Neurologist Maria Lavrinova warns against consuming grapefruit juice while taking blood pressure, heart rhythm, sedative, or antidepressant medications because it inhibits the action of certain enzymes.
According to her, inhibiting the action of certain important enzymes in the body leads to a dangerous accumulation of many drugs in the blood, increasing the risk of overdose.
She said: "Grapefruit contains furanocoumarins, which are natural chemical compounds that protect the plant. When these substances enter the human body, they bind to an enzyme called CYP3A4 , a protein that speeds up chemical reactions and is found in the intestines and liver, and is responsible for metabolizing approximately 50 percent of drugs."
The doctor explained that when grapefruit juice inhibits this enzyme, the drug is not metabolized properly, resulting in a much larger amount of the active ingredient entering the bloodstream than expected. Consequently, even the standard dose prescribed by a doctor could become a toxic overdose.
She added: "When taking antidepressants, the risk of serotonin syndrome increases, which is characterized by severe tremors, a rise in body temperature, and a sudden increase in blood pressure. Also, taking sedatives with grapefruit juice may cause severe lethargy, dizziness, and impaired motor coordination. Consuming the juice with blood pressure medications may lead to a sharp and sudden drop in blood pressure that may result in fainting, while its interaction with heart rhythm medications may cause serious, life-threatening disturbances."
From the perspective of evidence-based medicine, it is always recommended to take medications with clean drinking water only, without adding any other liquids, because water is a neutral medium that does not react chemically with the active ingredient or the tablet coating, does not change stomach acidity, and does not affect the rate of drug absorption.
