what is it with grapefruit juice and pills?

Hi, up until few days ago I thought that it is not good to drink alcohol while you are on medication. However, recently I have heard that some pills do not mix well with grapefruit juice. A friend of mine told me that grapefruit juice can enhance the effects of some drugs. What is it with grapefruit juice and pills?

Hi, you are absolutely right when it comes to alcohol and medication. Under no circumstances should you mix the two together. However, there are a few more substances that do not go well with some drugs. Grapefruit juice is one of these substances. The thing with grapefruit is that it is much richer with certain molecules than other citrus fruits. These molecules interact with certain enzymes in the digestive system that are important for the metabolism of some drugs. When grapefruit juice compounds block these enzymes, our body cannot metabolize the drugs, so much higher concentrations of drugs enter the blood stream. This can have serious, even life threatening consequences. But, this only applies to the orally taken drugs because these enzymes are blocked by grapefruit juice only in the intestines. Intravenous and intramuscular applied drugs are not affected by grapefruit juice. That is why your friend is right to say that you shouldnt mix grapefruit juice and pills!