Phinally! The pharmaceutical industry phearlessly reveals the truth!

/why I wouldn't go on statins, even on a bet
//live better BEFORE you need 'em

I have an article in a magazine at work that mentions that grapefruit can block the effects of certain medications.

So, if you on medication and eating grapefruit, PREPARE TO DIE.

That article is true Pfark.

More of a Mary Anne guy myself.

But garlic will decrease my risk of getting vampire bits, which is more likely for people who ingest a lot of tasty tasty blood thinners.

It all evens out i think.

Keep your grubby hands away from my garlic.

roughridersfan: I have an article in a magazine at work that mentions that grapefruit can block the effects of certain medications.

So, if you on medication and eating grapefruit, PREPARE TO DIE.

Being someone who does work for Pfizer and has seen and worked with cancer drug research, i can confirm that this is very true and that grapefruit can seriously interfere with certain drugs.

/hot like my flashes

roughridersfan: I have an article in a magazine at work that mentions that grapefruit can block the effects of certain medications.

So, if you on medication and eating grapefruit, PREPARE TO DIE.

Yea, grapefruit and certain chemo drugs shouldn't be mixed. My dad's doctor never mentioned that fact and we stumbled upon it a a month into the chemo. My father was drinking about 16oz. of fresh grapefruit juice a day at the time.

Does it block the effects or does the acid in the grapefruit alter the drug in the stomach? Cause if just eating one after your pill is absorbed blocks the effects that is muy interesante.

Sure, you don't use garlic or ginger to cure cancer. That doesn't mean they are at all worthless though.

Thanks anyway, Pfarkfaces.

ReAnimator: roughridersfan: I have an article in a magazine at work that mentions that grapefruit can block the effects of certain medications.

So, if you on medication and eating grapefruit, PREPARE TO DIE.

Being someone who does work for Pfizer and has seen and worked with cancer drug research, i can confirm that this is very true and that grapefruit can seriously interfere with certain drugs.

Many of my Dad's prescriptions warn not to take with grapefruit juice.

So, plants don't mix well with man-made chemicals and it's the plant's fault?

roughridersfan: I have an article in a magazine at work that mentions that grapefruit can block the effects of certain medications.

So, if you on medication and eating grapefruit, PREPARE TO DIE.

Yea, I find that very odd. I have taken several medications that made it very clear that I should not eat grapefruit. Luckily, I hate them.

roughridersfan: I have an article in a magazine at work that mentions that grapefruit can block the effects of certain medications.

So, if you on medication and eating grapefruit, PREPARE TO DIE.

I think you misread. Everything I've read says just the opposite. Usually they'll use the word "interfere" because the reality sounds too positive. Grapefruit enhances the effects of many slow release druids, like blood pressure medicines and neurological medicines (antidepression, mood stabilizers, etc). The problem is that those effects are somewhat unreliable, so you can't simply account for them. For one person, drinking some grapefruit juice before they pop the pills may make their blood pressure crash as if they'd taken 5x the dosage. For another, there may be no effect at all.

That's the general problem with herbal remedies for series medical conditions. Nature is unpredictable. Without rigorous controls, you can't be sure what the effect is going to be because you don't know how much is in the substance naturally to begin with.

I've had this argument with long term hippy potheads before. I've never gotten how they can be perfectly comfortable with the idea that some weed is stronger than others, even though both are natural, and yet can't seem to grasp why that's a bad thing for critical medications.

roughridersfan: I have an article in a magazine at work that mentions that grapefruit can block the effects of certain medications.

So, if you on medication and eating grapefruit, PREPARE TO DIE.

It can also increase the effect of Alprazolam and Diazepam. PREPARE TO GET HIGHER!

Grapefruit juice contains a compound that inhibits certain liver enzymes. It is known to potentiate the effects of opioids like vicodin and oxycontin. It can cause accidental overdose quite easily.

The pfabulous pfaucet with the pfunny name.

/used to be an Abbott subcontractor

I take ginger for seasickness/stomachaches. No heart meds though.

