A frosty glass of grapefruit juice seems like such a healthy way to start the day. And, for many people, it is. But if you take daily medications and wash them down with a morning glass of grapefruit juice, this might not be such "a good thing."
Our neighborhood newspaper recently included a tip about medications and grapefruit juice. You probably already know this if you take medications on a regular basis, but it's good information for anyone to know.
According to Baptist-Lutheran Medical Center in Kansas City, grapefruit juice "effects enzymes in the liver where drugs are metabolized. As a result, grapefruit juice can boost or diminish the concentration of a drug in the body, strengthening or weakening its effects. For instance, grapefruit juice could increase the effectiveness of certain blood pressure-lowering medications, and a patient’s blood pressure could get too low and create complications."
Grapefruit juice can also alter the effects of certain cholesterol-lowering medications, blood thinners, antibiotics, and some hormone therapies.
Not all medications are affected by grapefruit juice. But just to be on the safe side, always take your pills with a glass of water. Also, be sure to read the printed information the pharmacist gives you about the side effects, warnings, and general instructions for your particular medication.
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