Food and medicine don't gel well!

Doctors caution that food-medicine reaction could trigger sudden medical crisis in certain cases.

Most Indians have been brought up on the perception that they should not take any medicine empty-stomach. However, doctors are now cautioning that food-medicine reaction could trigger sudden medical crisis in certain cases.

"Several foods can affect the function of modern-day medications. While some only hinder certain medications from doing their job, others can cause downright dangerous reactions and trigger a sudden medical crisis," says a new book "The Medicine Chest" by noted medical writer and physician Dr Yatish Agarwal.

While Tetracycline should not be taken with a glass of milk, alcohol and anti-amoebic medicines don't gel well, says Dr Agarwal, adding citric fruits and pickles do not go well with erythromycin.

"Some foods contain natural or added chemicals that can react with certain medicines in ways that render the latter virtually useless," says Dr Agarwal citing the example of calcium in dairy products, which he says can knock out tetracyclines and quinolones.

Acid fruit or vegetable juices can quash erythromycin and oral penicillin. Liquorice (mulethi), a commonly used flavouring agent, can counteract the effect of high blood pressure medications.

But that's not the only way foods affect medications. Just the simple presence of food in the digestive tract can also sometimes slow down or enhance the absorption of a drug from the stomach," says Dr Agarwal, who works at a public teaching hospital here.

Many medicines find food a hindrance to their entering the bloostream, he says but adds the presence of certain foods also speeds up the absorption of some medications.

To avoid conflict between food and medications, Dr Agarwal gives a few simple mantras: do not swallow any medication with fruit juice, carbonated beverage or caffeine drinks and use a full glass of ordinary drinking water.

"To be on the safe side, take a complete holiday from alcohol; follow the physician's advice about when to take medication and what food or beverage to avoid and read the labels on over-the-counter remedies and the package inserts," he says.

The book further warns that just as foods affect medication, some medicines also can adversely affect the body's nutrition.

"While a few hinder absorption of certain nutrients, some interfere with the body's ability to convert nutrients into usable forms and others hasten excretion of certain nutrients," says Dr Agarwal.

This nutrient depletion occurs gradually, but for those taking long-term medication, these interactions can have a certain bearing on health, Dr Agarwal says.

Thus while aspirin causes deficiency of Vitamin C, antacids result in phosphorus deficiency. Anti-cancer medication can cause folic acid deficiency and medicines for heart cause calcium and magnesium deficiency, he says.

However, to avoid these complications, he says eat a balanced diet and do not make a habit of swallowing even seemingly harmless tablets like an antacid or a laxative.

(About the book: The Medicine Chest, By Dr Yatish Agarwal, Published by Rajkamal Books; Price - Rs 40; pages - 48)