Drug v Nutrients
Pharmaceuticals are capable of inducing nutrient deficiencies as well as numerous unwanted side effects. Many of these side effects may be caused by the nutrient deficiencies induced by the chemical reactions in the body from short and long term use of drugs.
Many drugs either inhibit conversions of nutrients or use more of them, which may contribute to additional health problems. The most common medicines that interfere with nutrient availability are cholesterol lowering statins, birth control pills and antibiotics.
To mitigate the risk of nutrient associated side effects the diet must be manipulated to provide additional food sources or supplementation may be added to the medication regime to compensate. This will require higher than RDA levels of nutrients as daily living and medication consumption as well as rectification of deficiencies will not be met from diet alone, unless very carefully monitored. Please click on the Adverse Drug Nutrient Chart March 2010 for a PDF version.
Do the prescriptions you take deplete your nutritional status?
| Medication | Nutrients Depleted |
|---|---|
| Antacids/Ulcer medications | Vit B12, Folic Acid, Vit D, Calcium, Iron, Zinc |
| Anti-Biotics: see extensive list here | Beta-carotene, Biotin, Calcium, Carnitine, Copper, Folate, Iron, Magnesium, Niacin, Potassium, Vitamin A, B1, B2, B5, B6, B12, C, D, K, Zinc |
| Anticholinergics: dicylomine, atropine | PABA, Riboflavin |
| Anti Convulsants : Carbemazapine, Phenytoin, Valproic acid (epileptic medication) | Biotin, Calcium, Carnitine, Copper, Folate, Niacin, Phosphorus, Riboflavin, Selenium, Thiamin, Vitamin B6, B12, D, E, K, Zinc |
| Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) | Serotonin, Zinc |
| Anti-inflammatories: NSAIDS including diclofenac, ibuprofen, naproxen, paracetemol, aspirin | Folate, Iron, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Zinc, Chromium, Glutathione, Selenium |
| Antidepressants | CoQ10, Vit B2, Protein, Sodium |
| Antidiabetics: Metformin | CoQ10, Folate, Magnesium, Thiamin, Vitamin B12 |
| Antifungals: | Magnesium, Potassium |
| Antigout: | Beta-carotene, Copper, Folic acid, Iron, Magnesium, Niacin, Potassium, Vitamin B6, Riboflavin, Vitamin B12, Zinc |
| Antihypertensive’s: | Coq10, Vit B6, Zinc |
| Antiprotozoals: | Calcium, Folate, Magnesium |
| Anti-Retrovirals: Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors including AZT | Copper, Iron |
| Aspirin | Iron, Folic acid, Vitamin C |
| BetaBlockers: acebutolol, atenolol, betaxolol, bisoprolol, carvedilol, celiprolol, propranolol, | Melatonin, Calcium, Coenzyme Q10 |
| Birth Control Pill: Oestrogen and progesterone combination, mono and triphasic. | DHEA, Folate, Magnesium, Riboflavin, Selenium, Thiamin, Vitamin A, Vit B5, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Zinc |
| Bisphosphonates: Bone management | Iron, Phosphorus |
| Cholestyramines (bile sequestration agent) | Vitamin A,D,E,B12,K Folic acid, Beta-carotene |
| Corticosteroids: Prednisone, Prednisolone, Hydrocortisone, Beclometasone, Dexamethasone) | Calcium, Chromium, Folate, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Selenium, Strontium, Zinc. |
| Digoxin: Heart medication | Magnesium, Vitamin B1 |
| Diuretics: | Calcium, CoQ10, Copper, Folate, Magnesium, Potassium, Riboflavin, Sodium, Thiamine, Vitamin C, Zinc |
| Fibrates- Cholesterol lowering medications | CoQ10, Vitamin E |
| Histamine H2 Blockers: | Calcium, Vitamin D, Iron, Vitamin B12, Folic acid, Zinc |
| Interleukins: IL-2 | Magnesium |
| Psychotropics: chlorpromazine etc. | CoQ10, B12, Riboflavin, Selenium |
| Proton Pump Inhibitors: Lansoprazole, Omeprazole | Vit B12 |
| Sodium Bicarbonate | Magnesium, Vitamin B12 |
| SSRI’s: antidepressants – Fluoxetine, Sertraline etc. | Protein, Sodium |
| Statins ( HMG-CoA reducatse inhibitors) | CoQ10 |
| Theophylline | Vitamin B6 |
| Thyroid Medication: | Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphate |