In others, it can interfere with protein transporters in the blood, reducing the concentration and effect of the drug. Statin drugs, also known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, work by blocking the enzyme that your body needs to produce cholesterol. What is known is that statin drug levels can increase by anywhere from 80 percent to 260 percent if the medication is taken at the same time as grapefruit. If taken 12 hours apart, that drops to between 44 percent and 66 percent. When statin takers eat large amounts of grapefruit, the level of statins in their blood can increase, raising the possibility of side effects. As it turns out, this claim is true. The FDA reports that the risk of muscle breakdown and liver damage can lead to kidney failure. Q: I've heard that people shouldn't drink grapefruit juice if they're taking a statin. The effect of grapefruit juice on some drugs may last longer than 24 hours and avoiding drinking any grapefruit juice is wise advice. To learn more about cholesterol and heart disease, read Managing Your Cholesterol, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School. The interaction is caused by an organic compound in grapefruit known as furanocoumarin. Furanocoumarins are found in other fruits and vegetables (such as celery, parsnips, and pomegranates), but are especially high in grapefruit and grapefruit juice. According to the FDA, grapefruit might also affect your body if you’re taking allergy medication, such as fexofenadine (Allegra). Some cholesterol medications called statins are affected by grapefruit. Neurological symptoms, including confusion and memory loss, Certain anti-arrhythmia drugs, like amiodarone, Certain anti-anxiety drugs, like buspirone, Some antihistamines, like Allegra (fexofenadine), Some hypertension medications, like nifedipine, Some organ transplant rejection drugs, like cyclosporine. For this reason, you might avoid the fruit altogether. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Statins are prescription drugs used to lower cholesterol. What are the risks of mixing grapefruit and certain statins? This is because the two drugs are broken down by an entirely different enzyme known as CYP2C9. © 2010 - 2020 Harvard University. Grapefruit juice inhibits this enzyme so the liver produces less of it, and this affects the action of those drugs – they will be less effective. Can acupuncture help my menopause symptoms? This doesn’t mean that you have to avoid grapefruit altogether if you’re prescribed this medication. One misconception is that you shouldn’t mix grapefruit with any statin drug. Basic review of the cytochrome p450 system. The no-drug approach to erectile dysfunction, A silent condition may be taking a toll on your health. The Harvard Medical School 6-Week Plan for Healthy Eating, Improving Memory: Understanding Age-Related Memory Loss, Beyond "bad" cholesterol: A closer look at your blood lipids, Heart-related complications in people hospitalized with the flu, Why you should move — even just a little — throughout the day, Blood test could find Alzheimer’s disease before symptoms appear, Use topical painkillers for strains and sprains, 5 factors to help you gauge where COVID-19 risk is highest, 5 things to know about your morning cup of joe, Gum disease linked to an increased risk for cancer, More daily movement may lower cancer deaths, Oral health problems may raise cancer risk. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. Switch to oranges or other safe fruits and save grapefruit for special occasions. Pravastatin is metabolized by yet a different mechanism. Does human growth hormone slow the aging process? There are other types of drugs that may be affected by grapefruit, too. This article discusses vitamin F, including what it is, how it…, New research suggests that white meat can have a similar effect on blood cholesterol levels as red meat. These foods can also affect how your body metabolizes the medication. Uses, Benefits, and Food List, Both Red and White Meat Raise Cholesterol Levels, Study Finds, Teens’ Cholesterol Levels Improve, but Only Half Have Ideal Numbers, Hate Statins? Grapefruit doesn’t affect other statins because they are metabolized by a different enzyme, CYP2C9. 2016;129(1):26-9. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2015.07.036, Cleveland Clinic. Why Grapefruit and Statin Drugs Do Not Mix, Ⓒ 2020 About, Inc. (Dotdash) — All rights reserved. Being overweight or having diabetes might require statin use as well. Smokers may have higher risk of brain aneurysm, Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, Vegetable intake tied to better artery health, Get trusted advice from the doctors at Harvard Medical School, Learn tips for living a healthy lifestyle, Stay up-to-date on the latest developments in health, Receive special offers on health books and reports. Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. January 20, 2016. Some people can lower their cholesterol with lifestyle changes. Do your statins and grapefruit safely mix? Neurological side effects include confusion and memory loss, according to the Mayo Clinic. Grapefruit juice affects certain statins more than others. Not all statins are affected equally by grapefruit juice, so grapefruit fans might want to switch to a statin that's less affected (see the table below). Do your statins and grapefruit safely mix? Most melanomas come in the form of a new spot on the skin, not changes to an existing mole. Milder side effects include muscle and joint pain. Grapefruit juice and some drugs don't mix. atorvastatin (Lipitor) fluvastatin (Lescol) lovastatin (Mevacor) pitavastatin (Livalo) simvastatin (Zocor) pravastatin (Pravachol) rosuvastatin (Crestor) It’s rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber. You only need to avoid grapefruit if your doctor prescribes lovastatin, atorvastatin, or simvastatin. To be safe, check with your doctor if you take one of the three statins mentioned above. You only need to activate your account once. They prevent your body from making more cholesterol. New research shows more people can benefit from taking statins than previously believed, including people over 75 years old. The interaction is caused by an organic compound in grapefruit known as furanocoumarin.1 Furanocoumarins are found in ot… Other drugs are equally affected by grapefruit and grapefruit juice. Speak with your doctor or pharmacist if you regularly consume grapefruit to ensure that it doesn't interfere with your medications. Interestingly, the interaction between grapefruit and medications poses a danger only when taken orally. If you’re prescribed a statin, it’s important to understand which ones can interact negatively with grapefruit and grapefruit juice. Should I worry about a sudden swollen tongue? © 2005-2020 Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company. Grapefruit juice affects certain statins more than others. The drugs that can interact with this citrus fruit includes statins. Big effect. How this translates to the "safe" consumption of grapefruit remains unclear.
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