He names the following statins as those affected by grapefruit. Lovastatin Mevacor atorvastatin Lipitor.
Do Your Statins And Grapefruit Safely Mix Health Essentials From Cleveland Clinic
This can lead to a situation in which there is too much simvastatin in a persons body or where the drug remains in the body for too long.
Why no grapefruit with statins. Some drugs like statins used to. This process normally lowers the amount of statins reaching the. Interestingly the interaction between grapefruit and medications poses a danger only when taken.
As a result grapefruit and grapefruit juice go on the do-not-fly list for statin users. They found that if a statin such as simvastatin was taken at the same time as grapefruit juice it increased the absorption 260 but if taken 12 hours apart absorption was up only 90. Grapefruit contains a chemical that can interfere with your bodys ability to break down or metabolize certain statin medications.
Certain classes of drugs most notably statins are metabolized broken down in your intestines by an enzyme called CYP3A which normally reduces the amount of drug that enters your bloodstream. Lets start with a little background. When statin takers eat large amounts of grapefruit the level of statins in their blood can increase raising the possibility of side effects.
In a recently published review paper researchers theorized on the impact of grapefruit juice on cholesterol levels and the risk of cardiovascular disease. Grapefruit can increase the side effects of some statin cholesterol medications causing muscle damage. Grapefruit juice increases the level of simvastatin in your blood and makes side effects more likely.
Statins are medicines that lower your cholesterol. Grapefruit juice is a lightning bolt when it comes to dietary productsfoods that interact with medications. The short answer is no.
Grapefruit only interacts with some statins. Mindful that a significant segment of the population can no longer enjoy grapefruit due to their medication regime a team at the University of Florida has developed a grapefruit that has very low levels of furanocoumarins the compounds that are believed to interfere with the CYP3A4 enzyme that metabolizes some statins and other drugs. It is well-known that many common statins do interact with grapefruit juice but it is also true that some statins arent significantly altered by it.
Those that are not heavily metabolized by CYP3A4 are less likely to result in grapefruit-related peril. Should patients avoid grapefruit juice consumption while taking widely used statins. Even one grapefruit or one glass of grapefruit juice can cause this effect.
In essence grapefruit chemicals can attach to liver enzymes and affect how those enzymes process medications. Do not drink grapefruit juice if youre taking simvastatin. Coincidentally the enzymes that break down some statins also interact with chemicals in grapefruits.
Simvastatin and grapefruit should not be combined because the presence of grapefruit in a persons system makes it hard to break down the active chemical in simvastatin. A daily glass of grapefruit juice increases blood levels of simvastatin and lovastatin by about 260 if taken at the same time about 90 if taken 12 hours apart and atorvastatin by about 80 whenever taken. Grapefruit or grapefruit juice affects some statins.
One study showed that drinking a glass of grapefruit juice with simvastatin or lovastatin increased blood levels of these statins by 260. As a result those statins stay active in the body for. Grapefruit juice contains compounds called furanocoumarins.
Ive heard that people shouldnt drink grapefruit juice if theyre taking a statin. In the case of certain statins grapefruit chemicals prevent them from being broken down. The fruit most affects lipophilic statins which tend to penetrate tissues in the body to a greater extent says Dr.
Adding to the confusion there are many different statins on the market and not all have the same interaction with grapefruit juice. Grapefruit juice can cause problems with these enzymes and transporters causing too much or too little drug in the body. Simvastatin 40 mg lovastatin 40 mg and atorvastatin.
Grapefruit juice can inhibit the enzyme CYP3A4. Grapefruit blocks the action of CYP3A4 resulting in a larger amount of the statin medication entering your bloodstream with every dose. Seville oranges limes and pomelos also contain this chemical and should be avoided if youre taking statins.
Grapefruit doesnt affect other statins because they are metabolized by a different enzyme CYP2C9. Normally when a person consumes statins without grapefruit juice the enzyme CYP3A breaks them down within the intestines and liver. Does grapefruit interact with all statins.
