Grapefruit can interfere with some diabetic medications and cause serious side effects. Learn how to avoid this interaction.
Grapefruit is a delicious and nutritious fruit that many people enjoy.
But did you know that grapefruit can also affect how some of your diabetic medications work?
Grapefruit contains compounds that can interfere with the enzymes that break down certain drugs, leading to higher or lower levels of the medication in your blood.
This can cause serious side effects or reduce the effectiveness of your treatment.
That’s why it’s important to use a medications interaction checker before you eat grapefruit or drink its juice if you have diabetes.
Which diabetic medications can interact with grapefruit?
Not all diabetes medications interact with grapefruit, but some of them do.
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the following types of diabetes drugs can have a negative interaction with grapefruit:
- Sulfonylureas, such as glipizide, glyburide, and glimepiride. These drugs stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin and lower blood sugar levels.
- Meglitinides, such as repaglinide and nateglinide. These drugs also stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin and lower blood sugar levels.
- DPP-4 inhibitors, such as sitagliptin, saxagliptin, linagliptin, and alogliptin. These drugs block an enzyme that breaks down a hormone that stimulates insulin secretion and lowers blood sugar levels.
- SGLT2 inhibitors, such as canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, empagliflozin, and ertugliflozin. These drugs prevent the kidneys from reabsorbing glucose and increase its excretion in the urine.
Note: Metformin, which is the most commonly prescribed diabetes medication, does not seem to interact with grapefruit.
However, metformin can cause lactic acidosis, a rare but serious condition that can be worsened by dehydration.
Therefore, it is important to drink enough fluids and avoid alcohol when taking metformin.
How to avoid grapefruit-diabetes medication interaction?
The best way to avoid grapefruit-diabetes medication interaction is to stop eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice if you are taking any of the drugs mentioned above.
This also applies to other citrus fruits that contain similar compounds, such as Seville oranges, pomelos, and limes.
You may think that eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice at a different time than taking your medication can prevent the interaction.
However, this is not true. The compounds in grapefruit can stay in your system for up to 24 hours and affect the metabolism of your medication.
Therefore, it is better to be safe than sorry and avoid grapefruit altogether if you are taking any diabetes medication that can interact with it.
If you are not sure whether your medication can interact with grapefruit or not, you should always check with your doctor or pharmacist before consuming it.
How to use a medication interaction checker
Another way to stay safe when taking diabetes medication is to use a medication interaction checker. This is a tool that allows you to enter the names of the drugs you are taking and see if they have any potential interactions with each other or with certain foods or supplements.
A medication interaction checker can help you identify any possible risks or side effects of combining different drugs or substances.
It can also provide you with recommendations on how to manage these interactions or avoid them altogether.
You can find many online medication interaction checkers on reputable websites such as WebMD, Drugs.com, or Medscape.
You can also download apps on your smartphone or tablet that offer this service.
However, keep in mind that a medication interaction checker is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
You should always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication or supplement.
Conclusion
Grapefruit can interfere with some diabetic medications and cause serious side effects.
To avoid this interaction, you should stop eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice if you are taking any of these medications:
- Sulfonylureas
- Meglitinides
- DPP-4 inhibitors
- SGLT2 inhibitors.
