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Top Things I Learned About Safe Drug, Herb, and Vitamin Use
Many individuals now value natural remedies for treating diseases. However, excessive use or improper mixing with other medications or herbs can be ineffective or harmful. Some combinations may even enhance the absorption of certain drugs or vitamins.
VITAMINS
Sheryl Aguelo
6/22/20262 min read
In my Holistic Functional Medicine program, I learn the positive and negative effects of drugs and natural treatment interactions. A drug may cause nutrient depletion so dietary supplementation may be necessary. It may cause adverse reactions when combined with herbs. Food may increase or reduce drug absorption. It is very important to know drug interactions with other compounds to provide safe and efficient healthcare to patients.
All drugs have side effects. Some dietary supplements may help reduce the unwanted symptoms of a drug. An extract of Vinpocetine was shown to produce minor improvements in short-term memory among people taking flunitrazepam, a benzodiazepine. Other supplements may exacerbate the harmful effects of a drug. Indomethacin is an NSAID used to reduce inflammation, pain, and temperature. The use of iron supplements with indomethacin increases the risk of stomach irritation and bleeding. If both iron and indomethacin are prescribed due to iron loss, they should be taken with food to reduce the risk of stomach irritation and bleeding.
Some herbs have good interactions when taken together with drugs. Aspirin is a common drug that reduces swelling, pain, and fever. But also recommended in reducing the risk of heart attacks and stroke. The capsaicin of cayenne is known to protect against the damage of stomach lining caused by aspirin according to rat and human studies. Other herbs provide bad interactions with drugs, like St. John’s wort. One report described a case of serotonin syndrome in a patient who took St. John’s wort and trazodone, a weak SSRI drug. The patient manifested mental confusion, muscle twitching, sweating, flushing, and ataxia.
A drug taken with food may reduce the absorption of drugs. Lovastatin is a drug used to lower elevated cholesterol levels. The absorption of lovastatin is reduced in the presence of soluble fiber. It is recommended to avoid eating fruit and oatmeal within 2 hours before or after taking lovastatin. Food may increase the absorption of some drugs when taken together. Terazosin is a drug used to lower blood pressure. It is best to take this drug with food to increase effectiveness.
It’s necessary to understand drug interactions with herbs and other compounds to avoid harmful effects. It’s not enough to understand the efficacy of natural treatments. Many people took drugs first before switching to a natural way of healing disease. Knowledge of drug-herb-vitamin interactions is essential for the safe and effective treatment of diseases, especially if you have heart problems, epilepsy, kidney, and liver diseases.
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