What you can and can’t wash down your pills with. Answered by the doctor

Clinical geneticist, nutritionist, expert of UniProf Academy of Physicians

Which drinks can be used to wash down medications and which ones can’t?

The problem with drug-nutrient interactions is that these interactions are often not looked for or noticed. Meanwhile, doctors recommend washing down pills with a glass of clean water for a reason. Just as they recommend waiting an hour before enjoying tea, decaffeinated coffee, fruit juice or milk.

Calcium-containing drinks often neutralize the effects of antibiotics. So washing them down with milk or yogurt is definitely not a good idea.

Grapefruit and cranberry juices

Grapefruit juice increases the effect of some drugs at least five times. At the same time, the side effects are also increased. This applies to cholesterol control drugs and antibiotics, among others.

The same effect has the same effect and cranberry juice, this drink is better to drink separately from any medication.

The only micronutrient with which you should drink grapefruit and cranberry juices is iron, as vitamin C helps it to be better absorbed.

Drinks with tyramine

Among the drinks with a high content of tyramine can be distinguished beer and kvass. They can enhance the effects of both medications and their side effects. This includes increasing blood pressure and heart rate.

Alcohol

No medication should be taken together with alcohol (although some mixtures contain alcohol). But such a recommendation is given by doctors not so much because of the incompatibility of drugs, but because the patient who needs medication is sick, and the intake of ethyl alcohol does not contribute to recovery.

In general, however, a small amount of alcohol during treatment is not prohibited, unless, of course, the disease is not related to the liver, kidneys or heart rhythm.

Salt and mineral water

Sodium increases the absorption of any substances by the cell, so drinking mineral water tablets is also not worth it. You can accidentally “exceed” the recommended dosage.

What food can not be combined with medicines

Not only drinks, but also food can affect the effect of drugs. Even the proportion of nutrients in the diet can alter the ability to absorb medications.

For example, diets high in protein can increase oxidative processes and worsen the effects of medications. Low-calorie or low-protein diets can decrease biotransformation processes, leading to increased effects of some drugs.

What to take with your medication

It is safer and more reliable to drink medicines with clean water without any additives, especially if they are medicines, the dosage of which is particularly important to comply with.