Doctor reveals five common medications you should never take with food due to fatal risks
A top doctor has revealed the common medications you should never take with food.
Dr. Zain Hasan, an anesthesiologist in Los Angeles, said five medications stood out that become less effective if taken just before or after a meal.
Even a cup of coffee or a glass of orange juice in the morning can prevent the body from absorbing the medications properly, leaving conditions such as high blood pressure, heart failure, and thyroid problems untreated.
Dr. Hasan emphasized that people should always consult their doctor before suddenly changing the way they take medications, which can be just as dangerous.
The first drug on Dr.’s list. Hasan was synthroid (levothyroxine), which is used to treat an underactive thyroid gland, also known as hypothyroidism.
It works by replacing the thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4), which people with hypothyroidism do not produce enough of.
Experts estimate that 100 million prescriptions for synthroid are written each year, with one in twenty Americans using it.
Consuming foods with calcium and iron – such as dairy and red meat – reduces the intestines’ ability to absorb the medication.
Dr. Zain Hasan, an anesthesiologist in Los Angeles, shared the medications that should not be taken with food
Dr. Hasan pointed to typical breakfast drinks. He said: ‘Taking synthroid with milk, coffee or juice may reduce the absorption and effectiveness of synthroid.’
The ATA recommends taking synthroid 30 to 60 minutes before eating on an empty stomach to avoid this “erratic absorption.”
Left untreated, hypothyroidism can lead to nerve pain, high cholesterol and infertility.
Dr. Hasan also warned against taking bisphosphonates with meals. Bisphosphonates are a group of drugs that help increase bone strength and density.
These are usually prescribed for osteoporosis, a condition that occurs mainly in older people and makes bones brittle and prone to fractures, as well as some cancers that have spread to the bones.
Dr. Hasan said: ‘It is not recommended to take bisphosphonates with food as this may reduce the absorption of the bisphosphonates.’
Experts recommend taking these medications on an empty stomach with a full glass of water, and then waiting 30 minutes before eating or drinking.
The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion estimates that 10 million Americans over the age of 50 are diagnosed with osteoporosis.
If bones are left untreated, they can become so fragile that they break during minor injuries.
America’s favorite erectile dysfunction drug, Viagra, was also on the list.
Viagra, also known as sildenafil, is used by more than 1 million American men, including an increasing number of men in their 20s and 30s.
The drug helps relax the muscles and arteries in the penis, increasing blood flow, which helps maintain an erection.
Erectile dysfunction most commonly affects men over 50, although young men have become increasingly susceptible to the condition, which experts attribute to stress, pornography and anxiety. All of these drugs have been shown to lower testosterone levels and make the brain less sensitive to sexual stimuli.
‘If you take sildenafil or Viagra with dinner, it doesn’t work as well. Yes, that is the reason it works less well.’
It is recommended to take Viagra one hour before sex on an empty stomach or two hours after a meal to ensure it is effective.
Fatty meals in particular can block the absorption of Viagra’s active ingredient, sildenafil citrate, and delay erections by about an hour.
Taking Viagra (pictured here) with a high-fat meal can lead to an hour’s delay in erections, Dr. Hasan warned
Dr. Hasan also warned against eating captopril, also known as Capoten.
Captopril is an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, which treats high blood pressure by stopping the production of angiotensin II, a substance that narrows blood vessels.
Of the 50 million Americans who take medications to treat high blood pressure, eight in ten use ACE inhibitors such as captopril.
Dr. Hasan said: ‘You are not supposed to take captopril with food. You should wait two hours after a meal, or take it in the morning before eating.”
As with the other drugs on the list, eating captopril can make it less effective.
If high blood pressure is not controlled, the blood vessels become damaged over time and have difficulty transporting blood to the heart.
This forces the heart to work harder, putting strain on it and increasing the risk of heart attacks.
Finally, Dr. Hasan recommended taking proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) with food.
These medications help reduce stomach acid production, which is why they are used for acid reflux, heartburn, and stomach ulcers.
In a TikTok video with 25,000 views, Dr. Hasan (pictured left) that taking certain medications with food can slow absorption, making them less effective
Dr. Hasan (pictured with his wife) also warned that you should always consult your doctor before stopping the medication or changing its frequency
PPIs are available both over the counter and with a prescription and are taken by more than 15 million Americans.
PPIs block the pumps that produce stomach acid, which are activated while eating, so taking the drug with a meal negates the drug’s benefits.
Dr. Hasan said, “You should take it 30 to 60 minutes before meals.”
Uncontrolled acid reflux can lead to inflammation, scarring, and narrowing of the esophagus, which can lead to pain and difficulty swallowing.