Food-Drug Interaction Guide
Note: This information is provided for educational purposes only. Please consult a nurse, clinical dietitian, doctor or pharmacist for specific instructions regarding medicines you may be taking.
* Drugs marked with an asterisk (*) have potentially significant food-drug interactions. Drugs not marked with an asterisk have potentially moderate food-drug interactions.
Brand/Manufacturer Names
Alendronate Sodium
Capecitabine
Ciprofloxacin
Cyclosporine
Digoxin
Doxycycline
Estramustine
Isoniazid*
Itraconazole
Ketoconazole
Levofloxacin
Linezolid*
MAO (monooxidase) Inhibitors*
Norfloxacin
Phenytoin
Procarbazine*
Warfarin*
Common Names
Cipro
Coumadin*
Dilantin
Doryx
Emcyt
Fosamax
INH*
LanoxinLevaquin
Marplan*
Matulane*
Minocin
Nardil*
Neoral
Nizoral
NoroxinNydrazid*
Parnate*
Sandiummune
Sporanox
Tequin
Vibramycin
Xeloda
Zyvox*
Grapefruit & Grapefruit Juice
The concentration of certain drugs in your bloodstream may be affected by your intake of grapefruit or grapefruit juice. Avoid making a sudden change in your intake of grapefruit or grapefruit juice when taking any of the following medications unless instructed otherwise by your doctor: Atorvastatin (Lipitor), Buspirone (Buspar), Carbamazepine (Tegretol), Cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), Lovastatin (Mevacor), Nifedipine (Procardia, Adalat), Pravastatin (Pravachol), Simvastatin (Zocor), Verapamil (Calan, Isoptin, Verelan).
Precautions
The following drugs are listed alphabetically by brand (manufacturer) name, with the common name noted below.
Alendronate Sodium
Common Name: Fosamax
Cautions: Take this pill first thing in the morning with six to eight ounces of plain water. After you take the pill, wait at least 30 minutes before taking any food, drink, antacids, vitamins or dietary supplements. Do not lie down until you have had your first food or drink of the day.
Capecitabine
Common Name: Xeloda
Cautions: Take the tablets within 30 minutes after the end of a meal (breakfast or dinner). Tablets should be swallowed with water. If you are taking vitamins, inform your doctor. Avoid fruit juices.
Ciprofloxacin
Common Name: Cipro
Cautions: Take this pill at least two hours before or after antacids, dairy products, sucralfate, iron supplements, calcium, magnesium, aluminum, zinc and multivitamins with minerals. Limit fat and caffeine in your diet.
Cyclosporine
Common Names: Sandiummune, Neoral
Cautions: Take this medication at the same time and with the same type of liquid every day. Do not drink more than two glasses of fruit juices a day, especially grapefruit juice. Do not use salt substitutes.
Digoxin
Common Name: Lanoxin
Cautions: Take this medication at the same time every day. If you eat high-bran foods, take this medication at least one hour before or two hours after eating. Do not drink herbal teas two hours before or after taking digoxin. Avoid licorice and aluminum/magnesium containing antacids.
Doxycycline
Common Names: Vibramycin, Doryx
Cautions: Do not eat or drink dairy products or take antacids or calcium supplements three hours before or after you take the pill. Do not drink alcohol while on this drug.
Estramustine
Common Name: Emcyt
Cautions: Take this pill one hour before or two hours after meals. Do not eat or drink dairy products or calcium fortified foods/beverages, or take calcium supplements during these times or with meals.
Gatifloxacin
Common Name: Tequin
Cautions: Take this pill at least two hours before or after antacids, dairy products, sucralfate, iron supplements, calcium, magnesium, aluminum, zinc and multivitamins with minerals. Limit fat and caffeine in your diet.
Isoniazid*
Common Names: INH*, Nydrazid*
Cautions: Do not drink alcohol while on this medication.
Do not eat cheeses (except cottage cheese and ricotta), yogurt, sour cream, peanuts, peanut butter, soy sauce, yeast extracts (Marmite and Bovie).
Do not eat the following meats/meat products: bouillon cubes, game meat, meats prepared with tenderizer, sausages prepared with preservatives, unrefrigerated meats, chicken or beef liver, fermented meats (such as salami, pepperoni and summer sausage), herring (dried or pickled), caviar, tuna, salmon, anchovies, dried fish, dried beef (such as beef jerky).
Do not eat the following fruits/vegetables: avocados, bananas, figs, red plums, raspberries, mushrooms, sauerkraut, eggplant, canned figs, raisins, legumes (beans, peas, lentils), soy beans, tofu.
Food-drug interactions can include a sudden increase in blood pressure. Do not eat foods that contain ingredients that raise the blood pressure: fava beans, broad beans and caffeine-containing foods and beverages such as chocolate, coffee, tea, colas.
