Medication Interactions Deplete Your Body's Nutrients
Even if you focus on eating a healthier diet to stay healthy, medication interactions may result in a depletion of valuable nutrients in your body.
Both prescription and non-prescription drugs may be necessary from time to time so it is important that you know when additional supplementation may be required or avoided.
Although I much prefer to stick to natural remedies and Health Food Supplements, I understand that circumstances some times require the use of prescription drugs but ....
Did you know that many of these drugs can cause your body to lose nutrients? In fact...
Medications may be Putting Your Health at Risk.
The fact is that this condition occurs frequently enough to warrant a name.
The medical name for this is 'Drug-Induced Nutrient Depletion' and it is of vital significance to both health professionals and the general public.
We spend just as much money fixing complications of prescription drugs as we spend on the drugs themselves. Understanding the medication interactions of nutritional supplements and prescription drugs could make them safer and more effective.
For some excellent reading on medication interactions I recommend
Supplement Your Prescription: What Your Doctor Doesn't Know About Nutrition
by Dr Hyla Cass
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What do You Think?
Would you like to "voice" your opinion about medication interactions and their effect on your body?
If you have something you would like to add to this website I have included an interactive area at the bottom of this page. You can also see what others have said. I appreciate any input you may have on this subject.
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Scientists have known for decades that many drugs commonly prescribed by doctors can cause the depletion of one or more nutrients but, as you can imagine, this information has not received the publicity it deserves.
Even so, we all know that ....
Drugs Have Side Effects
According to research, many of the side effects from drugs can actually be due to nutrient depletion caused by the drugs. Some commonly prescribed and over-the-counter drugs include:
- Aspirin can deplete vitamin C, calcium, folic acid, iron, and potassium.
- NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs), including ibuprofen and naproxen can deplete folic acid.
- Cardiovascular drugs, ACE inhibitors, such as diuretics, beta-blockers and cholesterol lowering drugs deplete one or more of the following nutrients: B vitamins, vitamin C, folic acid, CoQ10, magnesium, zinc and/or potassium.
- Antacids may deplete calcium, zinc, phosphorus, folic acid, and potassium.
- Oral contraceptives can deplete nearly all of the B vitamins along with selenium, magnesium and zinc.
- Ulcer medications such as pepcid, axid and zantac can deplete calcium, vitamin B12, folic acid, iron and zinc.
In a nutshell, both prescription and over-the-counter drugs have the potential to deplete nutrients from your body and minerals and the B vitamins are the most common drug-depleted nutrients.
Are you willing to take the risk to your family's health?
Furthermore, with the generally poor American diet, a high stress lifestyle and air pollution you can probably see the potential for serious nutrient deficiencies.
Since the health of many people depends on medications, eliminating them is not a practical answer and changes in someone’s diet need to be carefully supervised by a physician.
So, where does that leave you and your loved ones?
What is the answer? ....
You Can Change
I would like to suggest you make some changes in your lifestyle including a proper diet and supplements designed to help replace the nutrients that may be depleted.
Your doctor would probably recommend eating more fruits and vegetables and that would be a very good start.
I even add 4 or five olives to my martini so I get the greens my doctor wants me to have. ;-)
You should also ask your physician and/or pharmacist about your medications and the possible interactions they may have with nutrients.
Your next step would be to choose a high quality multi-mineral and whole-food multi-vitamin supplement in order to replace what is missing in the foods you consume.
You Can Take Back Control
Remember - Ultimately, your health is your responsibility.
For more information on medication interactions and drug-induced nutrient depletion refer to the book Nutritional Cost of Prescription Drugs
Also be aware that some herbs can react with meds, both prescribed and over the counter, and some herbal combinations can cause serious side effects.
Consult your health practitioner on the medication interactions of drugs, herbs and supplements you are taking.
If you are currently taking supplements (vitamins, minerals, or herbs) together
with medication of any kind, over-the-counter or prescription, you should
consider purchasing the
A-Z Guide to Drug-Herb-Vitamin Interactions Revised and Expanded 2nd Edition: Improve Your Health and Avoid Side Effects When Using Common Medications and Natural Supplements Together
This comprehensive and very easy-to-use reference gives you the ability to look up either the medicine or the supplement and find out if there are any known interactions between the two.
The guide will sometimes recommend nutrients that supplement a drug because of the depletion it causes, and sometimes it will recommend against combining them.
This is a "Must Read" and I highly recommend it.
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Do You Have Some Strong Opinions on This Topic?
Are you willing to share? Here is your chance to influence "Fence Sitters" toward your way of thinking. Who knows, you might even be able to win some converts.
What do you really think about medication? What about Herbs and Nutrition Supplements? Do you have some good examples to prove your opinion?
"Established" thinking argues that only drugs are effective and supplements may be a waste of money but there are some very strong arguments for avoiding drugs altogether.
What is your opinion?
If you have a great story or some incite on this very controversial subject please share it here!
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