Introduction
Never Take This With Food, Warn Pharmacists — Eat This Not That is a comprehensive guide to understanding the potential risks of taking certain medications with food. This guide provides an in-depth look at the potential interactions between food and medications, and how to avoid them. It also provides advice on how to make informed decisions about what to eat and when to take medications. With this guide, you can learn how to make sure you are taking the right medications at the right time and in the right way.
Never Take This With Food, Warn Pharmacists — Eat This Not That
Pharmacists are warning people to never take certain medications with food, as it can cause serious side effects. The most common medications that should not be taken with food are antacids, antibiotics, and anticoagulants.
Antacids are used to treat heartburn, indigestion, and other stomach issues. Taking them with food can cause the medication to be less effective, as food can interfere with the absorption of the medication. It is best to take antacids on an empty stomach.
Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections. Taking them with food can reduce the effectiveness of the medication, as food can interfere with the absorption of the antibiotic. It is best to take antibiotics on an empty stomach.
Anticoagulants are used to prevent blood clots. Taking them with food can increase the risk of bleeding, as food can interfere with the absorption of the medication. It is best to take anticoagulants on an empty stomach.
It is important to always follow the instructions on the medication label and speak to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. Taking medications with food can be dangerous and should be avoided.
Certain foods can interfere with prescription medications—and many people are not aware of potential dangers. “It’s an issue that’s not on a lot of people’s radar screens. Honestly, it’s not on many doctors’ radar screens, either,” says Bethanne Brown, professor of pharmacy practice at the J.L. Winkle College of Pharmacy at the University of Cincinnati. “This information can be found in the packet you receive when you pick up your prescription from the pharmacy, but it can get lost in all the written information provided.” Here are five drugs that should not be taken with certain foods, according to experts. Read on—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.
Grapefruit juice should not be taken with certain medications including antihistamines, statin drugs and drugs that treat high blood pressure. “The juice lets more of the drug enter the blood,” says Shiew Mei Huang, PhD, of the FDA. “When there is too much drug in the blood, you may have more side effects.”
Leafy greens such as spinach are high in vitamin K, which can interfere with blood thinners. Rather than avoid these vegetables altogether, doctors recommend consistency so the body can balance steady doses of vitamin K. “What you should try to do is keep your intake of foods rich in vitamin K about the same each day,” says Fran Burke MS, RD. “For example, if you eat one serving of broccoli on one day, you should plan on eating one serving of a high vitamin K food the next and so on. One serving a day, several days a week would help to keep your vitamin K intake consistent.”
Bananas, salt, oranges and leafy green vegetables should not be taken with ACE inhibitors, which are often prescribed to treat blood pressure or heart failure. “These foods are all high in potassium, which helps provide electrical signals to heart-muscle cells and other cells,” warns Consumer Reports. “Consuming them with the medications listed could increase the amount of potassium in your body and may lead to an irregular heartbeat or heart palpitations—which could be deadly.”
“One kind of antidepressants called MAO inhibitors are dangerous when mixed with foods or drinks that contain tyramine,” says Johns Hopkins Medicine. “These include beer, red wine, chocolate, processed meat, avocados, and some cheeses.”
Alcohol should never be mixed with type of prescription medication, experts warn. “If you’re taking antidepressants, anti-anxiety meds (such as Xanax), diabetes drugs, cold and flu meds, beta-blockers, or sleeping pills. If the label says not to drink alcoholic beverages, DON’T EVEN SNEAK A SIP—you may end up with your head in the toilet!” says registered dietician Keri Glassman. “Also, alcohol will heighten the side effects of the drugs, from upset stomach to drowsiness. Diabetics may have low blood sugar episodes.”
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