Surprising Things That Impact a Drug’s Effectiveness
The way medications interact with the body varies from person to person. It’s common knowledge that things such as the type of medication and how a drug metabolizes in the body impact drugs’ effectiveness, but many other things can, too. Let’s look at some of the most surprising things that impact a drug’s effectiveness.
Grapefruit
People don’t often think of fruits as something that can be bad for them, but grapefruit can hinder certain medications. The citrus in grapefruit can change the way your gut absorbs medication. In some cases, this makes the drug too strong or too weak.
Alcohol
Physicians often warn users about alcohol intake with certain drugs, but many users wrongfully ignore this warning. It varies from drug to drug, but alcohol intake can sometimes make a medication completely ineffective. On the opposite end of the spectrum, drinking while on medication can also cause internal bleeding or heart problems.
Chocolate
If you’ve got a sweet tooth, staying away from chocolate while taking a new medication may be hard, but it might be a necessary precaution. More specifically, dark chocolate can weaken the effects of anxiety or sleeping medications. It can also increase the blood pressure of people on an antidepressant or dangerously boost the power of a stimulant.
Vitamin K
Surprisingly, vitamin K can be dangerous to consume if you’re using a blood thinner. Eating too many foods with vitamin K can weaken your blood thinner and put you at risk of dangerous blood clots. Some foods that have vitamin K in them include broccoli, spinach, and kale.
Iron Supplements
For people dealing with thyroid issues, iron supplements can weaken the effects of their other medications. Even multivitamins that have iron in them can influence some medications, rendering them ineffective.
The way a drug works within your body depends on several factors. Look out for these five surprising things that may impact a drug’s effectiveness the next time you’re prescribed a new medication.
