Are you taking any of these supplements?
Most of us take various supplements to boost our health, and there is nothing wrong with this. All the research shows the benefits some supplements have, but there is a catch. You have to be careful with them when you are also taking prescription drugs.
Generally, nothing bad will happen when you mix them, but there are some instances when you need to be extremely careful or never mix the supplements with prescription meds because the side effects can be disastrous.
This is why it is so important to discuss everything with your doctor. They are the only ones who can tell you how to properly take your meds, and they also know your whole medical history.
Research reveals that around 34% of survey participants, or roughly 72 million individuals in the United States, use a dietary supplement in addition to a prescription drug.
If you are taking supplements right now, keep reading and see if it’s time to make a change. These are the supplements you should never take unapproved while you are taking prescription drugs at the same time.
Turmeric
This is one of the ancient species that we still use today because it has lots of health benefits. For example, it is proven that it can improve memory, reduce inflammation, and even reduce the risk of developing various heart conditions. Considering all of these, it’s easy to see why turmeric is such a popular supplement.
However, no miraculous medicine comes with zero side effects. Turmeric has anticoagulant effects, and because of this, you should be very cautious about it, especially when you take certain medications. If you take blood thinners or aspirin and combine them with turmeric, it can lead to internal bleeding.
So, before adding any turmeric supplements to your routine, you better talk with your doctor. Still, adding turmeric to your diet through cooking is safe. This means you can cook with it, and all should be alright. When you use it as a spice, you are not using it that much to trigger unpleasant side effects.
Vitamin C
We always hear that vitamin C is the best ally you can have against the seasonal flu and the cold. Why? Because it’s said that it makes your immune system stronger so it can fight illness more effectively.
Naturally, you can find vitamin C in citrus fruits, strawberries, broccoli, and tomatoes, but most of the time this is not enough. When you want a better immune system, you will need more vitamin C, and this is how we end up taking supplements.
The thing is that when you increase the dose, the risk of side effects is also increased. This is especially true if you are a cancer patient under treatment. Unfortunately, large doses of vitamin C may reduce the effectiveness of certain chemotherapy treatments.
But this is not all; if you take niacin and statins, which are used to manage cholesterol levels, you should also be careful because vitamin C may interfere with their activity.
It’s essential that before taking any supplements, you understand how they can influence the effectiveness of prescription meds. Vitamin C is no exception, and the best thing you can do is try to maintain a stable level of this vitamin through a balanced diet.
St. John’s wort
This plant originates from Europe and has been long used to manage mild depression symptoms and the unpleasant effects of menopause, such as hot flashes. While this is a natural remedy that is shown to be efficient, it can interact with some types of medication, and this is why you should be careful.
For example, St. John’s wort can interfere with omeprazole, alprazolam, certain statins, and some antihistamines. If you are under treatment with any of these, it’s better to be aware because, besides amplifying the side effects, it can also lower their effectiveness.
Also, the effect of Paxlovid, an antiviral used to treat COVID-19, can be greatly reduced if you take St. John’s wort. If you take them together, your infection might go untreated, and this can mean life-threatening complications.
This is why you should talk with your doctor before taking any supplements. You never know for sure what the effects are and how to manage them. Better safe than sorry.
Milk thistle
This is a flowering plant that is closely related to daisies, and people have used it for centuries to improve their liver and heart health. This is all due to the active substance found in this plant, known as silymarin.
It is believed that silymarin has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, so people started to use it in order to take advantage of its benefits. But in the same fashion as many other supplements, milk thistle doesn’t come without risks. This is especially true for individuals managing chronic conditions with prescription medications.
What makes this plant so dangerous is how it can influence blood sugar levels. Milk thistle lowers blood sugar levels, and if you take diabetes medication, this can be a real problem. Combining milk thistle with insulin or other glucose-lowering medications will make these drugs more potent, and it can lead to dangerous effects.
Hypoglycemia can be truly concerning because it can cause dizziness, confusion, and even serious health emergencies if you don’t act quickly enough to resolve it. So, even if some supplements are labeled as natural, this doesn’t mean you can take them without talking to a doctor beforehand.
CoQ10
You’ve probably heard a lot about coenzyme Q10 and how good it is for your skin, but did you know that this is a naturally occurring antioxidant? It is found in every cell of our body and has the role of helping cell growth and maintenance.
Even more, CoQ10 is essential in the energy production process, and you can find lots of it in the organs that use more energy, such as the heart and liver.
Unfortunately, as we age, the levels of CoQ10 we have in our bodies start to decline, and as a response to this, many people start taking supplements. Generally, you can find them available in the form of capsules, tablets, and syrups.
The most popular uses of these supplements are for supporting heart health, managing diabetes, and even reducing the frequency of migraines. But when CoQ10 is combined with some prescription drugs, there are some risks that can appear.
Its potential interaction with blood thinners is considered among the most dangerous ones since CoQ10 can reduce the effectiveness of popular blood thinners such as warfarin. This means that the risk of blood clots is higher and can put your life in danger.
Before starting to take any coenzyme Q10 supplement, you should talk with your doctor and see if this is possible. While it can offer numerous health benefits, it can also cause some trouble, and it is great to be sure about it.
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