Why Medications are Sometimes In-Effective

Why Medications are sometimes In-Effective

Ever wondered why certain medications don’t work after several days of use? Normally people who have experienced this will conclude that the drug is fake, expired or even a wrong prescription. Some will even go as far blaming their village people for being at the top of their game. But do you know there are certain foods & medicine you shouldn’t mix together?

Yes certain meals can prevent your medications from working, or worse still, cause dangerous side effects, & we have curated 6 of them here. Many people probably do not know this, so share to save a life.

Vitamin C and Anti-Malaria Drugs

This is what happens when you mix both. But first a background:

All drugs are metabolized in the liver. The liver is rich in iron, & iron is important in the life cycle of malaria parasites (plasmodium). Vitamin C helps in the absorption of iron, which goes to the liver. Malaria parasites accumulate in the liver & multiply since the iron they need to survive is surplus there. This counteracts the effect of whatever malaria drug you’re taking. So chill on those citrus fruits or supplements when you’re treating malaria.

Painkillers & Soft Drinks

We all know soft drinks contain carbonated water. I mean, it’s boldly written on the bottle label/can. Carbonated water = Carbon-dioxide and water together,(CO₂ dissolved under pressure). So when you take painkillers & soft drinks together, the Carbon-dioxide gas & the acid it contains increases concentration of the drugs in the blood, which leads to toxicity that could be fatal.

Diary Products & Antibiotics

Antibiotics are drugs used in the treatment & prevention of bacteria. Examples are tetracycline & penicillin. Dairy products are rich in Calcium, which prevents the body from absorbing these antibiotics. This reduces

 the drug’s efficacy.

Banana & Anti-hypertensive Drugs

Bananas are rich in potassium. Anti-hypertensive drugs increase potassium levels in the blood. Anti-hypertensive drugs + Bananas = too much potassium which leads to irregular heartbeat, heart palpitations & could cause diseases such as Arrhythmia. Love your heart.

Grape Fruit & Statins

Statin is a class of drug used to lower cholesterol levels. Like most drugs, it also has side effects. Grape fruit contains a compound/chemical that stops the breakdown of statins in the intestine. It leads to increased level of the drug = higher risk of side effects.

Leafy Vegetables & Anti-Coagulants( Blood Thinner)

Anti-coagulants (Blood Thinners) are medications that decelerate blood coagulation. No, they don’t actually thin your blood but they prevent blood clots from growing larger and are used to prevent stroke & treat heart disease. Examples are Aspirin, Warfarin.                      

 Leafy vegetables are rich in vitamin K – vitamin K promotes blood clotting. So what happens? The effect of the drug is countered.

Alcohol

This shouldn’t be the first time you read “Don’t take drugs with alcohol”. Why so?

Drugs are metabolized in the liver. Alcohol is metabolized in the liver. You actually over work your liver when taking alcohol & drugs at the same time leading to liver damage.

We all know medicine comes with a long list of things you can’t do but what most people don’t know is that some natural healthy meals are part of the list. Limit certain foods & if a certain drug doesn’t work or makes you feel uncomfortable don’t assume anything. Immediately consult your doctor for advice.

Finally, reading  this post without sharing can lead to the death of someone dear to you that could have been avoided. So please share to save a life today.

To receive our health tips directly to your phone you can join our Whatsapp group  
by clicking on the link below: 

" Healthy Living through Lifestlye & Nutrition "  

Thanks.