When a person attains a certain age, they inevitably come up against hypertension. That often means taking a ‘blood pressure pill’ every day for the rest of their lives. And drug interactions mean saying ‘goodbye’ to grapefruit…
When I started taking blood pressure meds, I was at first surprised to learn that one of my fave fruits was going to be strictly off limits for the rest of my life.
What’s the connection?
There doesn’t seem to be any logical connection, at first glance. But when the chemists start spinning their explana-tion, it makes perfect – if depressing – sense.
Johns Hopkins public information website tells us: “Tangy, juicy, fragrant, with a versatile flavor all its own, the grapefruit originated on the island of Barbados, and is a cross between a sweet orange and a large citrus fruit called a pomelo. […] Although grapefruit is mostly water, it is a very healthy food, with high levels of vitamins, minerals and nutrients.”
But for some of us, it’s a big ‘no,no’.
That’s because a compound found in abundance in grapefruit interferes directly with one of the most popular blood pressure control medications in use today. And it’s not just BP meds that are affected.
‘The Grapefruit Effect’
The so-called ‘grapefruit effect’ is actually a ‘thing’. A careful reading of the ‘patient information’ sheet for any medication you take will tell you if you should avoid grapefruit.
“Grapefruit can block an enzyme that helps your body break down certain medicines,” Johns Hopkins explains. “If this enzyme is blocked, too much medication could remain and build up in your blood-stream, causing [excessive] levels.
Some of the medications whose metabolism can be affected by grapefruit include:
- atorvastatin, lovastatin and simvastatin (cholesterol-lowering drugs)
- fexofenadine (an allergy medication)
- nifedipine (a drug for blood pressure)
- cyclosporine (an immunosuppressant)
But for the Grapefruit Effect, the food’s encyclopedic list of benefits would far outweigh any draw-backs. So, grapefruit growers and affected patients alike have been searching in earnest for a ‘safe’ version of the fruit for ages.
Science finds a way
Now, scientists at Israel’s Volcani Research Center have crossbred grapefruit with mandarin oranges – and come up with a promising result. Alas, for now, it’s just the first step in developing a complete, end-to-end solution to the Grapefruit Effect. But, at long last, there is at least hope on the horizon.
And allow me to say, mandarin oranges have long been my citrus fruit of choice. So put me down for the human trials as soon as they’re ready to roll out!
We’ll keep you posted on further developments as further research and experimentation proceed…
~ Maggie J.