Is unknown to most people is the fact that everyday foods and herbal supplements can interact with popular prescription drugs. I became interested in a conversation with my pharmacist that my son could not take a drop of cold medicines with their heart medication. Well, I knew about the interactions between two drugs, but when the pharmacist told me it could not have grapefruit juice, I was stunned. It seems that grapefruit juice increases blood concentrations of drugs. Basically it means that greatly enhances the effects of the drug, which could lead to drug overdose. This is everyday grapefruit juice! It made me wonder about other everyday foods and herbs to me. Below are a few foods and herbs that have an impact on your medication.
People usually ask if Herbal supplements change the way their prescription drugs rad. Is YES! Some medicines should not be taken with herbal supplements. Some can cause unwanted side effects or cause the medication to stop working to their full effect.
Just like supplements, foods can change the way your body reacts to drugs. One example is grapefruit and grapefruit juice. Many people are aware that grapefruit juice can increase drug levels of certain levels will also increase side effects.
1 Herbal supplements and foods can change the way medicines work.
Second Tell your caregiver what herbal supplements you and what foods you eat often.
Third Ask your doctor or pharmacist what herbal supplements or foods will interact with your medicine.
4th Always talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking any herbal supplements.
Analgesics (painkillers)
Aspirin
Celecoxib (Celebrex)
Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
Naproxen
Food: Avoid alcohol. Avoid large quantities of orange juice and vitamin C.
Notes: Avoid black cohosh, dong quai, evening primrose, feverfew, flaxseed oil, and Ginko as it increases the risk of bleeding
Of narcotics
Codeine (Tylenol # 2, 3, 4)
Morphine (MS Contin)
Oxycodone (Oxycontin / Percocet)
Food: Avoid alcohol.
plants: Do not take with Kava or Valerian as May make you feel drowsy.
Antibiotics
Ciproflaxacin (Cipro)
Levofloxacin (Levaquin)
Food: Take 2 hours before or 6 hours after antacids, dairy products, AMD multi-vitamins that contain calcium, iron, zinc, or magnesium. Avoid large amounts of caffeine.See Figure 3 below.
plants:
Methronidazole
Penicillin
Food: Citrus fruits / juices and carbonated beverages will decrease the desired effect.
plants:
Tetracycline
Food: Take 2 hours before or 6 hours after antacids, dairy products, AMD multi-vitamins that contain calcium, iron, zinc, or magnesium.
Notes: Dong Quai or St. John's Wort increases the risk of burns
Trimethoprim / sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim, Septra)
Food: can cause a rash if it is with alcohol.
Notes: Dong Quai or St. John's Wort increases the risk of burns
Anticoagulants (blood thinners)
Warfarin (Coumadin)
Food: Avoid alcohol. Avoid foods rich in vitamin K: beef liver, oils and green leafy vegetables (broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, kale, spinach).
Plants: Avoid black cohosh, dong quai, evening primrose, feverfew, flaxseed oil and Ginko as it increases the risk of bleeding. Do not take St. John's Wort as it may reduce the desired effect.
Cholesterol lowering agent
Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
Pravastatin (Pravachol)
Rosuvastatin (Crestor)
Simvastatin (Zocor)
Food: Avoid alcohol. Do not take with grapefruit juice.
Notes: St. John's wort may reduce the desired effect
Diabetes medication
Glipizide (Glucotrol, Glucotrol XL)
Glyburide (Glynase, Micronase)
Metformin (Glucophage)
Food: Avoid alcohol.
Notes: Do not take with ephedra because it can increase blood sugar levels and reduce the desired effect
Erectile dysfunction
Sildenafil (Viagra)
Tadalafil (Cialis)
Vardenafil (Levitra)
Food: Do not take with grapefruit juice.
Notes: Do not take with Yohimbe, as this may increase side effects
Gastrointestinal Agents (Stomach Meds)
Prochlorperazine (Compazine)
Food: Do not take with alcohol.
Notes: do not take the dong quai, kava, St. John's Wort or Valerian as they do drowsey May
Cimetidine (Tagamet)
Food: Avoid alcohol. Take 1 hour before or 2 hours after antacids. Limit intake of caffeine, see Figure 3
Notes: St. John's wort may reduce the desired effect
Lansoprozole (Prevacid)
Omeprazole (Prilosec)
Pantoprazole (Protonix)
Rabeprazole (Aciphex)
Food: Avoid alcohol because it can cause upset stomach.
Notes: St. John's wort may reduce the desired effect
Of the heart and blood pressure medication
* Note: The following plants can cause an increase in blood pressure and reduce the desired effect of medication blood pressure. Black cohosh, dong quai, ephedra, hawthorn, quassia, verbena and yohimbe
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors,
Captopril (Capoten)
Linisopril (Prinivil, Zestril)
Food: Avoid salt substitutes containing potassium and potassium-rich foods, see Figure 1
plants: * See note above the
Beta-blockers,
Atenolol (Tenormin)
Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol ZL)
Propranolol (Inderal)
Food: Avoid alcohol.
Notes: * See note above the
Calcium channel blockers,
Diltiazem (Cardizem, Tiazac)
Verapamil (Calan, Verelan)
Food: Do not take with juice low sodium can be recommended.
Notes: * See note above the
Digoxin (Lanoxin)
Food: Avoid antacids. Limit intake of caffeine, see Table 3 below.
