HEALTHY LIVING
e Drug AND INTERACTIONS
They can alter a medication’s potency and cause dangerous side effects. ::
BY VERA TWEED A
balanced diet is always recommended, but with prescription drugs, some foods that are healthy
can change how a drug is absorbed, altering its potency and possibly its side effects. “Many drugs have what’s called a
‘therapeutic window,’ where they’re supposed to work in a particular range, which is why dosages are so precise for prescription medications,” says integrative pharmacist and educator Swathi Varanasi-Diaz. And some foods can disrupt that window. “We always think of
them as one counteracting the other, but there are many instances where the effect of the drug can be amplified in a way we don’t want,” she tells Newsmax. In essence,
this can work like 90 NEWSMAX MAXLIFE | JANUARY 2026
taking a higher dose than the one prescribed. According to Varanasi-Diaz,
these are some common drug and food interactions:
GRAPEFRUIT Grapefruit juice or the fruit can interact with at least 85 drugs, including some drugs that treat cancer, heart disease, and hypertension. The fruit may increase health
risks by decreasing or increasing a drug’s potency. These three cholesterol-lowering
statins are some of the most widely prescribed drugs that interact with the fruit: atorvastatin (Lipitor), simvastatin (Zocor), and lovastatin (Mevacor).
GRAPEFRUIT
juice or the fruit can interact with at least
85 drugs
The same interaction does not occur with other statins. Seville
oranges,
often found in marmalade, interact the same way as grapefruit. The statins in question are broken
down with the CYP3A4 enzyme in the small intestine, and grapefruit blocks this enzyme. Consequently, the drug persists in the body, producing the effect of a larger dose. One study found that taking one
tablet of simvastatin with a glass of grapefruit juice can equate to taking 12 tablets. This can intensify side effects, including liver and muscle damage, which increases the risk for kidney failure. Consuming grapefruit with
calcium channel blockers, prescribed to lower high blood pressure and treat irregular heart rhythms and angina, can increase heart rate and side effects such as headaches or dizziness. Examples of the drugs include
amlodipine (Norvasc), diltiazem (Cardizem), and verapamil (Verelan). Because grapefruit affects the
metabolism of many drugs, it’s a good idea to check if it may cause problems with a prescription medication you are taking.
PLATE/
ISTOCK.COM/APOMARES / GRAPEFRUIT/
ISTOCK.COM/SMARTSTOCK / COFFEE/
ISTOCK.COM/NATTAWAT JINDAMANEESIRIKUL CITRUS/
ISTOCK.COM/SGAPHOTO / WOMAN/
ISTOCK.COM/SHURKIN_SON / DAIRY/
ISTOCK.COM/MIZINA / SLICED/
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