What is bacteriostatic?
The term “Bacteriostatic” refers to a preservative called (benzyl alcohol) that is added to products to prolong there shelf life.
What is the difference between bacteriostatic water vs sterile water for injection?
Bacteriostatic water for injection has an extra preservative agent added into the water called benzyl alcohol (BnOH). Benzyl alcohol is a colorless liquid that has low toxicity, and low vapor pressure.
Sterile Water for injection is a single-dose sterile water that does not contain any bacteriostatic, antimicrobial agents, and added buffers.
How long does bacteriostatic water last once it is used?
Hospira recommends that once a vial of Bacteriostatic water is open the preservatives will prolong its life for up to 28 days. After 28 days the vial needs to be discarded. Other injectables without the bacteriostatic agent (single-dose vials) should be discarded after one single use.
Note: Please speak to your doctor before using Bacteriostatic Water or any injection products on adults and small children. Not for use in newborns and not to be used for inhalation.
What is the vial material made of?
The semi-rigid vial is fabricated from a specially formulated polyolefin. It is a copolymer of ethylene. The safety of the plastic has been confirmed by tests in animals according to USP biological standards for plastic containers. The container requires no vapor barrier to maintain the proper labeled volume.
What does bacteriostatic mean?
Bacteriostatic is a preservative called Benzyl Alcohol that is added to sterile water for injection to allow the solution to be reused for up to twenty eight days.
Many people wonder “what is the difference between sterile water, and bacteriostatic water?” The answer is quite easy to understand and can be explained easily. Sterile water, is water that is sterile and good for a 1 time injection. It does not include anything to prevent bacteria, so once it is penetrated it needs to be used entirely or disposed of. Bacteriostatic water is simply sterile water, with benzyl alcohol added to prevent bacteria growth in the water. Bacteriostatic water can be used for multiple injections spread over up to 30 days. Without the benzyl alcohol the water would not be safe for multi injection use. This is why it is very important to only use bacteriostatic water while doing the HCG diet. Bacteriostatic water is needed for ANY protocol of the diet, and if you substitute sterile water in its place you are risking infection.
