen carbonate (HCO 3 - ) | > 1300 mg / l |
| Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) | 1000 mg / l (CO 2 in the source) |
distribution
In 1998 there were 60 medicinal waters in Germany. "Deutsche Heilbrunnen" in Bonn, as an interest group, brings together all healing wells companies under one roof. The Deutsche Heilbäderverband eV publishes definitions and quality standards for the rating of health resorts, recreation areas and healing wells (last 11th edition, October 13th, 1998).
Application restrictions
Attention must be paid to intolerance to large amounts of fluids in severe cardiovascular and kidney diseases.
A typical interaction indicated on the label is that the absorption and excretion of drugs can be influenced.
See also
Individual evidence
- ^ Association of German Mineral Wells: Industry data mineral water market 2013 (PDF) April 22, 2014.
- ↑ a b c d Definitions / quality standards for spas and health resorts, climatic health resorts, recreational areas - including the qualification requirements - as well as for healing fountains and healing springs , Deutscher Heilbäderverband eV & Deutscher Tourismusverband eV, November 26, 2017. Accessed on September 22, 2019.
- ↑ a b c Bottled water - mineral water, table water and Co. , website of the Bavarian State Office for the Environment (LfU), accessed on September 22, 2019.
- ^ Law on health resorts in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, § 13 .
- ↑ Not all water is created equal , website of the "Informationszentrale Deutsches Mineralwasser" (IDM), accessed on September 22, 2019.
- ↑ Eva-Maria Schröder: Heilwasser - still up to date , Deutsche Apothekerzeitung , No. 12, March 30, 2008.
- ↑ Marlis Gruber: The different types of water , falstaff.at, March 27, 2017.
- ↑ § 44 AMG "Exemption from the pharmacy obligation", provided that 1 liter does not contain more than 0.01 mg arsenic and the radioactivity is below 3.7 Becquerel ( 226 radium ) or below 100 Becquerel ( 222 radon )., Cf. Ordinance on pharmacy-only and over-the-counter drugs (AMVerkRV), Annex 4 (to Section 7 (1 ) no.1 and Article 8 (1) no.1 ).
- ↑ Mineral water in the test - test results for 52 classic and medium waters , test.de, Stiftung Warentest, June 27, 2018.
- ↑ Healing water - a natural source of minerals and trace elements , on the website of the "Deutsche Heilbrunnen im Verband Deutscher Mineralbrunnen eV", accessed on September 22, 2019.
