Why Shouldn't You Take Medicine with Grapefruit Juice?

Why Shouldn't You Take Medicine with Grapefruit Juice?

If you’ve taken prescription medication, have you ever noticed the strange disclaimer, “don’t take with grapefruit juice”? There is a very good reason for that! Hank Green explains in this episode of SciShow Quick Questions!

Hosted by: Hank Green
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Sources:
http://www.dictiome.com/en/27682/furanocoumarins-pronunciation-Aussprache-prononciation-%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B8%D0%B7%D0%BD%D0%BE%D1%88%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B5-pronunciaci%C3%B3n [pronunciation]
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/83/5/1097.long
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/UCM292839.pdf
http://www.health.harvard.edu/family_health_guide/grapefruit-and-medication-a-cautionary-note
http://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/how-cancer-treated/clinical-trials/phases-clinical-trials

49 Comments

  1. Traveling Adventure Variety on September 23, 2021 at 4:13 am

    I just took a perc with a glass of grapefruit juice, see you on the other side.



  2. Debbie Taylor on September 23, 2021 at 4:13 am

    What about grapefruit cordial , diluted with water?



  3. Simona Eaton on September 23, 2021 at 4:15 am

    Grapefruits are my favorite fruits



  4. John E. Nobody on September 23, 2021 at 4:16 am

    This is a serious thing. Take ketamine, for example. Studies have shown that patients who ingested grapefruit prior to a slow-drip IV infusion of race mix ketamine had 3-fold the blood plasma levels of S-ketamine alone in the area under the curve (translation: it was 3X as powerful in grapefruit+ people). No, this doesn’t mean take some grapefruit and you can cut your doses fractionally (in ketamine’s case, by appx. one-third), as the mechanisms of CYP enzymes are complex and you could, in fact, be diminishing the effects of your drug, such would be the case for a pro-drug that needs the enzyme for conversion (like Tramadol). It can be extremely dangerous. I wish more people knew about this, it would literally save lives.



  5. Kathryn Trojanowski on September 23, 2021 at 4:16 am

    I can’t eat grapefruit because of my meds … I honestly miss it



  6. Patrick Lofton on September 23, 2021 at 4:17 am

    Maybe the grapefruit will take care of the problem the medication is being used for.



  7. Galey Luu on September 23, 2021 at 4:18 am

    I’m taking some antibiotics right now for a stye and the pharmacist told me this exact warning. Well, I don’t even like grapefruit anyways so I’m not missing out on anything great. (grapefruit is too bitter for my tastes)



  8. Duc Tran on September 23, 2021 at 4:20 am

    Appreciate video content! Apologies for chiming in, I would appreciate your initial thoughts. Have you ever tried – Dinanlinson Collecting Muscle Approach (do a google search)? It is a smashing one of a kind guide for learning how to get big and lean fast without the normal expense. Ive heard some awesome things about it and my GF at very last got excellent success with it.



  9. breadstickzzzzzzz on September 23, 2021 at 4:21 am

    Thank you I’ve always hated grapefruit but I’m about to get lit tonight



  10. T Y on September 23, 2021 at 4:23 am

    The way you talk is very nice to listen to sir



  11. Abigail Oneill on September 23, 2021 at 4:25 am

    I like grapefruit juice.



  12. jacob mccray on September 23, 2021 at 4:25 am

    luls



  13. Grace USA on September 23, 2021 at 4:26 am

    Thank you for the best explanation.



  14. sdfkjgh on September 23, 2021 at 4:27 am

    I prefer pomelo.



  15. Mayhem on September 23, 2021 at 4:28 am

    Hank you have obviously never had the "Simply" brand pink grapefruit juice because that right there is what we call Heavenly Dank! Once you’ve had Simply Grapefruit, that there piddily orange juice can be tea-bagged! Because "Meh!" just doesn’t cut it anymore!



  16. louai 've nights at freddy on September 23, 2021 at 4:28 am

    I’ll never drink grapefruit juice ever again



  17. Alex on September 23, 2021 at 4:29 am

    Well I’ll guess I’ll die just took it with headache meds



  18. Stabby Vibes on September 23, 2021 at 4:31 am

    Moriarty the patriot brought me here.



  19. King Pin_55 on September 23, 2021 at 4:34 am

    I drank a whole big bottle of white grape fruit juice once for that exact reason



  20. thulomanchay on September 23, 2021 at 4:37 am

    Don’t take grapefruit juice with your medication.
    If you take your medication in the morning, you could have your grapefruit in the afternoon.



  21. Blacky Chan on September 23, 2021 at 4:37 am

    Who’s here for kratom and grapefruit juice?



  22. Gro Jay Simpson on September 23, 2021 at 4:39 am

    I always drink a carton of grapefruit juice with my valium!



