Drug and food interactions

Some drugs, such as alcohol, are broken down by the same elimination system in the liver. However, this system is already so busy breaking down alcohol that the drug continues to circulate in the body and cannot be excreted.

This intensifies and prolongs the effects and side effects of the drug. The consequence is a lack of concentration, which reduces the ability to react.

Other drugs are characterized by the fact that they act on the same attack points in the body as alcohol. As a result, they increase each other’s (side) effects. This group mainly includes sleeping pills and sedatives, antidepressants and other psychotropic drugs. Other drugs whose effects can be increased by alcohol include narcotics, blood pressure medications, insulin and oral antidiabetics. If you take them in combination with alcohol, your blood pressure may drop, your breathing may be impaired, your saliva may flow more and your body temperature may drop.

There are also medications that, when combined with alcohol, can cause increased irritation of the gastrointestinal tract. These include painkillers, potassium salts, and iron supplements. Patients who take painkillers after drinking a lot of alcohol are at risk of stomach bleeding. Medications that can inhibit the breakdown of alcohol in the body include antibiotics and diabetes medications. The consequences can include nausea, headaches, low blood pressure, and heart palpitations.

In addition to alcohol, some medications also have their effectiveness impaired if taken together with certain foods and drinks. Antibiotics have no or only a limited effect if they are taken with mineral water containing calcium and milk or if dairy products such as yogurt or cheese are consumed immediately before or after taking them. This leads to clumping in the gastrointestinal tract, which means that the medication can no longer be absorbed. The body can only partially utilize bisphosphonates, which help with bone metabolism disorders, if they are taken with milk. Antibiotics from the gyrase inhibitor class should not be taken with coffee, black, green or mate tea or cola. These increase the effects of caffeine and lead to insomnia, nervousness, restlessness and heart palpitations.

Painkillers taken with grapefruit juice cause palpitations and heart arrhythmias. If you combine the juice with sleeping pills, it can lead to conditions similar to poisoning. The effect of drugs that lower blood pressure is so increased that circulatory collapse is possible. Foods rich in fiber, such as wholemeal bread, raw food products or muesli, slow or prevent the absorption of numerous chemicals, including painkillers. When used with oral contraceptives, licorice can cause hypertension, edema and potassium deficiency. Counters for blood thinners, the so-called anticoagulants, are foods that contain vitamin K. The vitamin is essential for blood clotting and can counteract the effects of drugs. And be careful when taking the pill together with St. John’s wort. St. John’s wort accelerates the degradation of the pill, which impairs its contraceptive effect.