Err on the side of caution and restrict drinking and eating grapefruit if you take one of these statins, at least until you discuss the risks with your doctor. No one has the same reaction when mixing grapefruit with lovastatin, atorvastatin, or simvastatin. However, check with your doctor if you experience ill effects, since it’s unclear how common these interactions are. If you accidentally consume a small amount of grapefruit, it isn’t likely to affect your medication. Most incidents of negative reactions involved consuming large amounts of grapefruit. Keep in mind that both fresh and frozen juices have the same effect.Īccording to the Cleveland Clinic, there are instance when consuming moderate amounts of grapefruit appear to be safe. Others may need to consume more of the fruit or juice to have an interaction. Just one grapefruit or one glass of grapefruit juice could be enough to cause an interaction in some people.

The exact amount of grapefruit it takes to have a negative reaction when taking lovastatin, atorvastatin, or simvastatin is unknown. How much grapefruit is ok while on certain statins?

If you use a skin patch or receive your medication through an injection, you may have a lower risk of adverse effects. This is because the interaction happens in your digestive tract. Interestingly, the interaction between grapefruit and medications poses a danger only when taken orally. Grapefruit doesn’t affect other statins because they are metabolized by a different enzyme, CYP2C9. This compound deactivates the CYP3A4 enzyme that the body uses to metabolize, or process, these particular statins. Furanocoumarins are organic chemical compounds present in many different plants, including grapefruit. The secret to the interaction between grapefruit and these statins is in furanocoumarins, according to a 2017 study. You only need to avoid grapefruit if your doctor prescribes lovastatin, atorvastatin, or simvastatin. For this reason, you might avoid the fruit altogether. One misconception is that you shouldn’t mix grapefruit with any statin drug.

If you’re prescribed a statin, it’s important to understand which ones can interact negatively with grapefruit and grapefruit juice. Ascher.How grapefruit interacts with certain statins So, eating grapefruit may be less worrisome than drinking grapefruit juice, says Dr. The chemicals of concern-furanocoumarins-occur in greater concentrations in grapefruit juice compared with grapefruit. Bromley says.Īnd while it's best to switch to a statin that doesn't have this interaction, some experts or resources may advise timing your medication so it's spaced apart from your grapefruit consumption. “If you’re committed to consuming grapefruit regularly-which you absolutely can-I would proactively switch you to a statin that I wouldn’t have to worry about that serious but rare adverse effect,” Dr. Bromley agrees, especially with the rare-but-there risk of rhabdo. “If patients cannot give up grapefruit or grapefruit juice, we will discuss choosing a different statin,” he says.ĭr. Still, he adds, most of the time the side effects, usually muscle and joint pain, will be mild. “There are no known ‘safe amounts,’” says Dr. According to the CDC, this can lead to:īut if you take Lipitor, Mevacor, or Zocor, however, grapefruit could be a problem for you. This rare condition causes your muscles to break down, releasing the contents of your muscle’s cells, such as proteins and electrolytes, into your bloodstream. Grapefruit also slightly raises the risk of a more dangerous, potentially fatal complication associated with statins called rhabdomyolysis (also known as “rhabdo”). Rhabdomyolysis as a Complication of Combining Statins and Grapefruit “Many people have those symptoms regardless of grapefruit consumption.” In fact, the most common reason for discontinuing or switching to a different statin is muscle pain/soreness. “Those symptoms can be annoying, bothersome, uncomfortable, and painful, but they’re not considered harmful,” says Dr. It affects different muscles or muscle groups. It’s the muscle soreness, also known as statin-associated muscle symptoms, or SAMS, which Dr. Because of the way that grapefruit can effectively increase the effects of Lipitor, Mevacor, and Zocor on your body, combining the two raises your risk of statin side effects, explains the Cleveland Clinic.

Grapefruit and cholesterol meds