How Fruit Juice Affects Medication Blood Levels
Your Morning Juice May Alter Absorption of Prescription Medications
Apr 15, 2009
Do you enjoy sipping on a cold glass of fruit juice in the morning as you enjoy a healthy breakfast? If you’re taking prescription medications at the same time, it could lead to problems. Although it’s well known that grapefruit juice can alter medication blood levels, you may not be aware that other fruit juices can have a similar effect. According to information published in Prescriber’s Letter, a prescription medication guide for physicians, other fruit juices, such as apple juice and orange juice, can cause medication blood levels to be altered. This is concerning, particularly if you’re taking medications for serious conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, or diabetes.
How Do Fruit Juices Affect Medication Blood Levels?
When you drink grapefruit juice around the time you take your medications, the juice can increase absorption of certain medications, causing blood levels to rise higher than they normally would. This can increase the risk for drug toxicity. In contrast, it appears that apple and orange juice can actually lower the absorption of some prescription medication levels, causing a sub-therapeutic dose to be absorbed. The effects of drinking orange juice can result in reduced medication blood levels of such important drugs as heart medications, cancer drugs, diabetic agents, and anti-hypertensives.
Why Does This Occur?
It appears that orange and apple juices inhibit a protein that transports medications across the intestines and into the bloodstream. When this protein isn’t allowed to work properly, medications remain in the intestines and are excreted without giving their full benefits. The effect of fruit juice on the action of this protein can persist for up to four hours after drinking a glass or juice.
How Can You Prevent Medication Blood Levels From Being Altered?
If you’re taking prescription medications, it’s best to avoid grapefruit juice entirely since the effects of a single glass of grapefruit juice on medication levels can last for several days. With apple and orange juice, the effects are much shorter in duration, lasting only up to four hours.
The Bottom Line?
If you’re taking prescription drugs, stay away from grapefruit juice completely. If you routinely drink apple or orange juice, don’t take your medications within four hours of drinking apple or orange juice. This is the safest way to ensure that your medication blood levels won’t be affected. The good news? You don’t have to completely give up apple and orange juice just because you’re on medications. Just be aware of when you’re taking them.
