Alarming Food and Drug Combinations to Avoid

2023-12-20 15:54:00, Shëndeti CNA

Alarming Food and Drug Combinations to Avoid

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It is generally not advised to take medicine on an empty stomach and we are often told to have a bite to eat before taking any pills.

What you eat has a big effect on how your body processes medicine, and some foods can increase the effectiveness of a medicine, while others can decrease it.

Some drug and food combinations can even result in blood clots or liver damage.

Here are some foods you should never mix with specific medications to avoid unpleasant complications.

1. Dairy and antibiotics

Products such as milk, cheese and yogurt can interfere with the absorption of tetracycline and quinolone antibiotics, Study Finds said.

Calcium in dairy products binds to the antibiotic in the digestive tract, reducing its absorption and effectiveness, the study says.

To avoid this, it is best to take antibiotics a few hours before or after eating dairy.

You should be careful about eating cheeses and cured meats when you are taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors for depression.

Smoked food contains an amino acid called tyramine.

Monoamine oxidase inhibitor drugs, prescribed for conditions such as depression and chemotherapy, reduce the body's ability to process tyramine.

2. Greens and blood thinners

If you take blood thinners like warfarin, it's a good idea to pay attention to how much leafy greens you're eating. Foods like spinach, kale and broccoli are also rich in vitamin K, which plays a role in blood clotting.

3. Alcoholic drinks and sedatives

There are some medicines that we should never drink with, such as antibiotics. Certain pain relievers, antidepressants, and diabetes medications can also cause a number of complications when they interact with alcohol.

These interactions can lead to dizziness, drowsiness, liver damage and other serious complications, the Study Finds said.

Alcohol Change UK warned that you should never mix alcohol with:

Antibiotics metronidazole and tinidazole

Monoamine oxidase inhibitor antidepressants (MAOIs).

4. Coffee and antipsychotics

Antipsychotic medications can help treat people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder. But taking pills with caffeine, in the form of tea or coffee, may make your body absorb less of these drugs than if you take them with water, according to Health.

Meanwhile, the study finds that caffeine can increase the side effects of some antipsychotic and ADHD medications, leading to increased heart rate and blood pressure./ CNA