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Grapefruit might not be a healthy breakfast option if you take these meds. ~ iStock Grapefruit is one of the best breakfast foods to burn fat, as well as being an excellent source of vitamin C. But be aware that your grapefruit or grapefruit juice can affect the way some medications work, especially those used to treat high blood pressure or irregular heart rhythm. Those are the findings based on research done by Dr Ingrid van Heerden, published in a Health24 article. The effects of grapefruit on some medications are so far-reaching that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now requires some prescription and over-the-counter drugs taken by mouth to include warnings against drinking grapefruit juice or eating grapefruit while taking the drug. Why can it be dangerous? In most types of medications that interact with grapefruit juice, "the juice lets more of the drug enter the blood. When there is too much drug in the blood, you may have more side effects," the FDA's Shiew Mei Huang said in an agency news release. Drugs that can be affected by grapefruit include:
Grapefruit juice doesn't affect all drugs in the listed categories. And, the severity of the interaction can differ depending on the person, the drug and the amount of grapefruit juice consumed, the FDA said. Better safe than sorry Read all information provided with your medications and talk to your doctor, pharmacist or other health care provider to find out if a medication is affected by grapefruit juice, or how much, if any, grapefruit juice you can have. Also, check to see if any other fruits or juices may affect your medication in a similar way to grapefruit juice. Read more: Grapefruit ups breast risk How grapefruit can affect medications Mixing grapefruit with meds could be deadly We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred In times of uncertainty you need journalism you can trust. For 14 free days, you can have access to a world of in-depth analyses, investigative journalism, top opinions and a range of features. Journalism strengthens democracy. Invest in the future today. Thereafter you will be billed R75 per month. You can cancel anytime and if you cancel within 14 days you won't be billed. A beta blocker with a grapefruit juice chaser may nix the effectiveness of the blood pressure medication, thanks to the chemical behind the fruit's tart taste. Another chemical in that fruit may actually boost the effects of other blood pressure drugs. Either way, you're not getting what you need, so keep grapefruit and blood pressure meds away from each other. If you're on blood pressure medication, you should avoid eating grapefruit. The reason why is that grapefruit is very acidic and breaks down certain medications much faster. For some people, this causes them to absorb too much of the medicine and for others, not enough. Blood pressure medications that are affected by grapefruit juice include calcium channel blockers such as nifedipine. Continue Learning about High Blood Pressure TreatmentImportant: This content reflects information from various individuals and organizations and may offer alternative or opposing points of view. It should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. As always, you should consult with your healthcare provider about your specific health needs. I like to drink grapefruit juice but hear that it can interfere with some prescription medications. Is that true?Answer From Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D. Yes. Grapefruit and certain other citrus fruits, such as Seville oranges, can interfere with several kinds of prescription medications. Don't take these interactions lightly. Some can cause potentially dangerous health problems. If you take prescription medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist whether your medication interacts with grapefruit or other citrus products. You may need to eliminate grapefruit products from your diet. Simply taking your medication and grapefruit product at different times doesn't stop the interaction. Alternatively, you can ask your doctor if there's a comparable medication you can take that doesn't interact with grapefruit. Problems arise because chemicals in the fruit can interfere with the enzymes that break down (metabolize) the medication in your digestive system. As a result, the medication may stay in your body for too short or too long a time. A medication that's broken down too quickly won't have time to work. On the other hand, a medication that stays in the body too long may build up to potentially dangerous levels. The list of medications that can interact with grapefruit includes commonly prescribed medications that:
Another potential problem is that some foods and drinks may contain grapefruit but don't say so in the name or on the ingredients list. For example, numerous citrus-flavored soft drinks contain grapefruit juice or grapefruit extract. Play it safe with prescription drugs. Always ask your doctor or pharmacist when you get a new prescription if it interacts with any foods or other medicines. If the answer is yes, ask whether you need to eliminate that food from your diet. Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID-19, plus expertise on managing health. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage
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. What blood pressure meds should not be taken with grapefruit?Here are examples of some types of drugs that grapefruit juice can cause problems (interact) with: Some statin drugs to lower cholesterol, such as Zocor (simvastatin) and Lipitor (atorvastatin). Some drugs that treat high blood pressure, such as Procardia and Adalat CC (both nifedipine).
Which drugs should not be taken with grapefruit?Medicines affected by grapefruit. Statins. Statins are medicines that lower your cholesterol. ... . Calcium channel blockers. ... . Anticoagulants. ... . Antiplatelet medicines. ... . Ciclosporin and immunosuppressants. ... . Entocort. ... . Cytotoxic medicines. ... . Other medicines.. What fruits interfere with high blood pressure medication?People taking ACE inhibitors or ARBs should limit their intake of high-potassium foods like bananas, oranges, avocados, tomatoes, white and sweet potatoes and dried fruits —, especially apricots.
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Can you eat grapefruit while taking blood pressure medicine
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