Diet and Exercise I’ve heard it’s unsafe to take my medications with grapefruit juice. Is this true? Grapefruit is a tasty source of calcium, vitamin C, antioxidants, and pectin (which can help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease) and, for most people, it's an excellent choice for breakfast, lunch, or a light snack.
But for people taking certain medications, grapefruit juice may actually do more harm than good. That's because grapefruit and its juice contains a chemical compound (called a flavonoid) that can inhibit the enzymes the body uses to break down certain medications.
When a drug doesn't break down properly, a person's body is unable to absorb, process, and get rid of the medication. This, in turn, can result in there being too much of the drug in a person's bloodstream, which can increase the risk of certain side effects. In other instances, though, grapefruit juice may actually reduce the absorption of certain medications. When this occurs, a person gets a lower dose of the drug than they should be getting, which also can be harmful.
What drugs should you be concerned about?
Doctors are especially troubled by the interactions that may occur between grapefruit and heart or blood pressure medications, like Cordarone, Pacerone, Procardia, and Adalat, as this could lead to heartbeat irregularities. In addition, mixing grapefruit with cholesterol-lowering drugs, called statins, like Mevacor, Lipitor, and Zocor, can increase a person's risk of developing a painful muscle disorder.
Other commonly used drugs that are known to interact with grapefruit include:
•Antidepressants, like Zoloft •Antihistamines, like Allegra •Some forms of estrogen •Some protease inhibitors for HIV •Tranquilizers and sedatives, like Valium and Sonata
To be on the safe side, if you eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice regularly, you should ask your pharmacist about any drug you are taking and whether it can be combined with grapefruit or its juice.
Another concern about grapefruit: Researchers reported in July 2007 that grapefruit, which increases blood levels of estrogen, might also increase breast cancer risk. Read more
Posted June 20, 2007
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