Food interactions with prescription and over-the-counter medications are more common than one may think. Food, caffeine and alcohol may change how a medicine works in the body, and the interaction may block a medicine from working, make one side effect get worse or lead to another.
Your pharmacist has reviewed medications for drug-drug interactions, but is most likely not aware of an individual’s particular diet and may not know which drug-food interactions would apply. Your pharmacist will provide counseling on the most common and dangerous drug-food interactions, but it is also important for patients to be aware that potential issues may exist.
In general, foods interact with medications in various ways. Some foods may bind to a medication causing it to not be absorbed in the blood stream. Other foods may interfere with the enzymes that process the medication, causing it to be absorbed or eliminated too quickly or slowly and leading to an increase or decrease of the medication’s levels in the blood stream. Foods and beverages may also increase the side effects of certain medications if they themselves cause similar effects. Examples include drinking alcohol with a medication that causes drowsiness or taking caffeine with a medication that increases the heart rate. Both of these examples can be extremely dangerous and should be avoided.
Certain foods interact with medicine more than others. Calcium, magnesium and zinc interact with some antibiotics by binding to the medication and causing them to be poorly absorbed. Grapefruit juice interacts with cholesterol-lowering medication known as “statins.” Large amounts of grapefruit juice can raise the levels of statins in the body, causing dangerous side effects including kidney failure. Vitamin K found in green leafy vegetables strongly interacts with warfarin, a blood thinner.
Any food in the stomach can interfere with absorption, but some medications are better tolerated or better absorbed on a full stomach. Take ibuprofen with food. In other cases, eating or drinking near the time you take a medication can interfere with its action in the body, so taking the medication on an empty stomach is ideal.
To help a medicine work as intended, make sure to read the labels. Prescriptions are dispensed with medication guides containing easy-to-read medication-specific information, including food-drug interactions. Prescription labels on bottles will also inform users about potential food-drug interactions and side effects. Nonprescription medications have a Drug Facts label that provides information that will help users take the medication safely. Do not hesitate to ask your pharmacist questions about all prescription and nonprescription medications.
Managing food-drug interactions is based on understanding what interacts with your particular medication. Keep in mind that food-drug interactions are common and can be life-threatening. The only way to avoid food-drug interactions is to understand what types of food interact with your particular medication.
It is possible to safely take medications, but it often requires that you learn about your treatment. Establish a relationship with your pharmacist. Your pharmacist can answer any questions you may have about your medications, their side-effects and their food and drug interactions. If you are seeking more information on your medication, make sure you are receiving it from reputable sources such as drug manufacturer and government websites, your physician or your pharmacist.
The U.S Food and Drug Administration along with the National Consumers League has created a patient guide on How to Avoid Food-Drug Interactions. Visit fda.gov/drugs.