Use Caution in Taking Your Meds With Juice

In the early 1990’s, it was found that taking certain prescribed medicines with grapefruit juice could double or triple the potency of the medicines, making them overdoses. Since that time, when most doctors were skeptical of this effect, over 45 prescription medicines - from cancer therapies to cholesterol medications – carry a warning that taking the medicines with grapefruit juice could turn their safe medicine dosage into a lethal dose.

Now, scientists are finding that the opposite is true as well.

A study conducted this summer in London, Ontario reported that apple juice, orange juice and even grapefruit juice can drastically decrease the absorption rates of certain medicines. After a series of studies, this was found true for many blood-pressure and cancer drugs, as well as cholesterol drugs and antihistamines. In the studies, it was found that patients absorbed only half the amount of the drugs when taken with juices, compared to those taking the drugs with water.

This could change the way millions of patients are instructed to take their medicines. This type of food-drug interaction could be a very serious concern and is causing doctors to take notice. An overdose is a very serious thing, while cutting absorption rates could also be very serious, depending upon the drug and how much is needed for positive results.

Whether juices double or triple absorption rates, or decrease absorption rates by half, the message is clear: To be absolutely certain and safe, do not take medicines with juice.

Doctors should now be instructing patients to wait at least two hours between taking their medicines and drinking juice.

While the new study has not resulted in medical warnings as of yet, this study could possibly lead to a complete change in the way patients take medicine, much like the studies of the early 1990’s did.



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