

How much, if any, grapefruit juice you can have. As a result, less of the drug enters the blood and the drug may not work as well, Huang says.Ĭan you have grapefruit juice with your medications? Instead of changing metabolism, grapefruit juice can affect proteins in the body known as drug transporters, which help move a drug into our cells for absorption. What happens if you eat grapefruit while on statins? How does grapefruit affect drug absorption? Compounds in grapefruit can negatively interact with certain statins, including Lipitor, Altoprev (lovastatin), and Zocor (simvastatin). Ĭan I eat grapefruit in the morning and take Lipitor at night?ĭoes Lipitor have a grapefruit warning? Yes, you should not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice while taking Lipitor (atorvastatin). The secret to the interaction between grapefruit and these statins is in furanocoumarins, according to a 2017 study. You only need to avoid grapefruit if your doctor prescribes lovastatin, atorvastatin, or simvastatin. Can you eat grapefruit while taking lovastatin? Interactions have been documented with apple, cranberry, grapefruit, orange, pomegranate, pomelo and purple grape juices. Many fruits and fruit juices, in particular citrus juices, can affect the metabolism of medicines. What citrus fruits interact with medications? aliskiren (Tekturna) – also apple juice, orange juice.Grapefruit’s ability to affect medication lasts for 1–3 days.Ĭommon drugs that interact with grapefruit One whole grapefruit or one glass of grapefruit juice is enough to alter how these medications affect you. When statin takers eat large amounts of grapefruit, the level of statins in their blood can increase, raising the possibility of side effects. Grapefruit contains a chemical that can interfere with your body’s ability to break down or metabolize certain statin medications. What happens if you eat grapefruit while taking a statin drug?

This can increase the risk of muscle breakdown, liver damage, and even kidney failure. Grapefruit juice can cause that statin to stay in your body much longer, and the drug can build up.

Some substances can interact with statins With some statins, drinking grapefruit juice, or eating grapefruit, is a bad idea. Can you eat grapefruit while on cholesterol medicine? When grapefruit juice blocks the enzyme, it’s easier for the medication to pass from your gut to your bloodstream. Instead, it binds to an enzyme in your intestinal tract known as CYP3A4, which reduces the absorption of certain medications. Grapefruit’s culprit chemical does not interact directly with your pills. The result: too much drug in your body.ĭoes grapefruit peel interact with medication? Grapefruit juice can block the action of intestinal CYP3A4, so instead of being metabolized, more of the drug enters the blood and stays in the body longer.

Many drugs are broken down (metabolized) with the help of a vital enzyme called CYP3A4 in the small intestine. Why does my medication say avoid grapefruit? This can increase the risk of side effects or alter the effect the medicine has. In most cases, it increases the level of the medicine in your blood. Does grapefruit intensify medication?Įating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice can affect some medicines. This means you cannot drink grapefruit juice in the morning and take your medications later in the day to stop possible medicine interactions. Interactions can happen up to three days after eating or drinking grapefruit. This makes it more likely that you will have side effects from the medicine. How long should you wait to eat grapefruit after taking medication?
