Introduction
Medications, both prescribed and over-the-counter, are used every day to treat acute and chronic illness. Medications can help people live healthy lives for a prolonged period. Although these approved drugs are prescribed often, it is important to realize that they must still be used with caution.
 
Foods, and the nutrients they contain, can interact with medications we take. These can cause unwanted effects. A food/drug interaction occurs when a food or one of its components interferes with the way a drug is used in the body. The following fact sheet describes common food/drug and drug/nutrient interactions. We hope this will help you to see the potential for interactions and learn to avoid them. Be sure to talk to your doctor and pharmacist to get the maximum benefit from medication use.
 

Food/Drug Interactions
Food can interfere with the stages of drug action in a number of ways. The most common effect is for foods to interfere with drug absorption. This can make a drug less effective because less gets into the blood and to the site of action. Nutrients or other chemicals in foods can affect how a drug is used in the body. Foods may affect excretion of drugs from the body. With some drugs, it is important to avoid taking food and medication at the same time with other drugs; it may be good to take the drug with fruit to prevent stomach irritation. Alcohol can affect many medications. Always check with your pharmacist about possible effects of alcohol on your medication.


Things to keep in mind
As you probably know, there are a wide variety of medications in the market today. Almost all medications have the potential to cause side effects. Many people take more than one medication. This is especially true for older people. While people take multiple medications, food and drug interaction are more likely to occur.

Examples of Food/ Drug Interaction
Drug Class	Food that interacts	Effects of the interacts	What to do
Analgesic Paracetamol ( Panadol)	Alcohol	Increases risk for liver toxicity	Avoid Alcohol
Antibiotic     Tetracycline	Dairy products, Iron	Decreases drug absorption	Do not take with milk. Take 1 hour before or 2 hours after food/milk
Drug Class	Food that interacts	Effects of the interacts	What to do
Amoxicillin  Penicillin	Supplements	Decreases drug absorption	Take 1 hour before or 2 hours after meals
Zithromax ( Azithromycin)	Food	Decreases GI distress, slows drug absorption
Erythromycin   Nitrofurantion	Food		Take with food or milk
Anticoagulant   Warfarin	Foods rich with Vitamin K	Decreases drug effectiveness	Limit foods high in Vitamin K; Liver broccoli, spinach, kale, cauli-flower, and Brussels Sprouts
Anticonvulsant  Phenobarbital	Alcohol	Causes increased drowsiness	Avoid Alcohol Sp Moderate intake or Vitamin C
Primidone	Vitamin C	Decreases in drug effectiveness	Avoid Alcohol Sp Moderate intake or Vitamin C
Antifungal    Griseofulvin	High-fat meal	Increases drug absorption	Take with high-fat meal
Antihistamine  Diphenhydramine	Alcohol	Increases drowsiness	Avoid alcohol
Alcohol   Chlorpheniramine	Alcohol	Increases drowsiness	Avoid alcohol
Drug Class	Food that interacts	Effects of the interacts	What to do
Antihyperlipemic  Lovastatin	Foods	Enhance drug absorption	Take with food
Antihyperlipemic   Felodipine	Grapefruit Juice	Increases drug absorption	Consult your physician or Pharmacist before changing diet
Drug Class	Food that interacts	Effects of the interacts	What to do
Anti-inflammatory Naproxen    (naprosyn)	Food or milk	Decreases Gl irritation	Take with food or milk
Ibuprofen (Brufen)	Alcohol	Increases risk for liver damage or stomach bleeding.	Avoid Alcohol
Diuretic Spironolactone	Food	Risk for hypertensive care	Avoid food high in tyramine
Psychotherapeutic MAO inhibitors: Isocarboxazid	Foods high in tyramine: aged cheese, Chianti	Risk for hypertensive care	Avoid food high in tyramine
Tranylcypromine	Wine, pickled herring
Phenelizine	Brewer's yeast, fava beans

Facts to remember about drug/food interactions
• Read the prescription label on the container. If you do not understand something, ask your doctor or pharmacist about it.
• Read all directions, warnings, and interaction precautions printed on medicine labels and packages, even over-the-counter-medicines can cause problems.
• Take medicine with a full glass of water, unless your doctor tells you differently.
• Don’t stir medicine into your food or take capsules apart ( unless your doctor tells you to) because this may change the way the drug works.
• Don’t take vitamins pills the same time you take medicine because vitamins and minerals can cause problems if taken with some drugs.
• Don’t mix medicines into hot drinks because the heat may keep the drug from working.

Never take medication with alcoholic drinks.