Grapefruit is an incredibly healthy fruit that contains many different vitamins, as well as fiber, potassium, antioxidants, etc. It is very useful for the cardiovascular system, kidneys, bones and other body systems. It is also recommended to consume grapefruits for colds. However, there are cases when it is prohibited to eat it. For example, you cannot eat the fruit or drink its juice while taking medications. This can lead to serious side effects. But what is this connected with and what medications are dangerous to take with it?
Grapefruit should not be taken with many medications, as it is dangerous to health. Photo source: dzen.ru
Contents
- 1 How grapefruit interacts with medications
- 2 What medications should not be taken with grapefruit
- 3 How much grapefruit can you eat when taking medications
- 4 What other fruits should you not eat when taking medications
How grapefruit interacts with medications
The reason for the interaction of grapefruit with drugs is a group of chemicals that it contains, namely furanocoumarins. They can affect the work of certain molecules and enzymes, that is, proteins responsible for certain chemical reactions in the body.
When a drug is swallowed, it is broken down or metabolized by enzymes in the small intestine. The most important enzyme is cytochrome P450 3A4, also known as CYP3A4. But if a person eats grapefruit while taking the drug, the body begins to break down furanocoumarins. Their derivatives can block the CYP3A4 enzyme.
Grapefruit contains chemicals that interact with medications. Photo source: eda.show
What happens? Medicines stop breaking down in the body as usual, causing a large amount of active substances to enter the bloodstream. Simply put, grapefruit can increase the dose of the drug, as well as delay the drug in the body. The consequences depend on the type of drug the person took. In some cases, this can lead to serious health consequences.
What drugs should not be taken with grapefruit
It is especially dangerous to eat grapefruit if you are taking blood pressure medications such as nifedipine. To lower blood pressure, medications relax blood vessels. If a person takes too much of the drug because of grapefruit, the blood pressure may drop too much. This in turn can cause bradycardia, that is, a very slow heart rate.
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), grapefruit increases levels of some corticosteroids. The latter are used to treat inflammatory diseases such as Crohn's disease. Furanocoumarins also increase levels of immunosuppressants such as cyclosporine. According to experts, this can harm the kidneys.
Taking medications with grapefruit can lead to an overdose. Photo source: kubnews.ru
A similar effect occurs when taking anti-anxiety medications that contain benzodiazepines. Such drugs include, for example, diazepam. This can cause excessive drowsiness. In some cases, the effects can be more serious, such as difficulty breathing.
In some cases, grapefruit can actually reduce the dose of a drug entering the blood. For example, this applies to allergy medications such as fexofenadine. The reason is that fexofenadine enters cells using transporter proteins. These proteins move substances from one side of the cell membrane to the other. Some transporters move drugs from the intestines into the blood. Furanocoumarins can block these proteins, as a result of which they stop performing this task.
How much grapefruit can you eat when taking medications
According to the same FDA, the effects that grapefruit has when taking medications can vary depending on the amount eaten or the juice drunk. But, in any case, these effects can be very serious.
Even a small amount of grapefruit can be harmful to your health while taking medications. Photo source: eda.show
Even one grapefruit eaten can change how the body reacts to the drug. Therefore, it is better to exclude this fruit and its juice from your diet while you are taking the medication. If you really like this grapefruit, ask your doctor if you can eat it with the drug. This information is often included in the instructions for the drug.
By the way, grapefruit is often recommended for colds. The reason is that it contains not only a large amount of vitamin C, but also a natural antiviral substance. However, if you are taking other antiviral drugs during your illness, make sure that they are not prohibited from being taken with grapefruit.
What other fruits should not be eaten when taking medications
Grapefruit is not the only fruit that interacts with medications. For example, as reported by Harvard Health, you should take medications with caution if you ate Seville oranges, tangelos, or pomelo the day before. They also contain furanocoumarins.
Lemon juice reduces the effectiveness of some medications. Photo source: pavlovolimon.ru
In addition, citric acid in fruits can interact with some medications. For example, the osteoporosis drug alendronate interacts with all citrus fruits and their juices. Citric acid reduces the absorption of the drug, making it less effective. Therefore, if you want to replenish your body's vitamin C supply and take such medications, it is better to give preference to sweet red peppers.
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Nevertheless, all of the above fruits are much less likely to cause side effects when taking medications than grapefruit. The reason is that the latter contains furanocoumarins in the highest concentration.