Food and Drug Combos

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, almost 60 percent of Americans take a prescription medication. What you eat and drink could affect how well your medication works, or it may cause new or worsening side effects. Review these common food-drug interactions:

• Alcohol and many medications. Tell your doctor about your drinking habits. Some medications, such as fever reducers, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, statins and blood thinners, should not be taken if you drink heavily. Other medications, such as nitrates for chest pain and narcotic pain medication, are dangerous when taken with any alcohol.
• Fat and anti-fungals. Griseofulvin is used to treat fungal infections such as athlete’s foot and ringworm. This medication works best when eaten with a fatty meal. Take this medicine with a glass of whole milk or a serving of full-fat yogurt.
• Grapefruit juice and many medications. Grapefruit juice contains furanocoumarins, a class of compounds not found in other citrus fruits. Depending on the medication type, grapefruit juice may cause more of the drug to stay in your system longer, putting you at risk of an overdose, or reduce the amount of medication absorbed by your body, decreasing effectiveness of the drug. Medications such as statins, blood pressure drugs and birth control can be affected by grapefruit juice. Avoid drinking large amounts within a few hours of taking your medication.
• High-potassium foods and ACE inhibitors. Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors treat heart failure and high blood pressure. They also increase the amount of potassium in your body. If you eat foods rich in potassium with ACE inhibitors, you may develop a racing or irregular heartbeat. Bananas, oranges and leafy green veggies are all high in potassium.
• Leafy greens and warfarin. Broccoli, kale, spinach and other green veggies are high in vitamin K, a nutrient that helps with blood clotting. Too much vitamin K can interfere with the effectiveness of blood thinners such as warfarin.

Whether prescription or over-the-counter (OTC), all medications come with a detailed label. Nobody likes reading the fine print, but knowing what’s on your drug label can help you safely get the most out of your medication.

Your label contains instructions about when and how to take your medicine. Follow these instructions carefully — some medicine needs to be taken with a meal, while other medicines should be taken on an empty stomach. Your label may also contain warnings about food-drug interactions.

If you have any questions about your prescription or OTC medication, ask your pharmacist. She or he can also tell you if it’s safe to crush or split a pill to make it easier to swallow.

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