Things that May Affect Your Medication

You may be aware that a few medications do not work well. However, what you drink and eat may also affect some drugs. Before you take a medicine for the first time, it is better to talk with your pharmacist or doctor and see if there’s anything you need to avoid.

However, this blog has outlined a few things you should avoid while on medications.

Grapefruit

The citrus fruit changes how specific cells in your gut move medication through the body. It may also affect more than 50 drugs. It may make some like fexofenadine for allergies, which is less effective and make others too strong, including the ones that lower the cholesterol, like atorvastatin (Lipitor).

Milk

The dairy product may make it harder for the body to process specific antibiotics. Minerals in milk like magnesium and calcium are part of the reason, along with the protein casein. If you are taking antibiotics, ensure to find out about the beverages or foods you should stay away from.

Licorice

Few people use this as an herbal remedy to help with digestion. Others may use it as flavor foods. However, glycyrrhizin, chemical licorice, may weaken the effect of a few drugs, including cyclosporine. You can also use licorice, which is helpful to keep people who have had transplants from rejecting new organs.

Chocolate

Dark chocolate may weaken the drug effects that can calm you down or make you sleep, like zolpidem tartrate (Ambien). It may also boost the power of a few stimulant drugs like methylphenidate (Ritalin). If you take on an MAO helpful inhibitor to treat depression, it may make your blood pressure dangerously high.

Iron supplement

It can help lower the effects of levothyroxine (Synthroid). It is one medicine that gives thyroid hormone when your body doesn’t make enough. If you take the medication and a multivitamin, try and check to see if the vitamin consists of iron in it. If you need an iron supplement, ask your doctor about taking it and the medication at different times.

Alcohol

It makes the specific drugs less effective or useless, including some heart medicines and blood pressure. It may also make others stronger than they should be or causes dangerous side effects.

Coffee

It may weaken antipsychotic drugs like clozapine and lithium but also boosts the side effects and effects of others. These include epinephrine, aspirin, and albuterol. This may also make it challenging for your body to use and take in iron.

Antihistamines

These are helpful with the runny nose and sneezing caused by allergies. However, some can be less effective in high blood pressure and raise your heart rate. You should talk to your doctor about other ways of managing your allergies if you take blood pressure medicines.

Anti-Epileptic Drugs (AEDs)

The AEDs control seizures in people with epilepsy. However, AEDs can make birth control pills unable to prevent pregnancy. Early research may show that they strengthen other drugs, leading to serious side effects.

Vitamin K

If you take the drug warfarin, it helps treat and prevent blood clots. You should be aware of how much vitamin K you are intaking. It may make the blood thinner less effective and put you at a higher risk of a dangerous blood clot. Spinach, parsley, kale, brussels sprouts, and broccoli are a few of the most common foods high in Vitamin K. You should try to eat the same amount each day. This helps the level of warfarin in your blood to stay the same.

Ginseng

It can help lower the effects of warfarin. It can also make you more likely to have internal bleeding if you take the blood thinners like aspirin or heparin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like naproxen or ibuprofen. If you are intaking MAO inhibitors, ginseng may lead in causing nervousness, hyperactivity, sleep problems, and headaches.

Conclusion

About 50% of the medications are taken as per the prescription. People usually take less than they need and sometimes leave significant gaps between the doses. All of these may also weaken the effects. Also, you need to ensure that you understand your treatment plan and follow the doctor’s instructions.

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