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Health & Wellness

2006-08-01 13:07:00

Vitamins and drugs, good mix?

Well, yes, nutrients are necessary for good health, and drugs are used commonly in health care, so some knowledge about how they can function together is a good thing.  Please consider the following bits of information and I hope the information will be helpful.  NUTRIENT REPLETION:  Nutrient Repletion: consists of identifying nutritional deficiencies, prescribing appropriate foods and dietary supplements to attempt to correct those deficiencies, and monitor progress.  In Geriatrics, the older population is thought to be from 25 percent to 60 percent (by RDA standards) deficient in many common and necessary nutrients (necessary to be healthy).  Marginal deficiencies are those that are borderline normal.  Such deficiencies are commonly known to be associated with: fetal abnormalities, growth retardation, increased susceptibility to infection, and the promotion of degenerative changes (Thurnham).  Although, in general, nutrient repletion is quite safe, there is the danger the repletion of one nutrient may worsen a deficiency of another that is not being supplemented.  Such interactions occur between Zinc and Copper, and Zinc and Iron.  Nutrient Pharmacotherapy refers to the use of nutrients, often at dosages well in excess of the RDA, for the purpose of preventing or treating illnesses that are may not be solely caused by nutrient deficiencies.
-In other words, your specific health needs may dictate a different RDA per say (recommended daily allowance) that may improve certain unwanted health conditions or disease.  Some EXAMPLES:  Niacin to reduce elevated cholesterol levels, B6 to reduce infantile seizures, Folic Acid in pregnancy to prevent defects, and Magnesium in acute coronary insufficiency to reduce the risk of myocardial infarction, arrhythmias and death.
-CAUTION:  We still have nutrient/nutrient reactions.
-NUTRIENT/DRUG interactions are of concern.  Example: Folic acid supplements which decrease the anticonvulsant action of phenytoin, and calcium which practically nullify the efficacy of tetracycline if the two are taken together.
-REDUCING RISKS:  Many of these interactions can be avoided by instructing the patient to take the supplements an hour or at least two hours after taking medication.
-Note: a Nutritional Assessment should be conducted to determine your true Nutrient Repletion and Nutritional Pharmacotherapy needs.
-NUTRIENT AND DRUG INTERACTIONS:  DRUGS MAY REACT WITH THE FOOD YOU EAT:  Ask your doctor and read labels to determine if your medication should not be taken with meals or anything else but water!
-Also be aware that nutritional deficiencies may be causing your medications to not work as well.
-Deficiency of such nutrients as calcium, magnesium, or zinc may impair drug metabolism. Energy and protein deficiencies reduce tissue levels of enzymes and may impair the response to drugs by reducing absorption and causing liver dysfunction. Drug response may also be affected by impaired absorption due to changes in the GI tract. Vitamin C deficiency is associated with decreased activity of drug-metabolizing enzymes. The frequency of adverse drug reactions in the elderly may be related to low vitamin C status.
-ADVERSE DRUG NUTRIENT INTERACTIONS:  Ace Inhibitors: Adverse interaction—Avoid Potassium supplements or high potassium foods when taking this medication because taking them together may cause undesirable or dangerous results.
NSAID’S (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs):  These drugs cause the body to not excrete the mineral LITHIUM; therefore if you are supplementing lithium, you may build up unwanted high levels.
NSAID’S and White Willow: White Willow contains natural aspirin, so you could get too much between the two.
BETA-BLOCKERS: often used in hypertension and for arrhythmias.  This class of drugs often causes the build up of Potassium in the blood, and with the addition of Potassium supplements may cause a dangerous condition known as hyperkalemia
Many of the medications you are on may be causing nutritional deficiencies.
Many times nutritional supplements or food should be taken at separate times.
Your nutritional supplements and drug therapies should be worked out with the specific doctors who know.