Grapefruit Juice and Your Medications

Grapefruit Juice and Your Medications About one-fifth of Americans have grapefruit juice for breakfast -- a time of day when many people also take medications. Grapefruit juice, it turns out, can affect some medications. So you may need to rethink your morning drink.

Don’t drink grapefruit juice if you’re taking any of these medications, unless advised to by your doctor:

• Statins (cholesterol-lowering drugs): lovastatin (Mevacor), atorvastatin (Lipitor), simvastatin (Zocor, Vytorin)
• Antihistamines: ebastine
• Calcium channel blockers (blood pressure drugs): nitrendipine, felodipine (Plendil), nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia)
• Psychiatric drugs: buspirone (BuSpar), triazolam (Halcion), carbamazepine (Tegretol), diazepam (Valium), midazolam (Versed), sertraline (Zoloft)
• Immunosuppressants: cyclosporine (Neoral), tacrolimus (Prograf)
• Pain medications: methadone
• Impotence drug (erectile dysfunction): sildenafil (Viagra)
• HIV medication: saquinavir (Invirase)
• Antiarrhythmics: amiodarone (Cordarone)

There are alternatives to many of these drugs. So, talk to your doctor about the possibility of using a different medication if avoiding grapefruit juice is not an option.

When you’re starting a new medication, it’s always a good idea to ask your doctor or pharmacist about any potential interactions between the new medication and foods, supplements, or other drugs you’re already taking.

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