It may increase the toxicity risks from Lanoxin (digoxin), used to treat congestive heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms. Licorice: The sweetening compound glycyrrhizin in black licorice may reduce the effects of some blood pressure drugs or urine-producing drugs including Hydrodiuril (hydrochlorothiazide) and Aldactone (spironolactone). Grapefruit juice: Some statin drugs to lower cholesterol, such as simvastatin (Zocor), atorvastatin (Lipitor), and pravastatin (Pravachol) some blood pressure-lowering drugs, such as Nifediac and Afeditab some organ transplant rejection drugs, such as Sandimmune and Neoral (both cyclosporine) some anti-anxiety drugs, such as BuSpar (buspirone) some anti-arrhythmia drugs, such as Cordarone and Nexterone (both amiodarone) some antihistamines, such as Allegra (fexofenadine) the anti-malaria drugs Quinerva or Quinite (quinine) and Halcion (triazolam), a medication used to treat insomnia. "No one person can know it all, but huge databases are available to help professionals get access to this information."Ī sampling of the potential interactions between foods and medications, including some supplements, according to the Food and Drug Administration: "Your pharmacist and registered dietitian can also provide a wealth of information," she says. When being prescribed any medication it's important to inform your physician of all medications you're currently taking - prescription, over-the-counter and dietary supplements - to read the patient information material that comes with the medication and to ask about potential interactions, Gerbstadt says. Calcium supplements, for example, may decrease the absorption of dietary iron, which is why people at high risk for iron deficiency are encouraged to take calcium supplements at bedtime, instead of with meals. "Most supplements have the exact same chemicals and ingredients as pharmaceutical drugs but simply in a naturally occurring form or lower dose," she says.ĭrugs, of course, can have negative interactions with other drugs, and the same can be true of supplements. "Often, people think that herbal supplements are benign and don't have interactions, and that's absolutely false," says Christine Gerbstadt, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Dietary supplements (which also include vitamins, minerals and herbs) can likewise interfere with how some medications work. In December, a team at the University of Florida's Citrus Research and Education Center published a paper about ongoing efforts to create a grapefruit hybrid with significantly reduced interaction risk.Ĭoncerns about the interactions between foods and drugs are not limited to prescription medications. There's more attention than ever before being paid to reducing interactions between food and drugs, Derendorf says, and researchers are focused on finding safe alternatives, removing the chemical compounds that cause interactions, and in some cases, changing the genetic makeup of foods so that they do not interfere with medications. Derendorf was not involved in the Canadian review. It's been known for some time that grapefruit juice can "both increase or decrease the absorption of a small number of drugs," says Hartmut Derendorf, chairman of pharmaceutics at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy. Even some licorice can reduce the effects of certain blood pressure drugs and diuretics.Ī recently published review in the Canadian Medical Association Journal that found an increasing number of prescription drugs could have potentially dangerous interactions with grapefruit and grapefruit juice highlights the importance of consumers being aware of possible food and drug interactions. And eating large quantities of chocolate while taking some antidepressants can cause a sharp rise in blood pressure. Milk and other calcium products, for example, can block the absorption of certain antibiotics. But attention to medical labels, and not your taste buds, is needed when combining certain foods with medications. Ask your physician and pharmacist what you should avoid when given a new prescriptionįrom milk and cookies to chocolate and peanut butter, some foods make a tasty combination.Dietary supplements%2C including vitamins and herbs%2C can also interact with medications.
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