  23. jakov d'arc on September 23, 2021 at 4:39 am

    I kno this and I still take my meds with grapefruit juice because we only have one life and I’ll be darned if big pharma denies me every mg of my dose LISTEN TO HANK THO



  24. Frank Andrew I on September 23, 2021 at 4:39 am

    Pink grapefruit juice the best



  25. 000 000 on September 23, 2021 at 4:39 am

    If you take sprycal for CML don’t drink grapefruit juice either.



  26. S P on September 23, 2021 at 4:42 am

    Definitely going to the store to buy grapefruit juice…



  27. LennoxTheMenace on September 23, 2021 at 4:45 am

    Cough medicine like dextromethorphan helps dry cough but if you take more than the recommended dose it becomes a dissociative drug and if you take enough of it you can have an out of body experience while tripping. You can mix grapefruit juice with this and it infact gives more visuals, the visuals look like LSD visuals.



  28. Rhiannon Ruadh on September 23, 2021 at 4:45 am

    But can we use this method to reduce the required dose and bring down drug costs?



  29. TimothyBowman on September 23, 2021 at 4:47 am

    Just ate grapefruit and took my meds o my hope I live . God bless .



  30. patrapper7 on September 23, 2021 at 4:47 am

    Now I will take my aspirin as well as grapefruit juice to get rid of a headache faster



  31. Timothy Baeza on September 23, 2021 at 4:48 am

    Grapefruit increases opiates and makes them last longer except certain synthetic versions like tramadol actually keeps it from working. It depends on how the drug works, is it active before or after metabolism by the enzyme it inhibits? Sometimes I forget and mix with caffeine stayed up all night unfortunately.



  32. victor 91 on September 23, 2021 at 4:49 am

    Most deceptive "fruit" in the world



  33. Suzette Henderson on September 23, 2021 at 4:50 am

    No it does not…orange juice is too sweet! But that list is worrisome, as those are all drugs I take…



  34. TTV.snakez 1x on September 23, 2021 at 4:51 am

    They work out a safe dose ? Ok I’m drinking grapefruit with my drugs who wants to stay safe?



  35. Totes Mcgotes on September 23, 2021 at 4:53 am

    This is a weird question, but why does adderall make me fall asleep? I mean I’m not complaining because I usually go 1-5 days without sleep but I thought it was supposed to make me focus. Any help is appreciated.



  36. iCSZ on September 23, 2021 at 4:54 am

    Fake theories.Scientist proved this theory wrong…(they experimented with this interaction on people,the effect is a placebo effect)…I do not know how people belive eveything on the internet.



  37. Tommy Harris on September 23, 2021 at 4:56 am

    Will grapefruit juice increase the dose of Viagra?



  38. Pyro1456 on September 23, 2021 at 5:00 am

    Grape fruit is the only fruit I do not like



  39. Michael Knapp on September 23, 2021 at 5:02 am

    I’ve been drinking a lot of GF Juice lately and I also take a lot of different medications. Man have I been feeling it. My heart has been beating really fast, I’ve been jittery, sweaty palms and feeling pretty crappy. I’m off of it now and feel a lot better.



  40. richard Rara on September 23, 2021 at 5:04 am

    I see this guy more than I see my mom



  41. Radio cure on September 23, 2021 at 5:05 am

    I just drank a whole bottle of grapefruit cider without realising. . .



  42. jg pliskin on September 23, 2021 at 5:06 am

    You telling me I’ll get higher if I take drugs with a shot of grapefruit juice?



  43. Joe TZ on September 23, 2021 at 5:06 am

    Lovely Video clip! Sorry for the intrusion, I would appreciate your initial thoughts. Have you tried – Dinanlinson Collecting Muscle Approach (do a search on google)? It is a smashing one off product for learning how to get big and lean fast without the headache. Ive heard some pretty good things about it and my friend got astronomical success with it.



  44. cdawson198600 on September 23, 2021 at 5:08 am

    Couldn’t you just cut your dose in half and take with grapefruit? It would effectively double the amount of doses you have for the same cost… ofcourse pharm companies would hate that.



  45. aztekwarrior23 on September 23, 2021 at 5:09 am

    So what if you take half the amount of medication recommended with a glass of grapefruit juice?!? Would this be just right?



  46. Uriel238 on September 23, 2021 at 5:10 am

    Nope. I like me my grapefruit juice. I also take atorvastatin. The best way to manage interactions like this (according to my doctor) is to space them out by at least two hours. I eat grapefruit in the morning and take my meds at bedtime.



  47. Hail Satan on September 23, 2021 at 5:11 am

    10mg codeine + 1 litre grapefruit juice, I’m feeling something



  48. Enrico Pucci on September 23, 2021 at 5:11 am

    Can’t you use the grapefruit juice to save money since you can just purchase medicine with a lower dose



  49. TimothyBowman on September 23, 2021 at 5:11 am

    I ate one grapefruit a day wow