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Study: Mixing Any Juice With Meds Could Be Harmful

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Aug 19, 2008 4:45 pm US/Mountain

Study: Mixing Any Juice With Meds Could Be Harmful

Reporting
Dr. Dave Hnida
DENVER (CBS4) ― For years doctors have told patients to avoid grapefruit juice while taking certain medications. Now research shows combining pills with other juices may have dangerous consequences as well.

"Orange juice, apple juice, and frankly, probably any juice should not be mixed with medication," CBS4 Medical Editor Dr. Dave Hnida said. "Plus, we are not just talking about a short-term prescription of antibiotics, but pills you take every day for years."

A chemical in juice interferes with how the drug gets absorbed into the bloodstream. Sometimes it makes the medication ineffective or causes it to reach toxic levels. It turns out grapefruit juice may not be the only culprit. A new study shows orange juice and apple juice make medicines do weird things.

"Even worse, we don't know which other juices or which medications may be a problem when combined," Hnida said. "There just hasn't been enough research."

Hnida said when taking medication, never wash it down with juice. He says water is best.

"Not just a sip. Several large swallows of cold water will help the medication get absorbed faster," Hnida said.

Milk, tea and other beverages also sometimes interfere with medication.

Hnida said for those who take a medicine every single day for cholesterol, they can still have a glass of orange juice.

"We think, in most cases you can, just separate the juice and the pills by several hours to play it safe," he said.

The worst combinations are juice plus cholesterol, high blood pressure, allergy and heart drugs.

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