Foods to avoid when taking medication

Doctors often advise against taking medication on an empty stomach. In addition, it is important to note that what we eat has a big impact on how our body processes medication. Some foods can enhance the effectiveness of medication while others can reduce its effectiveness.

Taking medication in combination with certain foods and drinks can even lead to blood clots or liver damage. Therefore, you must read the instructions carefully to check if there are any foods that should not be used.

Milk and antibiotics

Research shows that dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt can interfere with the absorption of tetracycline and quinolone antibiotics. Calcium binds to antibiotics in the digestive tract, reducing their absorption and effectiveness. It is best to take antibiotics a few hours before or after drinking milk.

Additionally, British pharmacist Shamir Patel says you should be careful about eating cheese and meat if you are taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors. Aged and smoked foods contain an amino acid called tyramine. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors, which are prescribed for conditions such as depression and chemotherapy, reduce the body's ability to process tyramine. That puts you at risk of side effects including severe increases in blood pressure, chest pain, and rapid heart rate.

Grapefruit and statins

Statins are drugs that lower the levels of “bad” cholesterol in your blood. According to the British Heart Foundation, they include Lipitor, Lescol, Lipostat, Crestor and Zocor.

You should avoid eating grapefruit and grapefruit juice if you are taking Lipotor or Zocor because it can increase your risk of experiencing side effects including muscle aches. If you are taking another statin, limit your grapefruit juice intake as much as possible.

“Grapefruit contains a group of chemicals called furanocoumarins, which affect the time it takes for the body to break down drugs by blocking certain enzymes from working,” explains Shamir. “Other citrus fruits are thought to have a similar effect.”

According toStudy FindsGrapefruit can also increase the side effects of some blood pressure and psychiatric medications. The UK National Health Service includes calcium channel blockers - used to treat high blood pressure and coronary heart disease - and anticoagulants, which prevent blood clots, on its recommended list.

Coffee and antipsychotics

Antipsychotics help treat people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder.

But taking the drug with a caffeinated beverage — such as tea or coffee — may cause your body to absorb less of the drug than if you took it with water. Caffeine can increase the side effects of some antipsychotic drugs, leading to increased heart rate and blood pressure.

Green leafy vegetables and blood thinners

If you are taking blood thinners such as warfarin, you should pay attention to the amount of green vegetables you eat.

Touted for their health benefits, spinach, kale, and broccoli are rich in vitamin K, which plays a role in your blood clotting. As a result, these vegetables can reverse the effects of blood thinners like warfarin.

Alcohol and painkillers

We should never take antibiotics with alcohol. In addition, some painkillers, antidepressants and diabetes medications can also cause many complications when interacting with alcohol. In that case, the drinker may feel dizzy, sleepy, and have liver damage.

You should avoid drinking alcohol if you are taking prescription painkillers such as tramadol, gabapentin and codeine. This can cause severe drowsiness and nausea./.