For many of us, starting a day without a cup of coffee or tea is unimaginable. However, in some cases, caution should be taken regarding the drink taken with the medicine. Some medicines may be taken at different times of the day, but it is also advised not to take them with things that contain caffeine.
Antonio Javier Carcas Sanswan, professor of pharmacology at the University of Madrid, said: "There are about 60 drugs that do not have a negative effect with caffeine. When we take a medicine, it passes through our body, once it reaches the stomach or intestine, goes into the blood and then distributes throughout the body."
" Medicines have pharmacological targets, meaning their positive effects begin when they reach specific parts of the body," said Elena Piotra Ruiz de Azwa, professor of pharmacology at Navara University. These targets are a strategic point for the treatment of a disease. While proteins are useful for initiating or blocking the effect of the drug. For this, the medicine has to be fully absorbed and distributed in the body.
The drug has to be metabolized from the body and this work is of the liver. It is one of the organs of the body that purifies the body, but what if coffee is added to the whole journey? It depends on the drug and its purpose.
Caffeine stimulates the nervous system
Remember that caffeine is a trigger of the central nervous system, which can cause nervousness and high blood pressure. If we are talking about a drug that aims to create a soothing effect for the brain, then mixing it with a coffee or caffeinated drink will be harmful because it will reduce the effects of the drug. Many of these medicines used in treatment belong to the family of Benzo Diazepine, which is used for anxiety and insomnia.
"Along with the drug, caffeine will also reach the brain, then on one hand your nervous system will be stimulated by caffeine and on the other hand the drug will have an effect. Taking these medicines with caffeinated beverages is strongly discouraged. "Because the molecules you’re taking through coffee or cola work just the opposite of medicines," he says. ‘
Excessive accumulation of medicine in the liver
In addition, some medicines use enzymes and proteins like caffeine to metabolize in the liver. Therefore, there is a kind of interference in it, due to which this medicine accumulates excessively in the body. Experts warn that "plasma increases may be irrelevant for some drugs because they have more protective capacity." But it can be dangerous for other very specific medications, such as those prescribed for schizophrenia, which it is necessary to treat, to accumulate in one place. They are medicines that do not matter if they are overdose, but if it exceeds the prescribed amount, it can increase the risk. ‘
Caffeine can modify certain medications by increasing or reducing their effect, Karkas says. There are also drugs that inhibit the enzyme responsible for the above process by inhibiting the metabolism of caffeine. An example of this is some antibiotics, such as quinolones. "It may be that this drug suppresses or decreases the metabolism of caffeine and therefore the amount of caffeine in the body increases and its effect is more. ‘
Digestive problem
It is also directed that some medicines, such as those used to treat hypothyroidism, should be taken on an empty stomach. "It is important to take thyroxine on an empty stomach, without eating or drinking coffee, and that we wait for a while before having breakfast so that the drug is fully absorbed at the intestinal level and thus get the best level of hormone in our body," says Pavitra. ‘
And that is, the presence of food in the stomach and intestine can potentially hinder the absorption of certain medicines. Even if you take the recommended dose and if a part of it is not absorbed, it will not have a medical effect. However, for other medicines, diet is the best rule. Some inflammatory drugs can be very harmful to the gastric mucosa. For this reason it is sometimes recommended to eat it with food so that it can reduce the harmful effect of gastro. ‘
Milk element in coffee
"Don’t be deceived by large quantities of milk coffee," says Pyotra. "Tetracyclines, which are a type of antibiotic, combine with milk to cause complications and prevent it from being absorbed. Taking some medicines with dairy products did not make a difference, but the effect of some antibiotics may be lost.
If medicines affecting the central nervous system, such as antidepressants, are taken, it is important to follow the doctor’s instructions, as caffeine itself is a major trigger of the system, says Pavitra. It is important that medicines are taken in the same way as stated by health experts.
"Forget the home remedies. If it is a bag and it has to be dissolved in water, do it this way, not in juice or other liquid because it completely changes the effect of the drug. He also says that there are many medicines that are not a problem to take with coffee.
"You have to look at each case differently, and the best way to make sure is to ask your pharmacist or doctor about it. "It’s generally good to drink coffee in moderation. ‘
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