For many people, a cup of coffee in the morning is a habit to start the day. However, few people know that this familiar drink can affect the effectiveness of many drugs, from traditional medicine to heart disease or depression.
Coffee contains caffeine, a stimulant that can increase heart rate, blood pressure and cause insomnia if consumed in excess. When combined with certain drugs, caffeine can enhance side effects or hinder the ability to absorb drugs.
For example, caffeine when used with pills contains pseudoephedrine, which can cause restlessness, increase heart rate, and increase blood sugar, which is especially dangerous for people with diabetes.
Similarly, caffeine can reduce the effectiveness of hypothyroidism medications such as levothyroxine if you drink coffee immediately after taking the medication.
For example, with anti-depressants, caffeine not only reduces the absorption of SSRI drugs but also interacts with anti-psytic drugs such as clozapine, causing drug levels in the blood to nearly double, posing many potential health risks.
Coffee also affects cardiovascular drugs by temporarily increasing blood pressure and heart rate, which is contrary to treatment goals. Although it is not mandatory to completely abstain from coffee, people with heart disease need to pay attention to the dosage and monitor the body's reaction.
The advice for drug users is to take medicine such as levothyroxine or bisphosphonates on an empty stomach, wait 30 - 60 minutes before drinking coffee. At the same time, talk to your doctor if you are taking any psychiatric medication, asthma medication or painkillers containing caffeine.
Coffee is not bad, but understanding the interaction between drugs and coffee will help you both protect the effectiveness of treatment and fully enjoy a cup of coffee every day.
