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Statins with Grapefruit Juice

August 24, 2009

Question: Can I Take Lipitor or Zocor with Grapefruit Juice?

I get a assign of questions about statin drugs and grapefruit juice. Here are brace examples:

A proposition from a reader: I take Zocor. The instructions on the bottle advise against toping grapefruit sap. But, what if I take the drug at the evening meal or in the van of bedtime and eat one-half of a grapefruit in the morning?

A verbal contest from a friend: I’ve heard that I should not consume grapefruit products while taking Lipitor. I love grapefruit juice but have given it up based put on this complaint. Is this true? Will the occasional glass of grapefruit juice harm me? Does it matter when for the time of I drink grapefruit fluid part?

Answer:

Grapefruit juice and certain statins (used to treat high cholesterol) like for the reason that Lipitor (atorvastatin), Mevacor (lovastatin), and Zocor (simvastatin) do not mix.

Grapefruit juice inhibits a pith in your puny intestine that helps break into disgrace dozens of medications, including Lipitor, Mevacor, and Zocor. If you drink grapefruit juice at the same time that apprehension somewhat of these medications, overmuch much of the drugs’ active ingredient may enter your offspring stream. This could result in side effects so as a unsafe muscle indisposition or liver loss.

The time that you take one of these medications and the time that you take food grapefruit or quaff grapefruit juice does not reduce your risk of drug-related side effects –- an interaction can betide up to three days after consuming grapefruit. This appliance that you cannot drink grapefruit juice in the morning and take your medication later in the day.

Medication Options

You have several options:

  • You have power to exclude grapefruit from your convocation and substitute other fruits and produce juices, or
  • If you want to continue to consume grapefruit products, talk to your physician about using an alternative medication.

Several available statins do not interact by grapefruit sap and are secure place to use. These include:

  • Crestor (rosuvastatin)
  • Lescol (fluvastatin)
  • Pravachol (pravastatin)

More Information from Dr. Mike:

  • Grapefruit Juice: Is It Safe With Your Drug?
  • Drug Interactions: Reducing Your Risk
  • Side Effects: What You Need to Know

More Drugs Q&A

Written by Samanta · Filed Under Drug News