Clarissa Brincat is a freelance writer specializing in health and medical research. After completing an MSc in chemistry, she realized she would rather write about science than do it. She learned how to edit scientific papers in a stint as a chemistry copyeditor, before moving on to a medical writer role at a healthcare company.
Grapefruit is considered a very healthy food because it's a good source of fiber, vitamins A and C, potassium and antioxidants — but there are times when people should avoid the sour citrus. If a person is taking certain medications, then eating whole grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice could lead to serious side effects or make the medicine work less effectively.
These molecules and enzymes are responsible for breaking down many drugs and carrying them into the bloodstream, but furanocoumarins throw them out of whack. In some instances, the furanocoumarins can effectively boost the dose of a drug in the body, leading to unintended effects.When medication is swallowed, it is broken down, or metabolized, by enzymes in the small intestine. One key enzyme is cytochrome P450 3A4, or CYP3A4.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Grapefruit can also have this effect on some cholesterol-lowering statins, such as simvastatin and atorvastatin . Too-high doses of these statins can lead to muscle pain and damage. According to the Food and Drug Administration , grapefruit can also boost the levels of certain corticosteroids used to treat inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn's disease.
This is true of the allergy medication fexofenadine . Drugs like fexofenadine are moved into cells by proteins called transporters, which move substances from one side of a cell's membrane to the other. Some of these transporters help move drugs from the intestines into the blood. Grapefruit-borne furanocoumarins block certain transporter proteins, thus causing too little of the drug to enter the bloodstream.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
What's the difference between gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria?Clarissa Brincat is a freelance writer specializing in health and medical research. After completing an MSc in chemistry, she realized she would rather write about science than do it. She learned how to edit scientific papers in a stint as a chemistry copyeditor, before moving on to a medical writer role at a healthcare company.
Read more »
Melissa Joan Hart's childhood career paid for family's life: 'I wanted to be responsible'Melissa Joan Hart's money from 'Clarissa Explains It All' and 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch' put food on the table for her family, the actress claimed.
Read more »
Did Ryan Reynolds Write It Ends With Us Rooftop Scene?'He works on everything I do,' Blake said of Ryan.
Read more »
How to use Gemini AI to write anything in Google DocsDT Video
Read more »
Warner Bros. Discovery takes $9-billion write-down from TV networks amid strugglesWarner Bros.
Read more »
Meet Dominika Banevič, teenage breaking superstar who wants to ‘write history’ in the Olympics’ newest sportBreaking’s rising star Dominika Banevič knows all too well about believing in yourself and success from a young age.
Read more »