Beware of Common Drugs That Can Rob You of Vitamins

Before you take that antacid or aspirin, know how it can affect your nutrition

When you take an aspirin or antacid, you’re usually trying to soothe a headache or an upset stomach. Unfortunately, you may also be preventing yourself from absorbing the nutrients in the food you eat. And while occasional medication generally doesn’t pose problems, frequent use can have health consequences you never considered.

Both prescription and over-the-counter medications, as well as such nontherapeutic drugs as alcohol and caffeine, are capable of affecting your nutritional status in a number of ways. The most obvious consequence is that they can decrease your appetite so that you don’t eat enough food in the first place. Some drug-nutrient interactions, however, are complicated and much less apparent.

Medications can bind themselves to nutrients, changing their structure so that they won’t fit through your intestinal walls. Drugs can also speed up the action of your intestines, so nutrients don’t  remain there long enough to be absorbed. and they can tamper with the digestive juices and enzymes that are necessary for nutrient absorption. Medication such as diuretics and laxatives can in increase the excretion of certain vitamins and minerals.

Older women, as well as women who diet or drink heavily, are the risk for these drug-induces nutrient deficiencies. So are women who have taken drugs for a long time—for anything from diabetes to birth control. Here are some common drugs and the nutritional consequences of using them.

Antacids are a quick remedy for heartburn because they reduce stomach acidity. But many vitamins and minerals –such as iron, folic acid, vitamins A and B12—require an acidic digestive system for maximum absorption. As a result, it is best to take an antacid on an empty stomach rather than with meals or with supplements.

Many women consume calcium carbonate–based antacids – for example tums, as a supplementary source of calcium. While calcium carbonate is good for protecting your bones, only 10 percent of the calcium in an antacid is absorbed, because the medication is taken on an empty stomach.  Antacids that contain magnesium or aluminium hydroxides, such as Maalox HRF, actually inhibit calcium absorption , especially if taken three or more times a day. Antacids containing aluminium hydroxides should not be consumed with citrus fruits or juices because the citric acid increases the absorption of aluminium, which can be toxic to the nerves and bones.

High blood pressure medications some diuretic medications used in the treatment of hypertension  increase  urinary excretion of magnesium, which is believed to protect against heart disease. To avoid problems, people taking these drugs should consume daily several servings of magnesium- rich foods, such as dark green leafy vegetables, low- fat milk, wheat germ and bananas, or take a supplement of no more than 500 mg of magnesium. Two hypertensions medications, captopril and enalapril, may  reduce zinc, eat foods such as oysters, turkey and lima beans, or take a 12 to 15 mg supplement.

Antibiotics are designed to destroy disease-causing bacteria. However, they also destroy bacteria that help maintain good health. The beneficial bacteria manufacture several nutrients in the large intestines, including biotin, which is essential to the metabolism of fats and protein, and vitamin K, which promotes wound healing. Long term use of some antibiotics, such as tetracycline, may reduce or half the manufacture of these nutrients, produce vitamin K deficiency, and deplete the small amount of vitamin C that is  stored in the body.

In addition, consuming some antibiotics, such as tetracycline, with a meal or with milk reduces the absorption of both the medication and several minerals (including calcium, iron and magnesium). These deficiencies can be prevented by eating a nutrient-dense diet. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health found that vitamin C taken with antibiotics increased the effectiveness of the medication.

“Contrary to popular wisdom, antacids that contain magnesium or aluminium hydroxides actually inhibit calcium absorption”

This article was written Elizabeth Somer, R.D. To learn more you can purchase her book, Nutrition for Women; The Complete Guide, or visit her website.