does grapefruit juice counteract blood pressure medication?

Answer 1

Grapefruit can cause a "pharmacodynamic" interaction when taken at the same time as drugs. This means that it can amplify the effects of a medication, leading to more side effects and even dangerous issues depending on the drug.

This article explains food and drug interactions so you can be more aware and take the right steps for your health and safety.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Herb-Drug-Interactions--What-You-Need-To-Know&id=481830

Answer 2

The consequences of an interaction depend on the drug involved. A person on an anti-depressant might have too much or too little energy, depending on the specific medication. Someone on antibiotics might end up with diarrhea or could be ill longer than usual because the some drugs won’t work as well as they should. A heart patient might not get the lowered blood pressure that a medication should deliver, or the heart’s rhythms might become irregular if an anti-arrhythmia drug can’t do its job. The juice could also affect the effectiveness of a woman’s hormone-replacement-therapy medication.

The most severe effects are likely with some cholesterol-lowering medications,
While the liver devotes its resources to grapefruit juice, the medication could build up to dangerous levels, causing a breakdown of the body’s muscles and even kidney failure.

Answer 3

Grapefruit contains enzymes that speed up the intake of many medications. Drugs are designed to be absorbed into the blood at a certain rate and grapefruit speeds that rate up. This causes much more medicine than is necessary, or safe, to enter the blood, increasing the risks of side effects, overdose, and complications. If the medication's label says do not eat grapefruit then do yourself a favor and listen to the warning label.

Grapefruit's nasty anyway.

Answer 4

grapefruit juice counteract blood pressure medication

Answer 5

It doesn't exactly counteract it.... it just prevents some of the benefits.
Grapefruit juice is a good cleansing aid. Because of that, drinking too much of it can cleanse drugs, vitamins, and herbs out of your system faster. If you are taking a blood pressure medication (or any other medication), you won't get as much of an effect from it if the Grapefruit juice is purging it out of your system, which means your blood pressure may go up without the drug to lower it.

That's why so many things say not to take with grapefruit juice.

Answer 6

Don't eat any grapefruits or drink grapefruit juices at all while on them, if it says not to on the bottle or in the pamphlets.

Answer 7

I have heard that it can. I know that when you are on blood pressure meds and heart meds they tell you not to eat grapefruit.

Answer 8

I'm not sure about blood pressure medication, but it does cause a serious side effect with the cholesteral drug Lipitor.