Food consumption is a vital activity of life. Medications, too, are essential to supporting the well-being of many people. When certain medications are taken with specific foods, an adverse reaction could occur. Food-drug interactions can be prevented by knowing what foods do not react well to medicines.

Approximately 42 percent of people over the age of 65 take five or more prescription medications daily. Nearly 20 percent of seniors in this age group take 10 or more prescription drugs every day. How to take each medicine becomes complicated, especially given the potential for food-drug interactions.

For example, some prescription medications function faster or slower on an empty stomach, while others perform better or worse when taken with food. Some food products prevent the drug from working as it should, and new side effects could possibly develop or worsen.

Due to the potential for food-drug interactions, it is important for seniors or their caregivers to ask the prescribing doctor what foods could adversely affect the prescription drug. The following combination of foods and commonly used medications are known to create health problems.

1. Alcohol and Acetaminophen

Most medications do not pair well with alcohol, and the drug label warns patients of the adverse consequences. Even one glass of wine may cause negative health outcomes in the patient. Liver damage is a risk seniors take when they combine alcoholic beverages with acetaminophen.

Acetaminophen relieves pain and reduces fever. Seniors may take the drug to treat headaches, arthritis, muscle aches, back aches, or cold symptoms. Acetaminophen is available in combination with over-the-counter drugs, like Excedrin or Nyquil. It is also found in prescription drugs, like Tylenol with codeine.

2. Dairy and Certain Antibiotics

Calcium is found in dairy products, like cheese, milk, and yogurt. Seniors who consume dairy products while taking antibiotics could inadvertently reduce the absorption of tetracycline and ciprofloxacin antibiotics. Calcium inhibits drug absorption, which reduces the antibiotic’s ability to fight off infection.

Drinking milk, for instance, causes less of the antibiotic’s compounds to enter the bloodstream. Seniors who take antibiotics and consume dairy products are advised to avoid dairy foods that contain calcium one hour before or two hours after taking the antibiotic.

3. Leafy Green Veggies and Warfarin

Warfarin is an anticoagulant that is commonly known by the brand names Coumadin and Jantoven. A food-drug interaction can occur when seniors take warfarin and munch on vegetables that contain vitamin K, such as spinach, kale, cabbage, chard, seaweed, and other leafy greens.

Eating leafy greens can affect how steady the warfarin concentration remains in the body. Plus, the aforementioned veggies contain large doses of vitamin K, which reduces the effectiveness of the warfarin as well as the body’s ability to stop or prevent blood clotting.

4. Grapefruit and Statins

Drugs that manage cholesterol, like Zocor and Lipitor, are known as statins. Seniors who eat grapefruit while taking statins are advised to reconsider. Grapefruit affects the liver’s processing rate of these common drugs. Oral statins specifically cause the interactions to occur in the digestive tract.

Statins, in addition to blood pressure drugs and erectile dysfunction drugs, are only a handful of medications that interact poorly with grapefruit. In fact, at least 45 drugs do not respond well with grapefruit consumption. Seniors are advised to consult a pharmacist for possible interactions.

5. Bananas and ACE Inhibitors

Bananas contain high amounts of potassium. Seniors who are prescribed ACE inhibitors (which reduce blood pressure levels) and subsequently eat bananas will have a higher risk for heart arrhythmias. Some ACE inhibitors, like Capoten and Univasc, can safely be taken at least an hour before mealtimes.

6. High-Fiber Foods and Thyroid Drugs

Foods that are rich in fiber are recommended to support digestion. However, high-fiber foods, like walnuts, soybean flour, and others, can make certain thyroid medications, specifically levothyroxine, less effective. This is due to the fact that fiber-rich foods reduce absorption of the drug.

Digoxin, which is a prescription drug used to treat heart failure, is similarly affected by high-fiber food products. Elderly individuals who take digoxin (which is sold under multiple brand names) are advised to take the drug two hours before or after eating a meal or snack loaded with fiber.

7. Fruit Juices and Allegra

Allegra is one of the newer generations of antihistamines. Taking the drug while consuming acidic fruit juices, like apple juice, grapefruit juice, or orange juice, affects the level of medication absorption. The antihistamines are rendered less effective. Avoid fruit juices two to four hours prior to taking Allegra.

A senior’s diet is important to overall well-being. Medications, too, are key to sustaining physical health. Since older adults frequently consume both, it is critical that they and their caregivers are aware of the potential food-drug interactions and take steps to prevent ill health and unwanted side effects.

Families that utilize the elder care services provided by Assisting Hands Home Care can rest assured that their senior loved one’s dietary needs are met. Our caregivers prepare balanced meals that follow the senior’s dietary restrictions.

In addition to serving nutritious meals, caregivers from our home care agency tend to the personal care needs of our care recipients. We assist seniors with personal hygiene, perform light housekeeping, provide transportation, and prevent falls.

Assisting Hands Home Care services are flexible and meet the varying scheduling needs of families. We are available for respite care, 24-hour care, live-in care, hospice care, post-surgical care, and compassionate in-home memory care. Your loved one’s non-medical care needs will be fully met each day.

Count on the quality and expertise provided by the professional caregivers at Assisting Hands Home Care. We are privileged to serve the care needs of countless seniors living in BallenIsles , Boynton Beach, Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Royal Palm Beach, Singer Island, Wellington, West Palm Beach, FL and the surrounding areas or around Palm Beach, Florida. Call us to schedule an in-home consultation and start dependable home care today.