What not to wash down pills with: it will spoil the effect

Doctors insist that it is a bad idea to wash down pills with the first liquid you have at hand. Substances in drinks can react with the medicine and significantly disrupt its effect. Sometimes it can lead to very serious consequences.

OBOZREVATEL has compiled a list of drinks that should not be used to wash down medications. You can use them only if you need to take the pill urgently and have nothing else at hand. In all other cases, you should only drink water.

Tea or coffee

Even if they are not strong, these popular drinks contain caffeine, which can affect the activity of enzymes involved in the absorption of the drug. As a result, the drug may be excreted faster or absorbed only partially, which will obviously disrupt its effect.

Juice

Juices contain a large amount of fruit acids, which can significantly affect the absorption of medicines. Thus, you will not get the right dose of the drug or, vice versa, it will work too quickly. Grapefruit juice is a particularly bad choice.

Carbonated drinks

The reason is the same: the presence of acids in the drink. In addition to affecting the absorption of medications, acids can also compromise the integrity of the tablet or capsule coating. Thus, for example, a drug that is supposed to be released in the intestines may be released earlier and not as intended.

Milk

Milk can greatly affect the bioavailability of a drug, which is the ability to penetrate the body where the active ingredient is supposed to work. It also changes the rate of drug elimination from the body, which can increase or decrease it. Antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are the worst to drink with milk.

Alcohol

Alcoholic beverages can enhance the effect of many drugs. Thus, they are incompatible with antidepressants. They are not recommended for use with antibiotics, and in combination with strong painkillers, they can have a very toxic effect. Drinking alcohol with medications can lead to a whole range of adverse reactions, including nausea and vomiting, loss of coordination, drowsiness, and headaches.

Why water?

Pure water is a neutral substance that does not affect the properties of the drug and does not change its composition. It can slightly dissolve it, but the body will still receive the required dose. In addition, if you drink enough of it, water can help alleviate discomfort if the pill has a bitter taste.

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