Remain on diet at least one week after discontinuing this drug.
Itraconazole
Common Name: Sporanox
Cautions: Take this capsule right after a full meal. Do not take antacids for at least two hours after taking capsule.
Levofloxacin
Common Name: Levaquin
Cautions: Take this pill at least two hours before or after antacids, dairy products, sucralfate, iron supplements, calcium, magnesium, aluminum, zinc and multivitamins with minerals. Limit fat and caffeine in your diet.
Ketoconazole
Common Name: Nizoral
Cautions: Do not take calcium or magnesium supplements or antacid medications two hours before or after taking this medication. Do not take this medication with milk. Do not drink alcohol while on this medication.
Linezolid*
Common Name: Zyvox*
Cautions: Do not drink alcohol while on this medication.
Do not eat cheeses (except cottage cheese and ricotta), yogurt, sour cream, peanuts, peanut butter, soy sauce, yeast extracts (Marmite and Bovie).
Do not eat the following meats/meat products: bouillon cubes, game meat, meats prepared with tenderizer, sausages prepared with preservatives, unrefrigerated meats, chicken or beef liver, fermented meats (such as salami, pepperoni and summer sausage), herring (dried or pickled), caviar, tuna, salmon, anchovies, dried fish, dried beef (such as beef jerky).
Do not eat the following fruits/vegetables: avocados, bananas, figs, red plums, raspberries, mushrooms, sauerkraut, eggplant, canned figs, raisins, legumes (beans, peas, lentils), soy beans, tofu.
Food-drug interactions can include a sudden increase in blood pressure. Do not eat foods that contain ingredients that raise the blood pressure: fava beans, broad beans and caffeine-containing foods and beverages such as chocolate, coffee, tea, colas.
Remain on diet at least one week after discontinuing this drug.
MAO (monooxidase) Inhibitors*
Common Names: Nardil*, Parnate*, Marplan*
Cautions: Do not drink alcohol while on this medication.
Do not eat cheeses (except cottage cheese and ricotta), yogurt, sour cream, peanuts, peanut butter, soy sauce, yeast extracts (Marmite and Bovie).
Do not eat the following meats/meat products: bouillon cubes, game meat, meats prepared with tenderizer, sausages prepared with preservatives, unrefrigerated meats, chicken or beef liver, fermented meats (such as salami, pepperoni and summer sausage), herring (dried or pickled), caviar, tuna, salmon, anchovies, dried fish, dried beef (such as beef jerky).
Do not eat the following fruits/vegetables: avocados, bananas, figs, red plums, raspberries, mushrooms, sauerkraut, eggplant, canned figs, raisins, legumes (beans, peas, lentils), soy beans, tofu.
Food-drug interactions can include a sudden increase in blood pressure. Do not eat foods that contain ingredients that raise the blood pressure: fava beans, broad beans and caffeine-containing foods and beverages such as chocolate, coffee, tea, colas.
Remain on diet at least one week after discontinuing this drug.
Minocycline
Common Name: Minocin
Cautions: Do not eat or drink dairy products or take antacids or calcium supplements three hours before or after you take the pill.
Norfloxacin
Common Name: Noroxin
Cautions: Take this pill at least two hours before or after antacids, dairy products, sucralfate, iron supplements, calcium, magnesium, aluminum, zinc and multivitamins with minerals. Limit fat and caffeine in your diet.
Phenytoin
Common Name: Dilantin
Cautions: Take with food or milk to avoid stomach problems. Do not mix with tube feeding formula or liquid supplements (such as Ensure or Boost). If tube feeding is used, flush the tubing with water before and after taking this medication. Do not take calcium or magnesium supplements two hours before or after taking this medication.
Procarbazine*
Common Name: Matulane*
Cautions: Follow the same precautions as for linezolid (above). Also, take this medication one hour before or two hours after meals. If prescribed, take a vitamin B supplement.
Warfarin*
Common Name: Coumadin*
Cautions: Keep a steady level of vitamin K in your diet. Vitamin K foods include green leafy vegetables (such as broccoli, cabbage, collard greens, kale, lettuce, spinach), soybean oil, meats, dairy products, egg yolks and liver. Do not change your diet or vitamin intake significantly without asking your physician.
Do not drink alcohol. Limit caffeine-containing foods and beverages (chocolate, coffee, tea, colas) to one serving per day. Do not take oral, vitamin-fortified diet beverages (such as Ensure or Boost) unless you are already using them. Do not participate in weight reduction diets while on this medication.
Avoid products with ginseng (such as Ginsana).
Continue these precautions until your doctor or pharmacist says otherwise.