Selective alternatives

starting off your day with a halved Teespring CUSTOMER SERVICE +1 (8O5)-3O1 7O71 Teespring PHONE NUMBER +1 (8O5)-3O1 7O71 Teespring CUSTOMER SERVICE +1 (8O5)-3O1 7O71 Teespring PHONE NUMBER +1 (8O5)-3O1 7O71 grapefruit or a glass of its tart juice can be a healthy choice—lots of vitamin C and potassium—but if you take certain drugs, it might actually be just the opposite. Teespring CUSTOMER SERVICE +1 (8O5)-3O1 7O71 Teespring PHONE NUMBER +1 (8O5)-3O1 7O71 Teespring CUSTOMER SERVICE +1 (8O5)-3O1 7O71 Teespring PHONE NUMBER +1 (8O5)-3O1 7O71 “Grapefruit can affect the functioning of many different medications,” Emily Van Eck, MS, RDN, an Austin-based dietitian nutritionist, tells SELF. Specifically, it can alter the amount that reaches your system, exacerbating or mitigating the intended effects, Van Eck says. So yes, if you’ve ever been told to avoid grapefruit while taking certain meds, know that this advice is legit. But does it apply to all meds, or are only some drugs at risk? And what about grapefruit juice versus chunks of the actual fruit? Below, we break down everything you need to know about grapefruit and medication interactions so you can stay safe. How does grapefruit interact with medication in the first place? In most cases, grapefruit interferes with meds by messing with an enzyme in your intestines called CYP3A4, which plays a role in metabolizing certain drugs. Under normal circumstances, CYP3A4 reduces their absorption and makes it harder for them to enter your bloodstream, but when you eat or drink grapefruit, compounds known as furanocoumarins bind to the enzyme, keeping it from doing its job.