/proceeds as usual

"I have an article in a magazine at work that mentions that grapefruit can block the effects of certain medications."

Yup, will "wash" out the therapeutic levels of my anti-eplieptic drug out of my system. My scrip bottle has a warning on it.

I also found out the hard way that this is the case with green tea too. I switched to it for a couple of weeks while weaning myself off of sodas and had a grand mal. At the time, I tried to think what would have caused it and went and did a GIS for "green tea seizures". Browser lit up like a christmas tree.

Now, anything out of my usual vitamins, supplements, and even food/drink, I research it first.

While not a true epileptic (toxic reaction to dpt booster vac) here, I don't want to have a seizure while behind the wheel or on my motorcycle. After 22 years seizure free until the green tea thing, I am careful.

/yes, prolly nuts for riding a motorcycle, but who cares?

roughridersfan: I have an article in a magazine at work that mentions that grapefruit can block the effects of certain medications.

So, if you on medication and eating grapefruit, PREPARE TO DIE.

Pretty much. Your pharmacist is supposed to tell you to avoid grapefruit if you're on certain meds.

Wow, that clearly took me too long to write. Everyone who responded can add the chemo drugs to blood related medicines and neurological medicines. Everything I've seen uses the word "interfere" to refer to the enhancing effect because it's uncontrolled and not entirely predictable. If they COULD control for it, grapefruit juice could do WONDERS for statins. The problem right now is it can also put you in a coma if you're not carefully supervised.

roughridersfan: I have an article in a magazine at work that mentions that grapefruit can block the effects of certain medications.

So, if you on medication and eating grapefruit, PREPARE TO DIE.

It increases concentrations of other drugs, as I'm sure has been posted by the Fark community at large in the past couple minutes I spent looking for a cat picture.

roughridersfan: I have an article in a magazine at work that mentions that grapefruit can block the effects of certain medications.

So, if you on medication and eating grapefruit, PREPARE TO DIE.

I've heard this for some birth control pills as well.

"Does it block the effects or does the acid in the grapefruit alter the drug in the stomach? Cause if just eating one after your pill is absorbed blocks the effects that is muy interesante."

Usually lowers the theraputic level of the drug it affects in your liver, making it process out faster or not absorb at all, that's what my neurologist told me

OKAY dammit. Who sent Murtha the garlic ans St. Johns Wort?

fireclown: More of a Mary Anne guy myself.


Wise choice.

Doses are adjusted to maximize benefit while minimizing toxic effects. Taking something that increases blood levels is never good.

Likewise, st johns wort in particular renders some drugs lik HIV antiviral less effective.

I'm more of a Mrs. Howell guy myself.

Let me guess who's pfunding the research....

Could it be....

ArizonaBay: Grapefruit juice contains a compound that inhibits certain liver enzymes. It is known to potentiate the effects of opioids like vicodin and oxycontin. It can cause accidental overdose quite easily.

At the risk of sounding likely a lowly computer programmer, all that jargon confused me and made me unsure if you were refuting or agreeing with me. Since we all know it's a crime to allow someone to be wrong on the internet, I had to look up exactly what you were saying to see if I agree. I believe this is the correct interpretation: Grapefruit juice contains a compound that prevents the liver from destroying certain drugs. It enhances the effects of many medications, including several well known and well abused painkillers. The grapefruit effect makes it easy to overdose Which meshes exactly with all the current research I can readily find.

Bonus points for potentiate. My favorite definition that clearly describes this effect is: A chemical that normally has no effect will increase the effect that another chemical would have alone. (Example: 0 + 1 = 3)
www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3409400057.html

I don't know about in humans but my dog gets a little minced garlic in her food about every other feeding and it completely got rid of her fleas.

FTFA: For those who take garlic supplements in the belief that it will improve their heart health, he said, "they are very surprised to hear that they may be taking something that could potentially increase the risks of bleeding."

