Eating grapefruit or not

FIVE TOED PETE · Apr 15, 2011

Hi.
I have read that eating Grapefruit if you have diabetes is one of the best things you can do, but in books I have read they say you should NOT eat citrus fruits including Grapefruit if you have Artheritis which I have all over.
Anybody know any more about this subject please.

ailz · Apr 15, 2011

I only know that you shouldn't eat grapefruit if you take statins or are on blood thinning medicine. Other than that, in moderation should be okay. You can always check your blood sugar and see if it causes a spike. Different people react in different ways to a lot of foods.

Ailz

bowell · Apr 15, 2011

Re: EATING GRAPEFRUIT OR NOT.

For info Not just statins

Grapefruit juice blocks special enzymes in the wall of the small intestine that actually destroys many medications and prevents their absorption into the body. Thus, smaller amounts of the drugs get into the body than are ingested. When the action of this enzyme is blocked, more of the drugs get into the body and the blood levels of these medications increase. This can lead to toxic side effects from the medications.

These are medications with which grapefruit juice should NOT be consumed unless advised by a doctor:

* Statins (cholesterol drugs): lovastatin (Mevacor), atorvastatin Lipitor, simvastatin Zocor, simvastatin/ezetimibe (Vytorin)
* Antihistamines: fexofenadine (Allegra), (terfenadine (Seldane), taken off the U.S. market
* Calcium channel blockers (blood pressure drugs): nimodipine (Nimotop), felodipine (Nitrendipine, Plendil), nisoldipine (Sular), nicardipine (Cardene), verapamil (Verelan)
* Psychiatric medications: buspirone (BuSpar), triazolam (Halcion), carbamazepine (Tegretol), diazepam (Valium), midazolam (Versed), sertraline (Zoloft)
* Intestinal medications: cisapride (Propulsid) taken off the U.S. market
* Immune suppressants: cyclosporine (Neoral), (tacrolimus) Prograf
* Pain medications: Methadone
* Impotence drug: (erectile dysfunction): sildenafil (Viagra)
* HIV medication: saquinavir (Invirase, Fortovase)
* Antiarrhythmics: amiodarone (Cordarone), disopyramide (Norpace)

reff
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=14760

This PDF Doc link shows other interactions
http://www.seroxatusergroup.org.uk/Potential Drug Interactions With Grapefruit.pdf

Also wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_drugs_affected_by_grapefruit

Patch · Apr 15, 2011

bowell said:
When the action of this enzyme is blocked, more of the drugs get into the body and the blood levels of these medications increase.

bowell said:

These are medications with which grapefruit juice should NOT be consumed unless advised by a doctor:

* Impotence drug: (erectile dysfunction): sildenafil (Viagra)

Click to expand...

Sounds like a great way to make your drugs go further... :wink:

noblehead · Apr 15, 2011

ailz said:
I only know that you shouldn't eat grapefruit if you take statins or are on blood thinning medicine.

Quite correct ailz, on my mothers dispensing label for her statins it states that grapefruit should be avoided so do check with your pharmacist Pete if any of your meds may stop you eating grapefruit.

Nigel

Patch · Apr 15, 2011

There seems to be a chicken and egg problem here.

Drinking/eating grapefruit increases the effectivness of a drug - so don't drink grapefruit juice,

or;

Drinking/eatinggrapefruit increases the effectiveness of a drug - so take less drugs!

It IS a problem - you can't predict how the grapefruit juice will effect your uptake of a certain drug (WAD). So - do you take the risk,and be careful? Or do you avoid the risk altogether?

Depends on the severity of an effective overdose, I suppose. DYOR.

sugarless sue · Apr 15, 2011

As probably not many of us have a lab at home ( not the dog either) then best advice is to follow the doctors/pharmacists orders re taking the drugs and things to avoid !

The uptake and potential over dosing is different in all drugs , a lot depends on your metabolism, kidney and liver function etc, so no one can second guess how you will be affected if you chose to ignore prescribing instructions.

viviennem · Apr 15, 2011

I always suggest, when in doubt - ask your pharmacist. They know the drugs they dispense much better than your GP does, and they really seem to like being asked. They have years of specialised training, and we treat them like shop assistants . . .!

Viv 8)

cugila · Apr 15, 2011

viviennem said:
I always suggest, when in doubt - ask your pharmacist. They know the drugs they dispense much better than your GP does, and they really seem to like being asked. They have years of specialised training, and we treat them like shop assistants . . .!

Viv 8)

Very true Viv.......my own Pharmacist is just a phone call away and is always willing to impart advice and facts about all sorts of Drugs, OTC Drugs, Vitamins and Supplements. Much more drug knowledge than any GP I reckon......

Eating grapefruit or not

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