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Foods that can affect Medications

It's normal for most people to take their meds when eating or most take the meds with something either liquid or solid foods. 

Some drugs can counterinteract when taken together, what you eat and drink also can also affect the efficacy of some drugs.

Let's take a look at the things that affect ones shouldn't be mixed with food.

1. Grapefruit: this citrus fruit shouldn't be taken with drugs like fexofenadine (taken for allergies), and atorvastatin( for lowering cholesterol). Grapefruit affect the way certain cells in your gut absorb and move drugs through the body. Taken this fruit with these medications can either lessen their effectiveness or make them too strong.
2. Milk: milk makes it harder for the body to process certain antibiotics. Minerals like calcium and magnesium, and casein a protein present in milk are one of the reasons for this effect. 
3. Chocolate: Chocolate, especially dark chocolate can reduce the effects of drugs supposed to calm you down or make sleep such as zolpidem tartrate. Chocolate can also improve the power of stimulants like methylphenidate, taken chocolate with certain antidepressants drugs can increase your blood pressure to a dangerous level.
4. Iron supplement: iron supplement reduce the potency of levothyroxine, an hormonal drug to induce thryoid when the body is not making enough of it. 
5. Alcohol: alcohol reduce the effects of some drugs or render them useless, including some blood pressure and heart medications. Alcohol can also make some drugs stronger than normal.
6. Coffee: coffee weakens antipsychotics drugs like clozapine, and lithium. But it can boost the effects and side effects of other medication like aspirin, epinephrine, and Albuterol. Coffee can also make it harder for your body to absorb and use iron. 
7. Vitamin K: when taking warfarin, a drug used for treating and preventing blood clots, be careful of how much of vitamin K you ingest; because it can make the blood thinner less effective. It also increases your of having a dangerous blood clot. 

Finally, before you take any medications, ensure you speak with your doctor on foods and other medicine you can take along with the prescribed drugs.