![]() But for some medicines, the size of the meal is important. ![]() If you need to take a medicine with food and it’s not mealtime, sometimes a snack is enough. The relationship between meal size and medicine effect has not been widely studied. ![]() Taking medicines such as ibuprofen (for pain and inflammation) or metformin (for diabetes) with food is also recommended to reduce nausea and stomach upset. Diabetes medicines such as gliclazide or glimepiride (belonging to the group of medicines known as sulfonylureas), for example, should be taken with food to reduce the risk of low blood sugar. Taking certain medicines with food can reduce the risk of side effects. For this reason, osteoporosis medicines risedronate and alendronate must be taken on an empty stomach with water only. This can reduce absorption into the bloodstream, and lead to reduced effectiveness. Specific components of food, such as calcium or iron, may also bind to certain medicines. liz west/Flickr, CC BYįood can act as a physical barrier to the surface of the gut wall and prevent certain medicines being absorbed into the bloodstream. Skip the breakfast grapefruit when taking certain medications. These physiological changes can affect the amount of medicine absorbed from the gut into the bloodstream, which can then impact on the body’s response to a medicine. Absorption of medicines from the gutĮating food triggers multiple physiological changes, including increased blood flow to the gut, the release of bile, and changes in the pH (acidity) and motility of the gut. The timing of the meal, the size of the meal, and the types of food and drinks consumed can all affect the body’s response to a medicine. If a medicine isn’t taken as recommended with respect to food, the medicine may not have an effect. ![]() With four out of five Australians aged above 50 taking daily medication, most people will encounter instructions about medicines and food at some point in their lives – some of which may seem rather strange. Hundreds of medicines have food-related dosing instructions. Have you ever been advised to take a medicine with food? How about taking a medicine with cola or avoiding grapefruit? ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |