The Ministry of Health and Population advised to consult a doctor first before taking any medications, in order to prevent interference with other medications that may cause complications.
The Ministry of Health and Population revealed pharmacological interventions resulting from taking medication when eating certain foods
The most common drug interactions with food included:
Eating large amounts of fiber from oats and other grains affects the absorption of digoxin, a drug used for a number of heart conditions.
Eating milk and other dairy products may reduce the absorption of levothyroxine used to treat hypothyroidism and some antibiotics such as tetracycline.
– Eating foods rich in tyramine – a type of amino acid such as processed cheese and salted meat, may cause severe headaches and a significant increase in blood pressure in patients who use some pressure medications.
– Avoid eating food rich in potassium such as bananas, potatoes and tomatoes with heart medications because they increase potassium levels in the blood.
– Drinking tea or coffee with a medicine that contains iron to treat anemia leads to a decrease in the absorption of iron from the digestive system into the blood, thus reducing the effect of the medicine. Therefore, it is recommended to drink tea or coffee following taking the medicine at least two or three hours.
– Drinking orange juice increases iron absorption. Eating leafy green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, or parsley reduces iron absorption.
– Excessive drinking of licorice leads to problems due to its retention of sodium, water, and potassium deficiency, so it is not recommended to drink it with some diuretic drugs, cortisone drugs, or digoxin, and it is not recommended for patients with high blood pressure.