# Grapefruit & Medications **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 21, 2012, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grapefruit-medications/613572 "2012-02-21T23:48:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SanDiegoTim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@SanDiegoTim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanDiegoTim)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2012, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grapefruit-medications/613572/1 "2012-02-21T23:48:48Z")
What’s the deal with avoiding grapefruit when taking certain medications? Is it to be avoided only when taking these medications or to be avoided permanently? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2012, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grapefruit-medications/613572/2 "2012-02-21T23:54:39Z")
The big one I’ve heard is avoiding grapefruit and grapefruit juice when taking statins, such as Lipitor. My understanding is that there’s something in grapefruit which stops the statin from doing its job. I would imagine that, if you were to no longer be taking a statin, there’d be no reason to continue to avoid grapefruit. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grapefruit-medications/613572/3 "2012-02-22T00:06:53Z")
It depends on the drug. Some antibiotics are deactivated when grapefruit is consumed anytime during treatment. Some drugs, like Seldane, (No longer available in the US, but still in Canada) can cause problems with heart rhythm, so, grapefruit should be avoided anytime during treatment. I don’t have a complete list of drugs that interact with grapefruit. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grapefruit-medications/613572/4 "2012-02-22T00:24:55Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > The big one I’ve heard is avoiding grapefruit and grapefruit juice when taking statins, such as Lipitor. My understanding is that there’s something in grapefruit which stops the statin from doing its job. I would imagine that, if you were to no longer be taking a statin, there’d be no reason to continue to avoid grapefruit. Basically grapefruit keeps the statin drugs from breaking down in your system, so there is a danger of the drug accumulating in your system to dangerous levels. According to my doctor, eating grapefruit every once in a while isn’t going to kill you, but if you’re on statins you don’t want to be eating grapefruit on a regular basis. ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grapefruit-medications/613572/5 "2012-02-22T01:06:27Z")
Last winter I was enjoying red grapefruit for a couple of weeks and I suddenly developed severe pain in my upper arm shoulder area. Reading around I discovered the statin grapefruit link and stopped eating it. The pain gradually went completely away and I forgot about it. This winter I had a couple when my son asked me if I wasn’t supposed to. I couldn’t believe I did that. I miss grapefruit but those warnings look serious and I’m pretty sure that symptom was real. Lipitor has worked very well for me and I’ll stick with it for now. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grapefruit-medications/613572/6 "2012-02-22T01:11:42Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Basically grapefruit keeps the statin drugs from breaking down in your system, so there is a danger of the drug accumulating in your system to dangerous levels. According to my doctor, eating grapefruit every once in a while isn’t going to kill you, but if you’re on statins you don’t want to be eating grapefruit on a regular basis. Sometimes. For some people. And some statins. My Dad is on a statin. He eats grapefruit with almost every dinner. His doctor told him to keep with it, and they would monitor his cholesterol to see if it mattered. In his case, the statin is working just fine. YMMV..everyone reacts a little differently. -D/a ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grapefruit-medications/613572/7 "2012-02-22T01:38:01Z")
> [@MacCat](#): > > Last winter I was enjoying red grapefruit for a couple of weeks and I suddenly developed severe pain in my upper arm shoulder area. Reading around I discovered the statin grapefruit link and stopped eating it. The pain gradually went completely away and I forgot about it. This winter I had a couple when my son asked me if I wasn’t supposed to. I couldn’t believe I did that. I miss grapefruit but those warnings look serious and I’m pretty sure that symptom was real. Lipitor has worked very well for me and I’ll stick with it for now. Lipitor is the one statin that avoiding grapefruit isn’t as important. The pain you had, probably should have been evaluated by your healthcare provider. ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grapefruit-medications/613572/8 "2012-02-22T01:48:48Z")
> [@picunurse](#): > > Lipitor is the one statin that avoiding grapefruit isn’t as important. The pain you had, probably should have been evaluated by your healthcare provider. Oops. It’s Zocor I take. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grapefruit-medications/613572/9 "2012-02-22T01:55:27Z")
Check with your pharmacist. Mine gave a good explanation - basically, some drugs and then only for certain dosages. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grapefruit-medications/613572/10 "2012-02-22T03:17:49Z")
[This thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=252839) has some helpful links. [Here is a link](http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/AN00413) to a concise overview of grapefruit interactions with medicines. ---
