NUTRIENT-DRUG INTERACTIONS

Medications both the prescription and over-the counter can interfere the way body uses nutrients in food. They interact with nutrients in several ways such that, it can increase or decrease appetite, or change the way a nutrient is absorbed, metabolized or even excreted.

Dietary nutrients can also affect medications by altering their absorption or metabolism. The kind of food eaten can make a medication work faster, slower or even prevent it from working. This may result to different responses leading to loss of therapeutic efficacy or disease control, compromised nutritional status, drug toxicity or even a life-threatening condition.

Types of interactions

· Drug-nutrient (effect on nutritional status)

·        Food-drug interactions (effect of efficacy of drugs)

Some drugs and their nutrients interactions

1.     Contraceptives and folate: oral contraceptives interfere with and impairs the body’s metabolism of folic acid. Inadequate folate status is linked to impaired gene synthesis and insufficient production of Red Blood Cells which in severe cases can lead to fetal Neural Tube Defect. Women who are planning pregnancy shortly after stopping oral contraceptives are at a higher risk of complications as a consequence.

2.     Antibiotics and calcium: dietary calcium binds to antibiotics, reducing the body’s ability to absorb the amount of antibiotic intended. Calcium is found in milk, dark-green leafy vegetables etc.

3.     Antimalarial drugs and vitamin C: taking antimalarial medication with any vitamin C containing supplement or fruits compromise the rates of the parasites clearance. Grape fruit juice, orange juice or any vitamin C concomitant diminishes the efficacy and potency of widely used antimalarial drugs. Vitamin C favours the development of young malaria parasites.

4.     Antibiotics and iron supplements: iron supplements should not be taken with antibiotics or during fever because the body’s defense mechanisms have pulled all the reserves out and will only add strain to the body.

5.     Diuretics and potassium: diuretics (anti-hypertensive drugs) increases the loss of potassium along with fluids. Potassium is important for the proper functioning of the heart and other muscles.

6.     Antidiabetic drugs and vitamin B12: antidiabetic drugs interfere with vitamin B12 absorption and if left untreated, the deficiency can lead to anaemia, dementia, and neurological damage.