Grapefruit Juice

Did you know that the juice you drink for breakfast may bring on the side effects of drugs you take to keep you healthy? The natural enzymes in grapefruit juice can block the ability for your body to break down certain health maintaining drugs, such as the cholesterol lowering drug lovastatin. When this occurs in your body, the levels of the medication may climb too high and bring on side effects that otherwise would not occur. Just one small glass of grapefruit juice can trigger this effect, and the grapefruit effect can last for up to three days!

The easiest way to avoid this unintentional triggering of side effects is to skip taking medications with grapefruit juice, and opt for taking them with another juice or milk. As with all medications, you need to check the inner labels for any interactions or drug warnings that come with all prescriptions, or ask your pharmacist when you receive your medication.