WHY YOU SHOULD AVOID TAKING DRUGS WITH FRUITS

Ogba, Lagos

By Ubamara Ezenobi

On Sunday last week I held a WhatsApp video interview with Healthcare Personnel, Ms Precious Udemba, where we discussed the dangers of taking fruits while on medication.

Here's a transcript of the interview where Ms Precious talks passionately about the ignorance associated with taking drugs.

Good evening Precious. How are you doing today?

I'm very fine, thank you. How are you?

I'm fine as well. Thank you for agreeing to be here today.

You're welcome!

So we're discussing the wrong ways of taking drugs, specifically taking medicine with fruits. Can you tell us why exactly it is wrong to take medicine with fruits?

Oh yes, thank you. You see, fruits are antioxidants. Antioxidants fight diseases that attack the body. Some drugs constitute a source of oxidation, example, anti-malaria drugs. Taking fruits when on anti-malarial medication will work against its efficacy, because fruits contain vitamins that resist the workings of the drugs.

Another example. Some drugs taken by patients with high blood pressure do not go well with banana. Banana is high in potassium. Potassium increases blood pressure. High bp patients can instead do more of vegetables. Salt increases blood pressure too.

Thank you, Precious. What are other wrong things to consume while on medication?

Consuming alcohol while on medication. Consuming coffee while on medication; this is bad especially for patients with high blood pressure. Consuming milk while on medication can reduce its potency, especially antibiotics. Milk has calcium which can interfere with the efficacy of the antibiotics.

What would you say about not taking drugs on time?

It does affect the workings of the drug. For example, coartem, lonart. Violating the instructions with respect to medication time could affect the efficacy of these drugs. This is because makers of these drugs give instructions based on workings of the body system.

Whenever patients come in to complain that they still feel symptoms of malaria even after taking the administered drugs, we ask them if they took it religiously. Usually, the case is that they didn't, and then they have to buy another dosage. 

Taking the complete dosage is also paramount. For example when patients come in to buy ampiclox, they would often ask for one satchet which contains 10 tablets. However, because the correct dosage is 20 tablets, we don't sell one satchet, but two.

Sometimes people take their drugs religiously and dump the remaining tablets when they start to feel relief. That is wrong, and it could cause the sickness to return.

Thank you very much. What other fruits are not drug-friendly?

Grapes. Grapejuice can reduce the potency of drugs used to burn fat (cholesterol) in the treatment of hypertension. There is a drug called artovastatin which is a fat burner, whose potency can be reduced if taken with grapejuice. 

Chemicals in grapefruits interfere with how your body metabolizes certain drugs, which can result in more of the drugs ending up in your blood stream. It can increase the chances of side effects.

Cranberry juice can reduce the potency of warfarin drugs. Warfarin is a drug that stops the formation of blood clots in the blood vessels, thereby enhancing the flow of blood in the vessels.

Cranberry juice can reduce their potency to do this.

Lemon juice can reduce the potency of malaria drugs when one is on treatment because it contains Vitamin C.

Apples can reduce the strength of activity of drugs used to treat infections commonly grouped as anti-infectious drugs like the antibiotics. Apples can also reduce the potency of some drugs used to stabilize some complications that can arise from transplanting of organs such as the kidney.

Thank you. So I have a question. 

Personally, I take alcohol on a normal day. Spirits are my thing, especially vodka. Not always, probably two to three times a week. Does this really have any negative effect in the body? Does the effect, if there are any, depend on quantity taken?

No, it doesn't. Taking alcohol is not entirely bad as it has some health benefits, it should be taken moderately. But what one should avoid is to get addicted to it.

God bless you sis! That's such a relief for me.

What one should avoid is excessive intake of alcohol. But because of what it is made from, which tends to be addictive, we already have people abusing it because their system constantly crave for it.  Hence, this leads to so many health issues, like high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, digestive problems, stroke, weak immune system, etc.

Uh oh.

Be careful with it though. It's best avoided rather than getting addicted to it.

Thank you so much Presh. I'm totally grateful for this interview. What would you like us to take home? Like, one thing we should not forget from all you've shared?

Although some situations beyond our control could erupt, you're responsible for your health. Avoid taking substances that have the tendency of damaging your health. Eat well, drink water regularly, exercise and eat fruits.

Splendid. Thanks over and again.

-end-