Can I eat grapefruit while taking simvastatin?

Grapefruit or grapefruit juice affects some statins. Do not drink grapefruit juice if you’re taking simvastatin. Grapefruit juice increases the level of simvastatin in your blood and makes side effects more likely.

Why is grapefruit bad with simvastatin?

Grapefruit contains a chemical that can interfere with your body’s ability to break down or metabolize certain statin medications. When statin takers eat large amounts of grapefruit, the level of statins in their blood can increase, raising the possibility of side effects.

What happens if I eat grapefruit while taking statins?

Some substances can interact with statins With some statins, drinking grapefruit juice, or eating grapefruit, is a bad idea. Grapefruit juice can cause that statin to stay in your body much longer, and the drug can build up. This can increase the risk of muscle breakdown, liver damage, and even kidney failure.

Which statin is safe with grapefruit juice?

So, it’s safe to continue enjoying your grapefruit with pravastatin (Pravachol), rosuvastatin (Crestor), fluvastatin (Lescol), and pitavastatin (Livalo). If you love grapefruit or grapefruit juice and your provider recommends that you start taking a statin, one of these may be a good option for you.

Does grapefruit lower cholesterol?

Eating just one red grapefruit daily for a month can help to lower LDL cholesterol by as much as 20 percent, one study in the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry in March 2006 showed. This cardioprotective effect is most likely due to compounds called liminoids and lycopene found in the pulp.

Does grapefruit lower triglycerides?

Jerusalem, Israel – Results from a new study suggest that a diet supplemented with fresh red grapefruit can help lower cholesterol levels, particularly serum triglycerides, in patients with atherosclerosis.

Does grapefruit reduce cholesterol?

Can you drink orange juice while taking simvastatin?

It is recommended that you avoid taking Simvastatin with large amounts of grapefruit juice. Large amounts of grapefruit juice (greater than 1 quart per day) can increase the side effects of Simvastatin. Orange juice is safe to drink.

Is grapefruit good for cholesterol?

Can you eat oranges when taking statins?

Seville oranges, limes, and pomelos also contain this chemical and should be avoided if you’re taking statins.

Why grapefruit affects medication?

Many drugs are broken down (metabolized) with the help of a vital enzyme called CYP3A4 in the small intestine. Grapefruit juice can block the action of intestinal CYP3A4, so instead of being metabolized, more of the drug enters the blood and stays in the body longer. The result: too much drug in your body.

Can you eat grapefruit if you have high cholesterol?

Is it safe to drink grapefruit juice while taking Zocor?

Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with simvastatin and lead to potentially dangerous effects. Do not consume grapefruit products while taking this medication. Some medicines can cause unwanted or dangerous effects when used with Zocor.

Is it bad to drink grapefruit juice with statin?

It might seem like a strange association, but certain statins like atorvastatin (Lipitor) and simvastatin (Zocor) can interact with grapefruit and grapefruit juice, increasing your risk for harmful side effects.

Are there any side effects to eating grapefruit?

When this happens, it can cause unpleasant and even harmful side effects like muscle pain (also known as myopathy). In fact, grapefruit can increase the risk for statin side effects by up to 5 times! Is grapefruit unsafe with all statins?

What foods should you avoid while taking Zocor?

Avoid the use of grapefruit products while taking Zocor. Avoid eating foods that are high in fat or cholesterol. Zocor will not be as effective in lowering your cholesterol if you do not follow a cholesterol-lowering diet plan. Avoid drinking alcohol.