Can I eat grapefruit in the morning and take Lipitor at night?

Can I eat grapefruit in the morning and take Lipitor at night?

Grapefruit juice and certain statins (used to treat high cholesterol) such as Lipitor (atorvastatin), Mevacor (lovastatin), and Zocor (simvastatin) do not mix. Grapefruit juice inhibits a system of enzymes that helps break down dozens of medications, including Lipitor, Mevacor, and Zocor.

Does grapefruit affect cholesterol medication?

Grapefruit contains a chemical that can interfere with your body’s ability to break down or metabolize certain statin medications. When statin takers eat large amounts of grapefruit, the level of statins in their blood can increase, raising the possibility of side effects.

How much grapefruit is safe with statins?

Do not drink grapefruit juice if you’re taking simvastatin. Grapefruit juice increases the level of simvastatin in your blood and makes side effects more likely. Atorvastatin interacts with grapefruit juice if you drink large quantities (more than 1.2 litres daily), but an occasional glass is thought to be safe.

How does grapefruit affect Lipitor?

Lipitor is a part of a family of drugs called statins, which help lower “bad” cholesterol by blocking its production. Your body has an enzyme called CYP3A4 that breaks down statins. Grapefruit blocks the action of CYP3A4, resulting in a larger amount of the statin medication entering your bloodstream with every dose.

What foods should you avoid while taking Lipitor?

While taking atorvastatin (Lipitor), avoid high-fat and high-cholesterol foods as part of your overall treatment. You should avoid large quantities of grapefruit or grapefruit juice, which can increase the risk of serious side effects. Also, avoid excess alcohol use, as this may cause serious liver problems.

How much grapefruit juice does it take to affect medications?

One whole grapefruit or one glass of grapefruit juice is enough to alter how these medications affect you. Its effects last several days. Grapefruit’s ability to affect medication lasts for 1–3 days.

What happens if you drink grapefruit juice while taking statins?

Some substances can interact with statins With some statins, drinking grapefruit juice, or eating grapefruit, is a bad idea. Grapefruit juice can cause that statin to stay in your body much longer, and the drug can build up. This can increase the risk of muscle breakdown, liver damage, and even kidney failure.

What medication should you not eat grapefruit with?

Examples of common medications that interact with grapefruit juice include certain statin cholesterol drugs such as atorvastatin (Lipitor), lovastatin, simvastatin (Zocor), felodipine (Plendil) and other calcium channel blockers, clarithromycin (Biaxin), and loratadine (Claritin).

What happens if you eat grapefruit while taking a statin drug?

Can you eat oranges when taking statins?

Seville oranges, limes, and pomelos also contain this chemical and should be avoided if you’re taking statins.

Is it okay to drink grapefruit juice while taking a statin?

A. Grapefruit is a great low-calorie source of vitamin C, fiber, and other nutrients. But we’ve known for several years that this citrus fruit and its juice can interact adversely with many prescription drugs, including some of the statins that are widely used to lower cholesterol.

Does grapefruit interfere with cholesterol meds?

However, grapefruit and grapefruit juice interact with several types of medicine, including some cholesterol-lowering drugs. Grapefruit’s interaction with certain medications can cause levels of medicine to rise in the body and lead to serious side effects.

Are there health benefits to eating grapefruit in the morning?

Men who eat lycopene-rich fruits can greatly reduce their risk of developing prostate cancer. Grapefruit has a powerful reputation among weight-loss aficionados and for good reason. It curbs hunger, hydrates, contains high amounts of enzymes, and it’s low in sodium, all of which, are metabolism boosting.

Is there a link between grapefruit juice and Lipitor?

It has been fairly well documented that grapefruit juice can interact with several drugs, including Lipitor ( atorvastatin ), a ‘statin’ medication used to lower cholesterol. However, how much grapefruit juice one needs to consume to produce a clinically significant drug interaction isn’t entirely known.