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Grapefruit juice: Beware of dangerous medication interactions
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Raymond
May 11, 2012, 2:19:14 PM5/11/12
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Grapefruit juice: Beware of dangerous medication interactions
I like to drink grapefruit juice but hear that it can interfere with
some of my prescription medications. Is that true?
Answer
from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
Yes, grapefruit juice, other grapefruit products and certain other
citrus fruits can interfere with several kinds of prescription
medications. Don't take these interactions lightly, as some can cause
potentially dangerous health problems. Check with your doctor or
pharmacist before consuming any grapefruit products or citrus fruits
if you take prescription medications. 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.
Certain chemicals that grapefruit products and citrus fruits contain
can interfere with the enzymes that break down (metabolize) various
medications in your digestive system. As a result, more medication
stays in your body. This can increase the potency of your medication
to potentially dangerous levels, causing serious side effects.
Pomelos and Seville oranges, a type of bitter orange often used to
make marmalades and compotes, may have a similar effect. Researchers
are identifying other foods that also may interact with medications,
so check with your doctor or pharmacist if you have any concerns.
Here are a few examples of prescription medications that can have
serious interactions with grapefruit products. This is not a complete
list of grapefruit-medication interactions, so check with your doctor
or pharmacist to see if your medication is affected.
Examples of grapefruit-medication interactions
Type of medication Medication name
Anti-anxiety Buspirone
Anti-arrhythmia Amiodarone (Cordarone)
Antidepressant Sertraline (Zoloft)
Antihistamine Fexofenadine (Allegra)
Anti-retroviral Saquinavir (Invirase), indinavir (Crixivan)
Anti-seizure Carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol)
Calcium channel blocker Nifedipine (Procardia), nimodipine (Nimotop),
nisoldipine (Sular)
Immunosuppressant Cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), tacrolimus
(Prograf), sirolimus (Rapamune)
Statin Simvastatin (Zocor), lovastatin (Mevacor), atorvastatin
(Lipitor
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/AN00413
I like to drink grapefruit juice but hear that it can interfere with
some of my prescription medications. Is that true?
Answer
from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
Yes, grapefruit juice, other grapefruit products and certain other
citrus fruits can interfere with several kinds of prescription
medications. Don't take these interactions lightly, as some can cause
potentially dangerous health problems. Check with your doctor or
pharmacist before consuming any grapefruit products or citrus fruits
if you take prescription medications. 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.
Certain chemicals that grapefruit products and citrus fruits contain
can interfere with the enzymes that break down (metabolize) various
medications in your digestive system. As a result, more medication
stays in your body. This can increase the potency of your medication
to potentially dangerous levels, causing serious side effects.
Pomelos and Seville oranges, a type of bitter orange often used to
make marmalades and compotes, may have a similar effect. Researchers
are identifying other foods that also may interact with medications,
so check with your doctor or pharmacist if you have any concerns.
Here are a few examples of prescription medications that can have
serious interactions with grapefruit products. This is not a complete
list of grapefruit-medication interactions, so check with your doctor
or pharmacist to see if your medication is affected.
Examples of grapefruit-medication interactions
Type of medication Medication name
Anti-anxiety Buspirone
Anti-arrhythmia Amiodarone (Cordarone)
Antidepressant Sertraline (Zoloft)
Antihistamine Fexofenadine (Allegra)
Anti-retroviral Saquinavir (Invirase), indinavir (Crixivan)
Anti-seizure Carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol)
Calcium channel blocker Nifedipine (Procardia), nimodipine (Nimotop),
nisoldipine (Sular)
Immunosuppressant Cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), tacrolimus
(Prograf), sirolimus (Rapamune)
Statin Simvastatin (Zocor), lovastatin (Mevacor), atorvastatin
(Lipitor
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/AN00413
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