Do you know that what you eat can change how your medicine works?
Medicines have definitely contributed to extending life, relieve symptoms. But do you really know that what’s on your plate can affect the functioning of your body and pills? Sometimes, they don’t even work at all.
Healthy food is good for health but do you know not even healthy food can help if we have no knowledge about food interaction with drugs if we are already taking any medicine. Some food categories can cause toxic reactions and reduce the effectiveness of medications. No matter what kind of medicine you are taking, being aware of the reactions could save you from serious problems.
How does food interact with medication?
First of all, it’s very important for you to understand how food interacts with medicine. Then you can understand your body needs.
- Absorption: Food may increase or decrease the amount of drug entering the blood stream.
- Metabolism: Certain foods can impact liver enzymes which results in drug breakdown. It changes the level of the drug in your body.
- Excretion: Some food categories can increase or decrease the speed of drug elimination from the body.
Common foods that can interact with your medicine:
- Grapefruit and Citrus Juices
Drug affected:
- Anti-anxiety medicines
- Painkillers
- Statins
- Blood Pressure medication
- Immunosuppressants
What you should do:
Avoid these fruits if you are taking medicine as these fruits can impact drug levels for up to 72 hours.
- Leafy Greens High in Vitamin K
Foods to watch:
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Collard Greens
- Kale
- Brussels Sprouts
What to do:
Don’t stop taking these green and healthy vegetables. Just keep it consistent.
- Dairy Products
Food to watch:
Any product made of milk should be taken carefully.
What to do:
Take antibiotics 2 hours before or after taking dairy products to ensure full absorption.
- High Potassium foods
Foods to watch:
- Bananas
- Oranges
- Tomatoes
- Avocados
- Potatoes
- Salt substitutes
What to do:
Don’t take potassium-rich foods without your doctor’s prescription.
- Antidepressants
Foods to avoid:
- Aged cheese
- Fermented foods
- Cured Meats
- Soy Sauce
- Beer
What to do:
Check with your doctor and avoid high-tyramine foods.
Things to avoid:
If you are taking any medicine, then its is recommended to avoid these things:
- High-fat meals with Psychiatric drugs
- Garlic with Antiretroviral Therapy
- Chocolate with Psychiatric Medications
- Sugar free foods with Lithium
- Cranberry Juice with Blood Thinners
- Protein Overload with Parkinson’s Medication
- Pickled foods with Mood Stabilizers
- MSG with Neurological Drugs
- Gut microbiome with Drug Metabolism
Global diet diversity:
- In Southeast Asia, sticky rice meals or oily street foods can delay gastric emptying as compared to western meals. This can impact the overall result of the drug because heavy food takes more time to get absorbed and digested.
- Traditional herbal preparations which are common in pickles, curries or teas can affect the final result. All these things are tasty but if you want to heal soon you need to follow your doctor’s advice.
With or without food
Mostly, it’s mentioned on the medicine that it should be taken with or without food. So, it is very important to follow the instructions carefully and reduce potential side-effects.
What if you take medicine ‘with food’:
- It slows down the digestion so drugs take more than expected time to get absorbed.
- Minimizes chances of nausea, dizziness, ulcers or upset stomach.
- Medicine can reach directly to the intestines without getting destroyed by stomach acid.
What if you wake medicine ‘without food’:
- It can help to absorb medicine more effectively.
- It allows faster drug action for acute treatment.
- But it can result in nausea, upset stomach and weakness.
Suggestions for Patients & Clinicians
Doctors usually guide what you shouldn’t eat with medications but sometimes, even basic habits can affect the result of your medicine. So, you should keep these important points in mind to get full advantage of medication.
- Fatty or rich meals can delay drug absorption so try to avoid consuming heavy food during your medication process.
- Some spice habits like regular black pepper or turmeric may increase drug levels. So, you should use it carefully.
- Artificial food colors and stabilizers are not natural and harmful for health. It can impact the drug transporters as well.
- Stick to your consistent food pattern as sudden change can alter the drug functioning.
- Don’t take medicine with hot drinks. Always prefer to take pills with room-temperature water.
Suppose, you are very careful and follow all guidelines. But what if accidentally you eat a food that interacts with your medicine? In this situation, Contact your doctor immediately to make sure that you are not at risk.
Conclusion
There are different foods that interact with your medication but you can’t simply skip them. It’s all about how you use it because health guides hardly cover this topic, but it is important. Don’t apply any needless restriction. In fact, talk to your doctor openly. Even small changes in your basic habits and daily life can give you the full benefit of your medicine. Remember, not every medicine is affected by food so it’s important to take precautions. Serious food-drug interactions can have life-threatening side effects. Make sure to keep your medicine in the original containers so you or your family members can easily identify it in an emergency.