Grapefruit juice pitfall

[Jed]

I was surprised to hear on the radio yesterday that drinking a glass of grapefruit juice can affect the effects of taking 82 common medications.
It was discovered about 12 years ago purely by chance when researchers were doing a study with alcohol and found the grapefruit juice they were using as a mixer had some strange effects.
They found grapefruit juice blocks an enzyme in the wall of the intestine preventing many drugs from being absorbed. The downside is that too much of the drug can enter the blood which can be of a high toxic level.

Here's a list of some of the many drugs that grape-juice should not be consumed with.

• Statins: lovastatin (Mevacor), atorvastatin (Lipitor), simvastatin (Zocor, Vytorin)
• Antihistamines: Ebastine
• Calcium channel blockers (blood pressure drugs): felodipine (Nitrendipine, Plendil), nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia)
• Psychiatric drugs: buspirone (Buspar), triazolam (Halcion), carbamazepine (Tegretol), diazepam (Valium), midazolam (Versed), sertraline (Zoloft)
• Immune suppressants: cyclosporine (Neoral), (tacrolimus) Prograf
• Pain medications: Methadone
• Impotence drug sildenafil (Viagra)
• Ant-HIV medication: saquinavir (Invirase)
• Antiarrhythmics: amiodarone (Cordarone)

 

[maddie]

This is some important information. I haven't heard of this before. I do not take any medication, but I am sure that this would be useful for those who take some of these above mentioned medication. Great job Jed.

 

[claudine]

I've heard about it before, this is why I don't eat grapefruits nor drink grapefruit juice too often even though I like it. I'm just to scared. I don't take any medications but I'm a big hypochondriac and I prefer not to take the risk since I never know when I'll have a headache or something like this and when I'll have to take painkillers.

 

[ACSAPA]

I don't take any medications now, but I would be disappointed by this news if I did. I enjoy both grapefruit and ruby red grapefruit juice. 82 medications is a scary amount of things that you can't take with grapefruit juice. I feel bad for all the people that have to give up grapefruit. That sucks.

 

[Pat]

I have heard of the effect of grapefruit juice on certain medications, I don't take anything other than an over the counter allergy medication which would be affected by the grapefruit juice. It is important to read the labels and be careful of what you eat and drink. I guess you just need to drink water when taking a pill.

 

[Durgan]

I take high pressure pills and apparently some interact with the grapefruit. From the information available grapefruit can have some harmful effects. As a precaution I don't use grapefruit. Sort of sad because I like grapefruit.

 

[Rosyrain]

I can't stand grapefruit juice, but my fiance loves the stuff so this is good to know. It is way too bitter for my tastebuds.

 

[kammy]

I have drank grapefruit juice occasionally to aid me in losing weight but i had no idea that this juice had so many negative effects; i'll definitely need to do some research on this as i take medications every so often.

 

[globulon]

Thanks for sharing this information. This has some serious implications for those who regularly consume grapefruit juice. For me personally, the pitfall of grapefruit juice is its horrible taste. My tongue can't stand its sourness!

 

[Rosyrain]

It is very bitter and my fiance loves it. I can't understand how he can stomach the stuff. I wonder if other citrus juices would have the same negative impact on medications?