This Mute Juice Triggers Dangerous Side Effects When Taken with Cholesterol Drugs

Not all fruit juices are safe to take with medication.

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — Fruit juice has been believed to be a healthy drink so it is often consumed when sick. However, it turns out that fruit juice can trigger dangerous side effects when taken with certain drugs. One of the most common occurrences where this can occur is in the treatment of cholesterol.

Cholesterol is most effectively treated both through lifestyle changes and the addition of statins, a type of drug designed to lower the level of cholesterol produced in the liver. One of the most effective lifestyle changes is to improve your diet to make it healthier and conducive to a longer life.

According to several studies, pomegranate juice is one example of juice that is used to lower cholesterol levels. Studies show pomegranate juice can slow down the buildup of harmful cholesterol in the arteries due to the presence of antioxidants in the fruit pomegranate. However, pomegranate juice can have negative effects when combined with cholesterol medicine another.

The Mayo Clinic says pomegranate juice can cause dangerous side effects when it interacts with certain prescription medications, such as the blood thinner warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, including captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), and ramipril (Altace).

Patients with high cholesterol are advised to consult a doctor before they start taking ACE inhibitors or statin to identify dietary challenges that may hinder drug effectiveness. The reason is, pomegranate juice is not the only fruit that has the potential to cause side effects when mixed with drugs.