No juice, only water while consuming pills

Article contributed by one of our Subscriber: Anju Mariam, Coimbatore

Taking pills with fruit juices, particularly of citrus ones, can affect absorption in two ways....one, by the changing blood PH —acidity or alkalinity of the blood—and, two, by breaking the coating of the pills that makes the medicine less effective. Orange and apple juices have been shown to lower the absorption of certain drugs, thus compromising their effectiveness. On the other hand, grapefruit juice increases the absorption of some drugs. This can turn normal doses into toxic ones. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in its consumer health information, also details why grapefruit should not be taken with medicines. “Some medicines, like statins prescribed to lower cholesterol, are broken down in the body (metabolized) by proteins called enzymes in our small intestine. Grapefruit juice can block the work of enzymes, increasing the amount of medicine absorbed by the body and risking an overdose,” says the FDA bulletin. It adds, "Other medicines, like Allegra (fexofenadine) used for treating allergies, are moved into the body's cells with the help of proteins called transporters. Grapefruit juice can block the work of transporters, decreasing the amount of medicine absorbed by the body and reducing the medicine's effectiveness." Juices have been shown to affect the absorption of drugs, particularly those prescribed for chronic medical conditions such as hypertension or heart disease. Thus, one should have the pills only with water.
How to take medicines are important details for any prescription. Any mistake or miscommunication can lead to side-effects. For example, aspirin should be taken after meals to decrease its side effects on the stomach. Milk and calcium should not be given with iron, as its absorption will be less. In developed countries, the pharmacist guides patients on how to take medicines and whether to have a certain medication with juice or not. But in India less care is taken about such details, leading to poor efficacy of the drug regimen.