Reader TTS

If you're taking medication, you may want to be extra careful with what you eat and drink. It comes as a professor has issued a warning, urging people to always read the leaflet that

comes with your medication - new or old. Warning, "it's not an exhaustive list", Professor Claire Anderson, president of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, reveals that if you

like grapefruit, it could be bad news, reports Which?. You can pick up a single grapefruit juice 47p from the likes of ASDA, and maybe cheaper if you spot the right deal. But as tempting as

it may be, you may have to put the fruit down. The expert explains: "Grapefruit is known to interact with a number of common medications. Chemicals found in grapefruit juice can block

enzymes in the body responsible for breaking down medications. "This means medication stays in the body for longer and can lead to much higher (and potentially toxic) doses than

expected, although in some cases it can also hinder drugs from entering your system, reducing their effectiveness." COMMON MEDICATION GRAPEFRUIT INTERACTS WITH: * statins * calcium

channel blockers * immunosuppressants * cytoxic medicines * anticoagulants * antihistamines * sleeping pills (including benzodiazepines) * and more Backing up the Professor, the British

Liver Trust also state similar. They warn that "the effect of grapefruit on the enzyme can last more than 24 hours. So even if you only take your medicine once a day it is not safe to

have grapefruit at the other end of the day." They also note that grapefruit juice is sometimes an ingredient in other drinks. Always check the ingredients of anything called “citrus”

or “tropical." IF YOU TAKE CICLOSPORIN AVOID: * pomelo juice * purple grape juice. IF YOU TAKE TACROLIMUS AVOID: * pomelo juice * pomegranate and pomegranate juice THERE IS ALSO SOME

EVIDENCE THAT YOU SHOULD AVOID THE FOLLOWING IF YOU ARE TAKING TACROLIMUS: * Seville oranges and marmalade (jaffa, or sweet oranges and their juice are fine) * large amounts of lime juice (a

squeeze in cooking or in a drink is fine) * large amounts of bergamot or dried citrus fruit peel * large amounts of Earl Grey tea (have no more than 2 cups a day) THE EXPERTS AT WHICH?

CONTINUED THEIR LIST NOTING THAT THE FOLLOWING FOODS AND DRINKS MAY ALSO ALTER THE WAY YOUR MEDICATION WORKS: * Liquorice * Herbal supplements * Alcohol * Strong cheese * Herbal teas