Other neurological and psychiatric medications Immunosuppressants (to prevent rejection of transplanted organs) Medications that have little or no interaction with grapefruit juiceĬalcium channel blockers (high blood pressure, angina) Medications substantially boosted by grapefruit juice Blood levels will rise faster and higher than normal, and in some cases the abnormally high levels can be dangerous.Ī variety of medications can be boosted by grapefruit juice the table below lists some of the most important along with related drugs that are less likely to be influenced. When grapefruit juice blocks the enzyme, it's easier for the medication to pass from your gut to your bloodstream. ![]() Instead, it binds to an enzyme in your intestinal tract known as CYP3A4, which reduces the absorption of certain medications. Grapefruit's culprit chemical does not interact directly with your pills. Why do grapefruit and medications interact? It is also found in Seville (sour) oranges and tangelos although these fruits have not been studied in detail, the guidelines for grapefruit should apply to them as well. The bad news is that grapefruit juice can interact with dozens of medications, sometimes dangerously.ĭoctors are not sure which of the hundreds of chemicals in grapefruit are responsible. Grapefruit and grapefruit juice are healthful, providing enough vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber, and other nutrients to earn the American Heart Association's "heart-check" mark. Including nonfat milk and low-fat yogurt and avoiding high-purine foods like meat and seafood can help with prevention.Grapefruit can mean danger when combined with some popular drugs used for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and depression Losing weight is a long-term strategy that might be helpful for some folks. Celery is rich in luteolin, a compound that slows the production of uric acid (Food Chemistry, Dec. There don't appear to be any clinical trials of sour cherries for gout, however.Īnother natural product that may help is celery seed. Healthy women who eat cherries have lower uric acid levels in their blood (Journal of Nutrition, June 2003). Fresh, frozen and dried cherries, cherry juice or Montmorency cherry extract all seem to do the job. Perhaps the favorite natural remedy is tart cherries. During a gout flare-up, uric acid crystals precipitate into the joints and cause the excruciating pain you are experiencing. Q: Are there any natural approaches for relieving gout?Ī: There are a few natural products that can help lower uric acid in the body. Please discuss your grapefruit tactic with your doctor. Side effects such as headache, dizziness, flushing and fluid retention may be more troublesome. You have seen how grapefruit increases the effectiveness of your nifedipine. ![]() You shouldn't count on it as a substitute for your medication, however. Grapefruit all by itself can lower blood pressure (Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, Feb. That means grapefruit also might increase the risk of adverse reactions. Grapefruit juice can raise blood levels and magnify the effects of the medicine. They include some cholesterol-lowering drugs (atorvastatin, lovastatin, simvastatin), heart-rhythm medicines (amiodarone, dronedarone) and blood-pressure pills (felodipine, nifedipine). So now I need to go get more grapefruit.Ī: Dozens of medications are affected by grapefruit. When I ran out of grapefruit, I was shocked to see the readings climb again. I continued my medication and ate a grapefruit every day. ![]() My medicine bottle says to "avoid grapefruit," but the past few weeks I gave in to temptation and bought several.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |