A top doctor has revealed the common medications you should never take with food.
Dr Zain Hasan, an anesthesiologist in Los Angeles, said five drugs stood out that are made less effective if taken right before or after a meal.
Even a cup of coffee or glass of orange juice in the morning could keep the body from properly absorbing the drugs, leaving conditions like high blood pressure, heart failure and thyroid issues untreated.
Dr Hasan insisted people always ask your doctor before suddenly changing the way they take medications, which can be equally dangerous.
The first medication on Dr Hasan’s list was synthroid (levothyroxine), which is used to treat an underactive thyroid, also known as hypothyroidism.
It works by replacing the thyoid hormone thyroxine (T4), which people with hypothyroidism don’t produce enough of.
Experts estimate that 100 million prescriptions are written for synthroid every year, with one in 20 Americans taking it.
Consuming foods with calcium and iron – such as dairy and red meat – decreases the gut’s ability to absorb the medication.
Dr Zain Hasan, an anesthesiologist in Los Angeles, shared the medications that should not be taken with food
Dr Hasan pointed to typical breakfast drinks. He said: ‘If you take synthroid with milk, coffee, or juice, it can reduce the absorption and the effectiveness of synthroid.’
The ATA recommends taking synthroid on an empty stomach 30 to 60 minutes before eating to avoid this ‘erratic absorption.’
Left untreated, hypothyroidism can lead to a nerve pain, high cholesterol, and infertility.
Dr Hasan also pointed warned against taking bisphosphonates with a meal. Bisphosphonates are a group of drugs that help increase bone strength and density.
These are most often prescribed for osteoporosis, a condition mostly found in older people that makes bones brittle and prone to breaking, as well as some cancers that have spread to the bones.
Dr Hasan said: ‘It’s not recommended to take bisphosphonates with food because it can decrease the absorption of the bisphosphonates.’
Experts recommend taking these drugs on an empty stomach with a full glass of water, as well as waiting 30 minutes after to eat or drink anything else.
The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion estimates 10million Americans over 50 are diagnosed with osteoporosis.
Left untreated, bones can become so fragile that they break from minor injuries.
America’s favorite erectile dysfunction drug, Viagra, also made the list.
Also known as sildenafil, Viagra is taken by over 1million American men, including increasing numbers of men in their 20s and 30s.
The drug helps relax muscles and arteries in the penis, increasing blood flow, which helps sustain an erection.
Erectile dysfunction typically affects men over 50, though young men have become increasingly prone to the condition, which experts have blamed on stress, pornography, and anxiety. All of these have been shown to lower testosterone levels and make the brain less responsive to sexual stimuli.
‘If you take sildenafil or Viagra with food at dinner, it doesn’t work as well. Yes, that is the reason why it doesn’t work as well.’
It’s recommended to take Viagra either an hour before sex on an empty stomach or two hours after a meal to make sure it’s effective.
Fatty meals in particular can block the absorption of Viagra’s active ingredient, sildenafil citrate, and delay erections by about an hour.
Taking Viagra (pictured here) with a meal high in fat could lead to a one-hour delay in erections, Dr Hasan warned
Dr Hasan also warned against eating wtih captopril, also called Capoten.
Captopril is an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, which treat high blood pressure by stopping the production of angiotensin II, a substance that narrows blood vessels.
Of the 50million Americans who take medication to treat high blood pressure, eight in 10 take ACE inhibitors like captopril.
Dr Hasan said: ‘You’re not supposed to take captopril with food. You’re supposed to wait two hours after a meal or take it before food in the morning.’
Similar to the other drugs on the list, eating with captopril can make it less effective.
If high blood pressure can’t be controlled, blood vessels become damaged over time and have a difficult time transporting blood to the heart.
This forces the heart to work harder, straining it and increasing the risk of heart attacks.
Finally, Dr Hasan advised against taking proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) with food.
These drugs help decrease stomach acid production, leading them to be used for acid reflux, heartburn, and stomach ulcers.
In a TikTok video with 25,000 views, Dr Hasan (pictured left) shared that taking certain medications with food can delay absorption, making them less effective
Dr Hasan (pictured with his wife) also cautioned to always ask your doctor before stopping medications or changing frequency
Available both over the counter and as a prescription, PPIs are taken by more than 15million Americans.
PPIs block pumps that produce stomach acid, which are activated during eating, so taking the drug with a meal negates the drug’s benefits.
Dr Hasan said: ‘You’re supposed to take it 30 to 60 minutes before meals.’
Uncontrolled acid reflux could lead to inflammation, scarring, and narrowing of the esophagus, which could elad to pain and trouble swallowing.
