Common foods can quietly interfere with medications

General
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Grapefruit Juice + Statins (e.g., Atorvastatin)
➝ ↑ drug levels → risk of muscle damage

Dairy + Tetracycline Antibiotics
➝ Calcium blocks absorption → reduced effectiveness

Leafy Greens + Warfarin
➝ High Vit K = reduced anticoagulant action → clot risk

MAO Inhibitors + Aged Cheese/Wine
➝ Tyramine-induced hypertensive crisis

Alcohol + Metronidazole/Antidepressants/Insulin
➝ Vomiting, dizziness, hypoglycemia

Caffeine + Painkillers
➝ Enhanced drug effect → side effects

As pharmacy professionals, counseling isn’t just about dosage, it’s about helping patients navigate real-life choices for safer, more effective therapy.

Which surprising food–drug interaction have you heard of

18 Likes
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This is informative. Banana + heart medications to lower BP / potassium sparing diuretics → cause hyperkalemia ( increased potassium levels)

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I have heard of milk and calcium.

To avoid drug- food interactions, it has to be taken in a gap as the physician directs

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Grapefruit juice and statins I never heard. Thank you for this information.

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Licorice and Heart Medication
Licorice contains glycyrrhizin, which can interfere with potassium levels in the body. This can cause problems for people on certain heart medications, like digoxin, and could even lead to serious complications like arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats) or high blood pressure. It’s a little surprising since licorice is often just a sweet treat or a remedy for an upset stomach.

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Alcohol+ Metronidazole

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Informative and helpful

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Thanks for Sharing ,it is very helpful

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Informative!

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Thanks for sharing

12

Informative :+1:

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Green leaf and warfarin increases the vitamin k hyperkalemia reduces anti coagulant action this may causes clot i never heard thanks for sharing

14

grapefruit juice with statins like simvastatin or atorvastatin.
The juice blocks an enzyme (CYP3A4) in the gut that normally helps break down the drug, causing higher drug levels in the blood and increasing the risk of side effects like muscle damage.

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It’s a great reminder that pharmacists play a big role in keeping patients safe, not just by giving medicines but also by guiding them on what to avoid.

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Very informative.
I have also heard about how acidic fruit juices decreases the absorption of certain antibiotics like Penicillin.

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Garlic + Anticoagulants are also very dangerous

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Thanks for sharing!

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Nice information i haven’t heard anything like this before.

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During my Pharm D, I was surprised to learn how even something as simple as grapefruit juice could dangerously raise drug levels, especially with statins. It made me realize that patient counseling isn’t just about “when” and “how much” medicine to take, but also “what to avoid” in daily diet.

Some other common Food–Drug Interactions are:

  • High-fiber foods + Digoxin → Fiber binds drug → reduced absorption
  • Soy products + Levothyroxine → ↓ absorption → lower thyroid hormone levels
  • Licorice (natural) + Diuretics → ↑ potassium loss → arrhythmia risk
  • Pomegranate juice + ACE inhibitors → Stronger BP-lowering → dizziness/fainting
  • Bananas (high K⁺) + ACE inhibitors / ARBs / Spironolactone → ↑ potassium → hyperkalemia
  • Bran cereals + Iron supplements → Phytates bind iron → reduced absorption
  • Alcohol + NSAIDs → ↑ risk of stomach bleeding & ulcers
  • Cranberry juice + Warfarin → ↑ bleeding risk
  • Charbroiled meats + Theophylline → ↑ metabolism → reduced drug levels
  • Green tea + Warfarin → Vit K → reduced anticoagulant effect
  • Salt substitutes (K⁺-based) + Potassium-sparing diuretics → ↑ potassium → hyperkalemia
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Thanks for sharing this valuable information.