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Grapefruit – To Have Or Not To Have

by — Last updated: 2020-07-23 in Drugs & Medications

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On many prescription labels you will see a warning against consuming grapefruit whilst taking that medication. This has been a hot topic for many years now, and the list of medicines that are affected by grapefruit has grown.

Can You Just Have a Little Grapefruit?

No. Incredibly, it does not take a lot of grapefruit to cause a harmful interaction with many medicines. It only takes about 200mls of juice to block the digestive enzymes in the small intestine, leading to toxic levels in the bloodstream of the medication. So, not even a sip or a nibble is safe with certain medicines.

What About Other Citrus Fruits?

Many other types of citrus fruit are absolutely safe to eat without causing the same interactions as grapefruit. The only other citrus fruits that you need to be cautious with are pomelo, limes and the Seville orange. Before consuming these fruits, check with your doctor to see if they are safe if you are on a medication that "bans" grapefruit.

The Seville, pomelo and limes all contain the same compounds called furanocoumarins that grapefruit has, and it is these compounds that block the enzymes. Therefore, they are just as dangerous as the grapefruit when it comes to interacting with medicines.

Effects of Interactions between Grapefruit and Medications

What effects occur after you consume grapefruit will depend largely on the type of drug or medication you are taking. If you are taking a drug for your heart rate or rhythm, you may end up with an abnormal rate or rhythm because consuming grapefruit renders the medication ineffective, or rather too effective. Other reactions can include hemorrhage (bleeding) from the stomach, damage to the kidneys, breakdown of muscle, breathing difficulties, low blood pressure, dizziness, and sedation.

When you have too much of a medicine in your blood, it will often have the opposite effect of what its purpose was originally. The levels of the medication can also become toxic, leading to serious damage to the organs, and risk to your life, just as though you had taken an overdose. When you are prescribed a medicine that has a warning against grapefruit, ask your pharmacist or doctor what effects would occur, so that you will know what to watch out for in the event you end up consuming grapefruit.

Grapefruit: To Take or Not To Take?

The risk associated with a medication and grapefruit interaction is a serious one, and it should not be treated lightly. Many of the medicines that are known to interact with grapefruit are prescribed for particularly serious medical conditions, and without the right dosages, the result could be deadly.

Often with medicines, too much can be just as dangerous as not enough, which is why levels of many medications are often regularly checked by your doctor to make sure the levels are therapeutic and not harmful.

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Grapefruit has long been touted as a healthy addition to your diet, and a lot of people have made claims that it assists with weight loss and keeps your body healthy by flushing toxins out through your urine. However, if you are taking medication regularly, this risk far outweighs the potential positives you may gain from the grapefruit.

It’s important to remember that it only takes a very small amount of grapefruit juice, less than a cup, to have a disastrous effect on your medication. It doesn’t matter whether there is a big break between taking the medicine and eating grapefruit, the effect can still be the same. It is also vital to know that other citrus fruits such as limes, Seville oranges and Pomelo can also cause the interaction, so they too should be avoided. The main thing to think about is, if in doubt, check it out with your doctor.

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