
This app provides access to expert content on type 2 diabetes, as well as peer support through one-on-one conversations and live group discussions.
Are grapefruits good for you free#
When taking any medication, it is vital to always read the packaging carefully and follow instructions from doctors and pharmacists.ĭiscover more resources for living with type 2 diabetes by downloading the free app T2D Healthline. This is because the body does not metabolize metformin and so this medication is not affected by grapefruit’s ability to block the function of CYP3A4. Metformin does not carry this warning, and there is no evidence to suggest that grapefruit can interact with metformin. The FDA requires these medications to include a warning to people consuming grapefruit while taking the drug. The lack of metabolism is the reason why grapefruit does not interact with metformin.Īlthough grapefruit and grapefruit juice are healthful and nutritious, compounds in them can affect the safety or effectiveness of a wide range of medications. Instead, metformin passes through the body unchanged and leaves through a person’s urine. The body does not metabolize metformin at all, and there is no interaction with CYP3A4. So, people taking medications that rely on OATP for absorption may be able to still consume grapefruit products if they leave a 4-hour gap between taking the drug and having the fruit. However, this interaction is only temporary, lasting around 4 hours. This means that consuming grapefruit can decrease the body’s absorption of certain drugs, making them less effective. This protein helps the body move drugs into cells.

Research shows that these flavonoids can block a protein called organic anion transporter polypeptide, or OATP.

Grapefruit juice also contains flavonoids, including naringin and hesperidin. Even as little as 200 ml of grapefruit juice, which is less than 1 cup, can be enough to cause this interaction. The effect of furanocoumarins on CYP3A4 is irreversible, and it can take the body around 3 days to produce new CYP3A4. Share on Pinterest Grapefruit can affect the body’s absorption of certain drugs.Ĭompounds in grapefruit called furanocoumarins can block the function of CYP3A4, a digestive enzyme that helps the body metabolize around 50 percent of drugs.īlocking this enzyme means that certain drugs stay in the body for longer than normal and build up in the bloodstream, which can increase the risk of harmful effects and, in some cases, can be fatal. While these studies suggest potential benefits of drinking grapefruit juice for people with diabetes, more research is needed to confirm these findings in humans. The researchers believe that this result was due to compounds in the grapefruit juice suppressing glucose production in the rat’s livers. In a 2015 study, rats with drug-induced diabetes that drank grapefruit juice for 60 days experienced a decrease in fasting blood sugar levels compared to those that just drank water. The researchers stated that the mice drank the equivalent 3.5 to 4 cups of grapefruit juice a day for an average 70 kg adult person.

However, the mice on the low-fat diet only experienced a decrease in fasting blood insulin levels. The study found the mice on the high-fat diet experienced falls in fasting blood sugar levels, fasting blood insulin levels, and body weight compared to mice that did not drink grapefruit juice. In a 2014 study, researchers gave 25 to 50 percent sweetened grapefruit juice preparations to healthy mice that were on either a high-fat diet or low-fat diet.

Researchers do not fully understand why, but compounds in grapefruit may help lower blood sugar levels. Share on Pinterest Drinking grapefruit juice may be beneficial to people with diabetes.Īlthough grapefruit contains sugar, there is some evidence to suggest that consuming this fruit may be good for people with diabetes.
