Why are some meds to be taken on an empty stomach, while others with a meal?
Thanks!
2007-09-04 19:49:37 · 7 answers · asked by aarjop 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Medicine
Drugs like NSAIDS are to be taken with food as to reduce gastric irritation. Others like some antibiotics have and increased absorption with food.
Some drugs are to be taken on an empty stomach as food reduces their bioavailability thus taking them on an empty stomach will improve their absorption.
Thus there are 3 main reasons:
reducing gastric irritation
improving bioavailibility
improving drug absorption
2007-09-04 20:47:30 · answer #1 · answered by Paula84 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Medicines which are supposed to be taken on empty stomach are those which are not supposed to be "digested" in the stomach.The contents of the certain medicines will be destroyed or damaged by the stomach acids and digestive enzymes.
Production of most of the stomach acids digestive enzymes are stimulated with the food you are eating. It has been said also that your digestive system had customized the digestive acid production to the regular time of eating your meal (that is why your stomach always reminds you if it is the time for you to eat.)
So when you eat, all the necessary digestive acids and enzymes are produced which will destroy the components of a certain drug if you take it with meals.
If taken on an empty stomach, the certain medicine has a great chance of passing through the stomach down to the intestine to be absorbed into the bloodstream without much damage, thus gaining the effects of its potency.
Decreasing the stomach temperature will greatly help to achieve the benefits from a certain medicine - drinking a cold plain water to swallow the medicine will do that job. (Digestion requires a temperature of 100 degrees F).
The possible food and drug interaction is the other reason.The food can probably delay or decrease the absorption of the drug. The reason why some medicines should be taken on an empty stomach.
Those medicines to be taken with meals are those that are highly irritating to the stomach, and those that are best tolerated when taken with foods. Taking them with food will decrease stomach upset, nausea or vomiting for instance. There are medicines also that requires certain foods to help in their absorption.
2007-09-05 04:13:39 · answer #2 · answered by ♥ lani s 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Two primary reasons:
If the stomach is empty, then the absorption of a difficult compound is improved. This is for compounds that also require no buffering.
When the compound is taken with a meal, then the absorption occurs as the mixture travels together within the gut. The rate of intake is reduced as it takes longer for the villi to receive it, so a large dosage is metered.
2007-09-05 02:59:20 · answer #3 · answered by science_joe_2000 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The only reason I know to take them with a meal is to avoid an upset stomach.
I suppose an empty stomach would absorb them faster.
2007-09-05 02:56:27 · answer #4 · answered by patrickandamie 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It all has to do with the way medicines get maximum absorption, plus with the protection of the stomach from some medicines.
2007-09-05 02:58:05 · answer #5 · answered by cpinatsi 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
some meds should be taken before your meals to prevent you from vomitting and stuff cos they most probably won't corrode your intestine or mucous layer in your intestine... but some other meds should be taken after meals to prevent u from damaging your intestine...
2007-09-06 06:26:11 · answer #6 · answered by benazir t 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Some medicines are not as strong as the others. Thus it can be consumed on an emtpy stomach.
2007-09-05 02:57:00 · answer #7 · answered by ♪£yricảl♪ 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