Some people engage in eating whatever they assume to be digestible without taking many things into consideration. This habit endangers not only their health, but even their very lives.
The combination of specific food and drugs either causes efficacy reduction or toxic production and this often happens unconsciously. Unfortunately, these people are unaware that harmful interactions can occur whenever such medications are combined with specific food since they are normally harmless when taken individually. What used to be a cure for the body has now turned into a poison.
Read on to know more.
1. Antibiotics
- As its name implies, antibiotics are given by your physicians in order to eliminate and kill bacteria from your system. They also help get rid of viruses and fungi. While taking the medication, it is a must for you to avoid alcohol consumption. Alcohol’s effect on our body causes reduced water retention due to evaporation from heat loss and diuresis. When combined with antibiotics, the adverse effect can happen. The most common ones are headaches and stomach upsets. But the most worrisome reaction would be that of metronidazole (Flagyl) and tinidazole (Fasigyn) which can cause irregular heartbeats.
- Cipro (Ciprofloxacin) is a drug commonly used since it targets a wide range of bacterial infections. Unfortunately, it would be useless if taken with dairy products due to its calcium content. Calcium easily binds to Cipro causing a reduced effect. Refrain from taking dairy products such as cheese, yogurts, or milk within 2 hours before and after taking the medication.
2. Antihypertensive
- These medications are designed to lower the complications of cardiovascular diseases caused by hypertension by lowering blood pressure. Examples are ACE inhibitors (ACEI) and calcium channel blockers (CCB). All of these drugs have the potential to interact with food.
o ACEI – these drugs prevent the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II which is primarily a vasoconstrictor. An adverse effect of this is hyperkalemia since the sodium content in the circulation is decreased. In this relation, foods rich in potassium should be avoided so as to prevent complications. Toxicity level is manifested by tingling sensations, nausea, dysrhythmias, and fatigue.
o CCB – the calcium channels of our smooth muscles (vascular system) help in vasoconstriction and when blocked helps lower blood pressure. When taken together with grapefruit and peppermint, it causes an added effect resulting in increased blood pressure drop to more than what is desired. Life-threatening effects of hypotension are likely to occur if not prevented.
3. Anticoagulants
- These medications are prescribed as blood thinners. Vitamin K facilitates the formation of blood clots and thus food rich in this component should be avoided. Examples rich in Vitamin K are spinach, asparagus, broccoli, lettuce, and cabbage. On the other hand, you should avoid garlic, onion, and vitamin E since it has an added effect on the drug leading to bleeding.
4. NSAIDs
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDS are drugs that are commonly taken as pain relievers or anti-inflammations. Normally, the enzyme cyclooxygenase (COX) helps in the production of prostaglandins. Prostaglandins help in the protection of the stomach lining. NSAIDs block the COX enzyme causing reduced production of prostaglandins. In this connection, alcohol and food rich in acid content should be avoided. It is also not advisable to take this medication on an empty stomach.
These are just a few of the most common harmful food and drug interactions that should be avoided. The single best way to avoid such complications is to prevent the administration of over-the-counter medications and consult a physician. It is also beneficial to read the labels first before taking the medication. This way, you prevent serious irreversible damage.
