Experts warn of ‘dangerous concoctions’ with potentially serious consequences
The health risks of taking medicines and supplements together are well documented, but what about the problems caused by bringing food into the equation?
Unwanted food-drug interactions can occur when what you eat changes the way your body metabolizes drugs.
This can interfere with or cause absorption of the drug, which can have serious health consequences.
And these risks are often hidden or largely ignored.
However, when drug interactions occur do When it does occur, it commonly causes unwanted side effects that are harmful for many reasons.
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Some interactions can put the body into a “hypertensive crisis” (a sudden and severe rise in blood pressure), while others are known to cause fatal damage to the liver. increase.
To avoid such complications, founder Benjamin Bowers Satya Nutritionhighlighted some dangerous food and drug combinations to avoid.
dairy and antibiotics
Bowers advises keeping dairy products away from antibiotics such as tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones, which are used to treat a wide range of infections.
“Dairy products can interfere with the absorption of antibiotics into the bloodstream, making you more susceptible to infections and putting your health at risk.”
Fruit juices and alcohol can similarly affect drug absorption, so plain water may be the best option if you’re taking antibiotics.
Grapefruit juice, statins, calcium channel blockers
Another potentially dangerous “dangerous concoction” is mixing grapefruit juice with certain drugs.
“This seemingly harmless citrus drink can wreak havoc when combined with certain medications such as calcium channel blockers and statins.
Grapefruit may affect medications in humans due to the CYP3A enzyme involved in the metabolism of many drugs.
By interfering with the activity of enzymes, grapefruit juice may increase or decrease the “bioavailability” of drugs.
As a result, the drug builds up in the body and can lead to serious health hazards such as liver damage and “rhabdomyolysis.” Rhabdomyolysis is when damaged muscle tissue releases its proteins and electrolytes into the blood, which can damage the heart and kidneys.
Aged cheese, wine, antidepressants
A third dangerous combination is aged cheese and wine, which is known to cause major problems for people taking MAOIs (antidepressants).
“Certain foods high in tyramine, such as old cheese and wine, can cause dangerous spikes in blood pressure, so these antidepressants require special dietary precautions,” says Bowers. explained.
of National Institutes of Health It also warns that cheese, especially aged cheese, contains significant amounts of tyramine, an amino acid that helps regulate blood pressure.
Taken together, tyramine-rich foods and MAOIs can dangerously elevate tyramine levels and require emergency treatment.
Finally, paracetamol and acetaminophen, the main ingredient in Tylenol, are known to cause serious complications when combined with alcohol.
“Alcohol generally takes a toll on the liver, but this little pill can put your liver on a very high thump the next morning,” Bowers explains.
“Therefore, avoid mixing alcohol with acetaminophen, as it may increase the risk of liver toxicity.”
Consuming neutral foods and drugs can minimize the risk of complications related to drug metabolism, Bowers said.
Therefore, it is worth seeking the advice of a qualified health care professional if you are making any major changes to your diet or lifestyle in order for your medication to work effectively.
