Can't skip coffee, how to take medicine properly?

Specialist Doctor 2 Dinh Tran Ngoc Mai, Department of Nutrition - Dietetics, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, said that coffee contains caffeine and plant compounds such as polyphenols and tannins, which can interact with many drugs by changing the absorption, metabolism or excretion of drugs in the body. This does not mean that drug users have to give up coffee, but need to understand the risks to use drugs safely and effectively.

Coffee contains caffeine and plant compounds such as polyphenols and tannins, which have the potential to interact with many medications.

Photo: AI

Iron supplements and coffee

A common example is iron supplements, which are often used to treat iron deficiency anemia. When taken with coffee or within 1 hour of coffee, iron absorption can be reduced by 40-80%.

The reason is that polyphenols and tannins in coffee combine with iron ions to form insoluble complexes, reducing the bioavailability of the drug.

In addition to coffee, foods such as tea, cocoa, dark chocolate, red wine, and even some whole grains can similarly interfere with iron absorption. In this case, the American Society of Hematology (ASH) recommends taking iron on an empty stomach and at least 1-2 hours apart from coffee to optimize the effectiveness of the treatment.

Antibiotics and coffee

Another group of drugs that are susceptible to interactions are quinolone antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin, said Dr. Ngoc Mai. These drugs can be affected in two ways: On the one hand, caffeine slows down the breakdown of the drug in the liver, increasing the risk of side effects such as restlessness, anxiety, hand tremors, or insomnia; on the other hand, the drug itself slows down the metabolism of caffeine, causing more caffeine to accumulate in the body. This is more evident in the elderly or those with liver disease. Guidelines from the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology (ASHP) recommend limiting the use of caffeinated beverages during treatment with these drugs to minimize interactions.

You should proactively inform your doctor about your daily coffee drinking habits.

Photo: AI

In addition, levothyroxine - a synthetic thyroid hormone commonly used to treat hypothyroidism - is also a drug that is very sensitive to food and drink. Coffee can significantly reduce the absorption of levothyroxine through the intestines, causing patients to not achieve the treatment effect even if they take the correct dose. According to the recommendations of the American Endocrine Society, the drug should be taken in the morning on an empty stomach, with filtered water, at least 30-60 minutes before meals and before coffee.

Antidepressants and Coffee

According to Dr. Ngoc Mai, some other drugs that need to be noted are osteoporosis medications such as alendronate and risedronate - they have very poor absorption when taken with food or coffee, leading to reduced effectiveness in preventing bone fractures.

Additionally, certain antidepressants, Parkinson's disease medications (such as levodopa), or birth control pills may also be affected by concomitant use with coffee, altering blood levels in different ways.

Dr. Ngoc Mai advises that people who have a habit of drinking 1-2 cups of coffee a day should proactively inform their doctor about this habit. Each type of medicine has its own optimal absorption time and the simplest way is to take the medicine with water, at least 1 hour away from coffee, or best follow the specific instructions of the doctor or pharmacist. This small adjustment can make a big difference in the effectiveness of treatment and patient safety.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/khong-the-bo-cu-ca-phe-uong-thuoc-sao-cho-dung-185250523095514218.htm