Oh. Kinda like the daily aspirin my Doctor has me taking for my heart.

texastag: I don't know about in humans but my dog gets a little minced garlic in her food about every other feeding and it completely got rid of her fleas.

Got rid of mine, too.

/and the girls

Boobiesontheside: Does it block the effects or does the acid in the grapefruit alter the drug in the stomach? Cause if just eating one after your pill is absorbed blocks the effects that is muy interesante.

Your stomach is about 20 times more acidic than grapefruit juice.

Just for the sake of talking too much, because the subject fascinates me, I actually DID just find some research that refutes my early point. Apparently MANY to MOST drugs are enhanced by grapefruit juice, but there's a class of drugs that ARE blocked.

Article

The real question, I suppose, is why grapefruit hates America?

Seriously, once you're on warfarin you're pretty much farked.

Don't think subby read the article though.

monsieurstabby: I take ginger for seasickness/stomachaches. No heart meds though.

/proceeds as usual

I was about to chime in on taking ginger for an upset stomach, but monsieurstabby beat me to it. I always chew on a piece or two of crystallized ginger whenever I have a grumpy tummy. I swear by the stuff. That, and it's delicious just to chew on a piece once in a while.

/Mmmm, sweet and spicy!

I am temporarily on statins, take St. John's Wort, and eat lots of ginger and garlic, so I'm not getting a kick out of this.

Seriously, the literature with my meds say nothing about any of this.

Fark this, I'm off the statins asap. They've made me feel worse than I did before I started this nonsense. People, unless it's an emergency, always ask if you can do it with dietary change.

JWideman: roughridersfan: I have an article in a magazine at work that mentions that grapefruit can block the effects of certain medications.

So, if you on medication and eating grapefruit, PREPARE TO DIE.

Pretty much. Your pharmacist is supposed to tell you to avoid grapefruit if you're on certain meds.

Luckily my g/f is a pharmacist, so I grill her any time I get a new medication.

Mr Guy: Grapefruit enhances the effects of many slow release druids,

Is that a Metamagic feat for druids?

theMightyRegeya:
Fark this, I'm off the statins asap. They've made me feel worse than I did before I started this nonsense. People, unless it's an emergency, always ask if you can do it with dietary change.

Doctors have been telling people to eat right for generations. Nobody listens.

Mr Guy: Grapefruit enhances the effects of many slow release druids, like blood pressure medicines and neurological medicines (antidepression, mood stabilizers, etc).

That's odd; I thought bards were more known for "slow release." High Charisma and all that.

Dr.Zom: Seriously, once you're on warfarin you're pretty much farked.

Don't think subby read the article though.

Yup.

Random Guy: Mr Guy: Grapefruit enhances the effects of many slow release druids,

Is that a Metamagic feat for druids?

I have no idea why every time I try and type drugs I end up typing druids and correcting it. It must be a deep seated prejudice against hippies.

//seriously, I had to correct it almost every time in this thread

I think the biggest problem is that when a doctor asks "Are you taking anything?" herbal supplements count as much as other medicines. Even if you are taking vitamins, you should disclose it when asked. Drug interactions are like the internet, serious business.

inkling79: So, plants don't mix well with man-made chemicals and it's the plant's fault?

So, doctors prescribe medication without considering the patient's diet and it's the patient's fault?

I'm amused that the article used the phrase 'even grapefruit', as though the author were exasperated.

Grapefruit juice has long been known to potentiate or interfere with a wide variety of drugs. Shouldn't that be common knowledge by now?

Grapefruit juice suppresses some drug metabolizing enzymes (CYP3A4 and CYP3A5, specifically). It'll boost the effectiveness of your morning caffeine by up to 30%. Try it! Have a tall glass of grapefruit a little while before your coffee and see how that grabs ya :)

Anyway, here's (new window) a nifty paper on the subject

elev8meL8r: texastag: I don't know about in humans but my dog gets a little minced garlic in her food about every other feeding and it completely got rid of her fleas.

Got rid of mine, too.

/and the girls

If there are girls in your parent's basement you're doing something right.

/Or maybe illegal.