Grapefruit on it's own is a genuine superstar and one that I used to love eating for breakfast. The danger lies in it's chemical makeup when combined with many prescription medications. The litany of questions I often ask when picking up a prescription, are usually more along the lines of generic vs name brand, cost and the number of refills. As much medicine as I have to take, I honestly don't remember ever asking if I could eat certain foods--particularly grapefruit.
For all of the amazing health benefits grapefruit has to offer, it also contains a chemical that inhibits the metabolizing of certain medicines. Grapefruit contains a class of chemicals known as furanocoumarins. These chemicals disrupt the normal function of CYP's, the enzymes that break down medication in the body.The result of thus combination us two fold 1) An increased level of concentration in the bloodstream 2) Altered drug performance
Depending on the drug, mixing grapefruit( grapefruit juice) and certain classes of medication, such as(some) immunosuppressants, statins, allergy and anxiety medications can lead to serious and dangerous health complications. When the concentration levels increased, medications can stay in the bloodstream too long reaching harmful levels. By contrast, mixing grapefruit with prescription medications could also lessen the effectiveness of the drug, causing harm as your body isn't getting enough of what it needs to heal and recover.
Too much or too little both scenarios spell trouble. It's very easy to forget or overlook something so seemingly simple, but always be sure to confirm with your prescribing physician, which food(s) and/beverages you should avoid while taking prescribed medications.
#food #medicine #danger #prescriptiondrugs
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