**Author:** ![GythaOgg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@GythaOgg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GythaOgg)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grapefruit-medications/613572/11 "2012-02-22T03:20:09Z")
> [@picunurse](#): > > It depends on the drug. Some antibiotics are deactivated when grapefruit is consumed anytime during treatment. > Some drugs, like Seldane, (No longer available in the US, but still in Canada) can cause problems with heart rhythm, so, grapefruit should be avoided anytime during treatment. > I don’t have a complete list of drugs that interact with grapefruit. I’m surprised Seldane is available anywhere - my understanding was it had been replaced almost completely by Allegra, which is chemically similar but doesn’t cause the arrhythmia issues. Interesting story - I was one of the first people in the area to get Seldane. I was in my allergist’s office just after the pharmacy detail man had been there with samples. It wasn’t in the pharmacies yet. My allergist gave me three weeks worth of samples, by which time I could get a prescription filled as usual. Never had a problem with it, and I continued to take it until it went off the market and Allegra was introduced. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grapefruit-medications/613572/12 "2012-02-22T05:35:03Z")
I’ve been taking Zocor for years. And unfortunately, I love grapefruit. I talked to my doctor about grapefruit, and she said, “Oh, just limit yourself to a few sections.” _snort_ Once a year, probably not even that often, I splurge and buy a jar of the Del Monte red grapefruit sections packed in grapefruit juice. I snarf the jar in one or two sittings, and drink all the juice. I haven’t dropped dead yet. I would enjoy having grapefruit as part of my daily diet. But I will probably have to settle to a once-a-year splurge. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grapefruit-medications/613572/13 "2012-02-22T05:50:13Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > Once a year, probably not even that often, I splurge and buy a jar of the Del Monte red grapefruit sections packed in grapefruit juice. I snarf the jar in one or two sittings, and drink all the juice. GOD I LOVE that stuff - what the hell do they put in that bottle, crack? ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grapefruit-medications/613572/14 "2012-02-22T13:45:28Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > GOD I LOVE that stuff - what the hell do they put in that bottle, crack? Yes. I am also on Lipitor, and once or twice a year splurge on the stuff 😃 ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grapefruit-medications/613572/15 "2012-02-22T18:51:49Z")
I take Simvastatin, and haven’t tasted grapefruit since starting on it. God, I could kill for a nice juicy Texas ruby grapefruit. D’ you think I could eat just a few sections once or twice a year? ---
**Author:** ![TerpBE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc8723/32.png) [@TerpBE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TerpBE)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grapefruit-medications/613572/16 "2012-02-22T21:01:46Z")
It’s interesting how this was discovered: > [@](#): > > Amazingly, this remarkable food-drug interaction was discovered completely by accident over a decade ago. Researchers were investigating whether alcohol could interact with felodipine (Plendil) and **used a solution of alcohol with grapefruit juice to mask the taste of alcohol** for the study. Researchers discovered that blood levels of felodipine were increased several fold more than in previous studies. This increased blood level caused an increase in the effect and side effects of felodipine. Further research revealed that the grapefruit juice itself was actually increasing the amount of the study drug in the body. [http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/grapefruit-juice-and-medication](http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/grapefruit-juice-and-medication) ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grapefruit-medications/613572/17 "2012-02-22T21:35:46Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > … [Here is a link](http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/AN00413) to a concise overview of grapefruit interactions with medicines. The big science nerd thing mentioned in that thread, > [@](#): > > [**Cytochrome P450**](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cytochrome_P450) > > The cytochrome P450 superfamily (officially abbreviated as CYP) is a large and diverse group of enzymes. The function of most CYP enzymes is to catalyze the oxidation of organic substances. The substrates of CYP enzymes include metabolic intermediates such as lipids and steroidal hormones, as well as xenobiotic substances such as drugs and other toxic chemicals. CYPs are the major enzymes involved in drug metabolism and bioactivation, accounting for about 75% of the total number of different metabolic reactions. … > > [**Interaction of other substances**](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cytochrome_P450#Interaction_of_other_substances) > > Naturally occurring compounds may also induce or inhibit CYP activity. For example, bioactive compounds found in grapefruit juice and some other fruit juices, including bergamottin, dihydroxybergamottin, and paradicin-A, have been found to inhibit CYP3A4-mediated metabolism of certain medications, leading to increased bioavailability and, thus, the strong possibility of overdosing. Because of this risk, avoiding grapefruit juice and fresh grapefruits entirely while on drugs is usually advised. … CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grapefruit-medications/613572/18 "2012-02-22T22:21:30Z")
It makes you wonder how many other regular foodstuffs change the effectiveness of drugs. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grapefruit-medications/613572/19 "2012-02-23T01:41:45Z")
Following some links around on Wikipedia, it looks like the compound that causes problems is called bergamottin. It is present in grapefruit and also in oil of bergamot. Which now makes me wonder if it is safe to drink Earl Grey tea… ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grapefruit-medications/613572/20 "2012-02-23T03:12:54Z")
I won’t have a problem chucking the Earl Grey tea. But by God, I will still have my jar of Del Monte grapefruit sections once in a blue moon! (note to teela brown: my cholesterol has been fine, so for me, I don’t feel I’m going to jeopardize my health by snarfing a jar of Del Monte every eighteen months or so!) ~VOW [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grapefruit-medications/613572.md?page=2)