Notes: Avoid Huang and St. John's wort because they may decrease desired effect
Nitrate
Isosorbide (isordil, Imdur)
Nitroglycerin Patch (Nitrol)
Food: Avoid alcohol.
Notes: * See note above the
Diuretics (water pills)
Furosemide (Lasix)
Hydrochlorothiazide
Food: include foods rich in potassium in the diet, see Table 1 below.
Notes: * See note above under the heart and blood pressure medication
Hormone replacement therapy
Estrogens (Premarin, Premphase, Prempro)
Food: Avoid alcohol.
plants: St. John's wort may reduce the desired effect. Do not take black cohosh dong quai, red clover, or Saw Palmetto because of possible side effects.
Mood disorders
Aripiprazole (Abilify)
Clozapine (Clozaril)
Olanzapine (Zyprexa)
Risperidone (Risperdal)
Food: Avoid alcohol. Do not take grapefruit juice. Limit intake of caffeine, see Figure 3
Notes: Do not take with coffee, St. John's wor or Valerian as they May make you feel drowsy
Benzodiazepin
Alprazolam (Zanax)
Clonazepam (Klonopin)
Diazepam (Valium)
Lorazepam (Ativan)
Food: Avoid alcohol. Do not take grapefruit juice. Limit intake of caffeine, see Table 3 below.
Notes: Do not take with coffee, St. John's wor or Valerian as they May make you feel drowsy
Lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid)
Food: Avoid alcohol. Limit intake of caffeine, see Table 3 below.
Notes: Avoid green tea
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI's) -
Phenelzine (Nardil)
Tranylcypromine (Parnate)
Food: Avoid alcohol. Avoid tyramine rich foods see table 2 below.
Notes: Do not take with ephedra, kava, ginkgo, St. John's Wort or Yohimbe as they can increase the effect and cause a serious increase in blood pressure
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) -
Citalopram (Celexa)
Escitalopram (Lexapro)
Fluoxetine (Prozac)
Paroxetine (Paxil)
Food: Avoid alcohol.
Plants: Do not take with ephedra, kava, melatonin, Valerian or Yohimbe, because they can make a hangover. Do not take with St. John's wort because they may increase the effect of the drug and the risk of side effects.
Tricyclic antidepressants (TCA) - a
Amitriptyline (Elavil)
Desipramine (Norpramin)
Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
Food: Avoid alcohol. Do not take with grapefruit juice.
Notes: Do not take with coffee, St. John's Wort or Valerian as they May make you feel drowsy
Of oral contraceptives (Birth Control)
Estradiol cypionate
Dicyclomine
Mestranol
Food: Avoid smoking.
Notes: Do not take with Chaste Tree Berry, Red Clover, Saw Palmetto or St. John's wort because they may decrease desired effect
Osteoporosis
Alendronate (Fosomax)
Risendronate (Actonel)
Food: Take only with water. Do not take anything within 30 minutes of taking these drugs as they can reduce the desired effect.
plants:
Seizure medications
Carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol NE)
Divalproex (Depakote)
Oxcarbazepine (Trileptal)
phenytoin (Dilantin)
Food: Avoid alcohol. Do not take with grapefruit juice.
plants: evening primrose oil increases the risk for seizures. Do not take with Kava or Valerian as they May make you feel drowsy. St. John's wort may reduce the desired effect.
Thyroid medication
levothyroxine (Levoxyl, Synthroid, Unithroid)
Thyroid (Armour Thyroid)
Food: Limit the intake of Brussel sprouts, cabbage, kale, cabbage, beets, soybeans, and turnip.
Notes: Do not take a balm
Other
Antihistamines-
Chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton)
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
Food: Do not take with alcohol.
plants: Do not take with Kava or Valerian as May make you feel drowsy.
Cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune)
Food: Do not take with grapefruit juice.
Notes: Do not take with Echinacea and St. John's wort because they may decrease desired effect
Prednisone
Methylprednisolone
Food: Avoid alcohol. May calcium supplements are recommended to avoid caffeine Osteoporosis.Limit, see Table 3 below.
Notes: Avoid echinacea or St. John's wort because they may decrease desired effect
Theopylline (Theo-Dur)
Food: alchohol.Limit Avoid intake of caffeine, see Table 3 below.
Notes: Do not take with Ephedra and green tea because it may increase the effect of the drug
Food:
Plants:
Chart # 1
Foods high in potassium include the following:
Apricots, artichokes, asparagus, avacado, banana, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, carrots, celery,
Chocolate, dates, dried beans, dried fruit, figs, green, honeydew, milk, orange juice, potatoes,
Pumpkin, prune juice, raisins, rhubarb, spinach, zucchini, tomato, V-8 Juice
Preview # 2
High tyramine content foods include the following:
Soy sauce, wine (Chianti, Sherry), yeast, yogurt
* Camembert, Chedder, Gruyère, processed American and Stilton
Figure # 3
High caffeine content of foods include the following:
Chocolate (milk and dark coffee (beer, cappuccino, expresso)
Caffeinated water (Java, Kanka, Aqua Blast), ice cream (coffee, chocolate)
Soft drinks (mountain dew, Coca Cola, Pepsi, Root Beer, Sunkist Orange Soda)
Tea (green tea, ginseng, Snapple iced tea, Lipton)