Combination Of Food And Medicine

Some food products have the ability to change the effect of medical drugs . People taking medication should know that there is a whole list of products that are not recommended to be consumed during the course of treatment. Read more about what enhances the effect of medications , and what reduces the effectiveness of medications , and what can cause or increase side effects in general.

The instructions for certain drugs do not simply contain indications of when to take the drug: on an empty stomach, before or after meals . Unsuccessful combination of medicines with food can both neutralize the effect of the drug and seriously harm health. And sometimes the interaction of drugs and food can be dangerous for a person's life.

There are at least 200 drugs whose effectiveness or toxicity is affected by food . Let's consider the most common of them.

Dangerous combinations of drugs and food

The interaction of medicines with various food products can not only affect the occurrence of unwanted side effects, but also be dangerous for health.

ACE inhibitors (for example, ramipril, captopril), which are prescribed by a doctor for hypertension, dilate blood vessels and increase the level of potassium in the blood. Its excess can lead to cardiac arrest. For this reason, potassium-rich dried apricots, potatoes, greens and chocolate are completely excluded from the diet in order to avoid undesirable consequences.

Drugs from the group of monoamine oxidase inhibitors, which are often prescribed for the treatment of depression. When taking these medications , you should avoid avocados, chocolate, bananas, red wine, cheese, soy, and smoked products . They contain tyramine, which under the influence of monoamine oxidase turns into an inactive form and accumulates in the body. This leads to an increase in blood pressure and a sharp headache.

Anticoagulants prevent the formation of blood clots. While taking these medications , you should eat minimal or no brussels sprouts, cauliflower, liver, soybeans, walnuts, and zucchini, as well as high-fat foods and cranberry juice. All these products contain a large amount of vitamin K, which has the opposite effect to anticoagulants. Bleeding may occur as a side effect of such combinations.

Bronchodilators based on theophylline are not combined with food rich in carbohydrates.

Cannot be combined

• Antibiotics of the tetracycline group and preparations containing caffeine with milk, kefir, cottage cheese.

• Iron preparations — with tea, coffee, milk, nuts, grain products .

• Calcium preparations — with carbonated drinks and juices containing citric acid.

• Antibiotics erythromycin and ampicillin - with fruit and vegetable juices.

• Aspirin and drugs containing acetylsalicylic acid - with butter, sour cream and fatty foods .

• Sulfanilamide medicines (sulfamethiosol and others) — with greens, spinach, milk, liver, grain products.

Alkaline food (milk, vegetables, fruits, berries) increases the excretion of acidic drugs , for example, derivatives of salicylic acid and increases the effect of alkaline substances. Acidic fruit and vegetable juices can neutralize the pharmacological effect of some antibiotics (erythromycin, ampicillin, etc.), enhance the effect of salicylates, slow down the absorption of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , for example, Neproxin.

Milk + vitamin D. Dairy products contribute to the absorption of medicines based on this vitamin, which is a danger to the central nervous system.

Also, milk weakens the effect of antibiotics, since calcium binds a significant part of them and interferes with clotting. Dairy products , like alcohol, are intolerable during treatment with antidepressants.

It is not recommended to eat most medicines with grapefruit. It is rarely combined with anything. Certain components of grapefruit juice block the CYP3A4 enzyme, which takes part in the metabolism of many modern medicines . Thus, the concentration of the drug in the blood can become unacceptably high, which threatens with various complications. Grapefruit is also able to increase the toxicity of antibiotics, enhance the effect of hypnotic benzodiazepines, and lead to a sharp decrease in blood pressure in people taking antihypertensive drugs from the nifedipine group. It is not recommended to combine grapefruit with statins, drugs that lower the level of cholesterol in the blood.

The high danger of combining drugs with alcohol is no secret to anyone . Especially antibiotics. Moreover, drinking together with anticoagulants prescribed for the threat of blood clots can lead to a stroke. Vasoconstricting drops for the nose in combination with any alcohol sharply increase blood pressure. And a normal dose of paracetamol in combination with a stack of alcohol can cause kidney failure. The interaction of alcohol with cardiac glycosides and diuretics can disrupt the heart rhythm. This also applies to alcohol-containing medicines .

Tea contains tannins that form insoluble combinations with many medications , which significantly reduces the effectiveness of therapy. This is typical for nitrogen-containing drugs that have an antispasmodic effect, as well as for drugs that have a selective tonic effect on the heart (cardiac glycosides).

Coffee interacts with drugs in different ways , depending on their properties. It is not recommended to combine coffee with sedatives, as this may cause insomnia or anxiety. Coffee enhances the effect of psychostimulants. Antibiotics, antidepressants, and birth control pills block the CYP1A2 enzyme responsible for caffeine absorption. As a result, this substance stays longer in the body, which is quite unfavorable for the nervous system.

It is best to drink the medicine with drinking water.

Useful combinations of products and medicines

Some of the diuretic drugs contribute to the elimination of potassium from the body. This is dangerous for the heart and can cause arrhythmia. During treatment with these medications, it is very useful to eat dried fruits (apricots, figs) and bananas, because they are very rich in potassium.

Vitamins A, D, E, antimicrobial drugs based on metronidazole and antifungal agents with griseofulvin are absorbed by the body only together with fats. In addition, fat-enriched foods should be present in the diet of people who take benzodiazepine tranquilizers. The same applies to anticoagulant drugs that reduce blood clotting.

If the doctor has prescribed anti-asthmatic drugs based on theophylline, you need to consume more carbohydrates. Cereals, legumes, honey, fruits (both fresh and in the form of juices) contribute to the absorption of this drug and can really increase the effectiveness of treatment.

Absorption of vitamin PP (nicotinic acid) improves under the influence of cottage cheese, meat, fish and eggs.

When taking drugs for iron deficiency anemia, natural sources of vitamin C are very useful: oranges, strawberries, rose hips, currants, red and green peppers. They contribute to the assimilation of iron preparations and, accordingly, increase the level of hemoglobin.