The influence of temperature of ingested fluid on stomach emptying time

The influence of the temperature of ingested water on the stomach emptying time of solid material was studied in healthy volunteers using a telemetric pH measurement device. The time of discharge of the indigestible capsule from the stomach into the duodenum is statistically faster when administered with 250 ml of water at 5 degrees C, 15.91+/-10.04 min. (mean+/-SD) than it is with water at 20-25 degrees C, 48.18+/-28.97 min (mean+/-SD) or at 45 degrees C 71.42+/-37.08 min. (mean+/-SD). It seems that the interindividual variation is larger than the intra-individual one. These observations suggest that enteric coated preparations and drugs which are inactivated by gastric fluid or irritate gastric mucosa should be administered only with ice water (4-6 degrees C), and stomach washings (with charcoal) in order to remove a poisoning agent should be performed with warm water (45 degrees C).