Grapefruit compatibility with drugs
Drinking grapefruit juice and eating grapefruit with medications is prohibited. Citrus components weaken the effect of drugs and lead to the development of undesirable reactions in the body.
Grapefruit compatibility with drugs
Reasons for incompatibility
Grapefruit is a healthy citrus fruit. It is rich in vitamins, antioxidants, has a pleasant and unusual tart taste. Regular consumption of citrus serves to prevent colds, nervous breakdowns and cancer. Grapefruit juice (and even seeds) is used in many diets.
Poor compatibility is due to the composition of the grapefruit:
- Furanocoumarins. These substances are found in all citrus fruits, but their highest concentration is in grapefruit. Furocoumarins affect the work of one of the isoforms of cytochrome P450, this enzyme catalyzes the metabolism of xenobiotics. The combination leads to the fact that the transformation of drugs in the liver is greatly slowed down, the dose of the drug in the blood increases, and it has a general toxic effect on the body.
- Flavonoids. These are useful antioxidant substances, but they are also able to block the enzymes of xenobiotic metabolism.
- Undefined substance. A still unexplored component inhibits the work of P-glycoprotein, which removes residual drug concentrations from cells. Toxins accumulate in cells.
If you take the pills with grapefruit juice, an overdose of the drug occurs in the body.
Incompatibility list
List of medicines incompatible with grapefruit:
- Benzodiazepine tranquilizers - "Phenazepam", "Diazepam", etc. There is a risk of symptoms - anxiety, insomnia, hallucinations, lack of coordination, etc.
- Preparations for epilepsy - "Carbomazepine", "Lamotrigine". If taken with citrus juice, undesirable manifestations occur - skin rash, headaches, sleep disturbances, nausea, diarrhea.
- Means for lowering the level of low density lipoproteins in the blood - statins "Lipitor", "Mevacor", "Zokor" (statins). Statins have many side effects that are exacerbated by furocoumarins. A person has muscle pain, stiffness of movements.
- Means for improving erectile function - "Viagra", "Cialis".
- Means for the gastrointestinal tract - "Omeprazole", "Domperidone".
- Immunosuppressants - Cyclosporin, Sirolimus, Tacrolimus.
The fruit enhances the side effects of aspirin
The fruit weakens the effect of cardiological, antineoplastic, antihistamines, enhances the side effects of Aspirin, Paracetamol, if there are contraindications to their use in the form of gastritis and ulcers.
The use of citrus along with hormonal drugs, oral contraceptives (birth control), antibiotics is also dangerous. The combination of juice with antibiotics often leads to severe intoxication of the body.
Whether grapefruit is compatible with drugs from other groups, whether it helps better absorption, has not been precisely studied.Therefore, it is recommended to use the fruit correctly during the treatment period, if there is no desire to refuse it.
How to eat grapefruit during treatment
There is no need to refuse to use citrus and fresh juice from it.
In order not to harm the body, you need to reduce the amount of the product. One large orange is recommended to be divided into 2-3 days, there is 1.5-2 hours before taking the pills. It is strictly forbidden to drink medicine with juice.
Other than grapefruit, pharmaceuticals are incompatible with lime. Drinking alcohol during drug therapy is also prohibited. The mechanisms of its negative effect on the body are different, but usually more intense than that of grapefruit.
Conclusion
Doctors strongly advise against combining medication with grapefruit. It is also advised to limit the use of lime and citrus marmalade.
In everyday life, citrus fruit must also be consumed according to the rules. You can not eat on an empty stomach, so as not to damage the gastric mucosa. Eating fruit at night increases the load on the liver, prevents the body from fully resting.