Certain medicines and supplements are not taken at the same time (useful tips)
There are combinations of medications and supplements / vitamins that should not be consumed at the same time. If a person drinks medical therapy with drugs and adds some supplements on his own initiative (for example, a laxative, vitamins, dietary supplements or just fruit juice), then the effect of the tablets from the therapy can be changed. Medications as well as other substances can affect each other. These combinations often bring benefits and strengthen the effect of the drug, but sometimes they do harm (side effects occur, one drug neutralizes another, or on the contrary increases the effect beyond measure and the like). Here are some tips from experts, doctors and pharmacists on the right combination of different medications. Therapy and use of any medication is a serious matter. You should always ask your doctor and medical specialist / pharmacist for advice on the use of extra tablets, vitamins and supplements. Digestive juices have a strong effect on the drugs that reach the body. That is why the time of using the medicine is important – before meals, during meals and after the medicine. Cardiac glycosides and drugs in general that do not irritate the gastric mucosa should be taken on an empty stomach because then the acidity of gastric juice is still low. These drugs will then be absorbed faster because they will adhere better to the surface of the stomach and intestines.

1. Means against constipation – some people in pharmacies buy laxatives without a prescription and do not read the composition of the drug. However, some laxatives contain dietary fiber that regulates constipation while expelling all the excess from the body (for example, cholesterol, but unfortunately also drugs). So it will not be useful if laxatives and tablets from medical therapy are taken at the same time.
2. Heartburn medications – due to long-term use of heartburn tablets can cause vitamin B12 deficiency. Symptoms of a deficiency of this vitamin include nervousness, depression and lack of strength. Some diabetes medications have the same side effect. A doctor should be consulted if alarming symptoms occur.
3. Dietary supplements with calcium – people with osteoporosis are prescribed drugs to prevent fractures, with the recommendation to use these drugs at the same time as calcium supplements. It is better to take calcium after foods that do not contain dairy products. Milk, yogurt and cheese can be eaten some other time. The body will thus extract the maximum of calcium from both the preparation and the food.
4. Cholesterol Medications – People using statin tablets should not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit fruit juice. These preparations are useful for lowering cholesterol levels but have a dangerous property – they prevent the natural breakdown of statins. Consequently, the drug accumulates in the liver and causes an overdose. Every year, people who drink grapefruit juice to lower cholesterol and use statins come to the hospitals. Grapefruit should not be used to avoid drug poisoning.
5. Antibiotics and probiotics-antibiotics destroy harmful and beneficial flora. This can cause a drop in immunity and bowel dysfunction, diarrhea, constipation and even avitaminosis. People are often advised to use probiotics-supplements or yogurt with beneficial bacteria. It is pointless to take probiotics immediately after taking antibiotics. This will not produce beneficial bacteria. It takes at least two hours between using / drinking antibiotics and probiotics. You should not drink juices with antibiotics, tonic or milk, it has an acidic effect and gastric juice, reducing the effect of the medicine to zero.
6. Preparations based on iron and zinc-iron are usually prescribed to people suffering from anemia. Zinc is used for hair loss and to strengthen immunity. If both minerals are needed by one person then it is necessary to use both minerals separately. When they reach the body at the same time, these minerals begin to compete, so none of them is almost absorbed by the body.