Recipe for Risk: When Food, Alcohol, and Medications Don’t Mix – Henry Mayo Newhall Hosptial

Did you know that some common foods can change the way some medications work? You and your doctor have probably discussed how your medications may interact with each other. However, your diet choices can also affect how well—and safely—medicines work.
The food and drinks you consume can change how drugs are absorbed or metabolized in your body. A medication might not work as well—or it might build up in your body. In some cases, foods can increase the effects of a medicine.
Steer clear of these food-med combos
Many foods can affect how well medications work. Here are some examples of common combos to avoid, based on information from AARP, the American Heart Association and others.
Grapefruit and grapefruit juice can cause problems when mixed with certain medicines. These includes statins, which are used to control cholesterol; certain antianxiety drugs; and some medications that treat Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Seville oranges, pomelos and tangelos may have the same effect.
Aged cheese, smoked and cured meats, and fermented foods can interact with Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs), which are used to combat depression and treat Parkinson’s disease. These foods are high in tyramine. If you take an MAOI, you should also avoid other foods that contain high levels of tyramine, such as red wine, some draft beer, soy products and very ripe bananas.
Fruit juices, such as grapefruit, apple and orange juice, can make certain blood pressure drugs and antihistamines less effective.
Dairy products, because of their calcium content, can interfere with certain antibiotics.
Leafy greens and other foods containing vitamin K can reduce the effectiveness of the anticoagulant warfarin. Your healthcare provider can suggest how to balance vitamin K-rich foods with your warfarin dosage.
Bananas and other potassium-rich foods can cause heart arrhythmias when taken with ACE inhibitors that lower blood pressure.
High-fiber foods can make levothyroxine (used to treat an underactive thyroid) and digoxin (used to treat heart failure) less effective.
Put safety on the menu
To play it safe and keep trouble off your plate, ask your pharmacist or doctor about the medicines you take. In addition, carefully check the written information that comes with your prescriptions when you pick them up from the pharmacy.
If any of your medicines interact with foods and drinks, pay attention to ingredient lists. For example, if you are trying to limit a certain vitamin, you’ll want to watch out for fortified foods.
Alcohol and medication can be a dangerous mix
If you take prescription or nonprescription medicine and you drink alcohol, you could be putting your health at risk.
Some prescription medications can produce unwanted effects when mixed with alcohol, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).
Alcohol can even be dangerous when combined with nonprescription medicines, such as aspirin, acetaminophen and allergy medications.
Alcohol can:
Change how long medicines stay in your body. The level of medication might be too low or too high.
Change how medicines affect your body. Your medicine might not work as well. Or its effects might get stronger. That can be dangerous.
At the same time, medications can change the way your body handles alcohol, which could increase the effects of alcohol. Or it could have other effects.
When alcohol and medications interact, problems can range from minor to fatal.
The NIAAA recommends that you talk to your doctor about alcohol and drug interactions.
Ask if you should avoid alcohol. Find out what could happen if you mix your medicines and alcohol. Finally, don’t skip doses of prescribed medication.
For information medications and other health topics, visit www.library.henrymayo.com.