People's Pharmacy

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Insomniacs Will Soon Have A New Pill For Sleep

Posting Date: 09/12/2005

Q. What is the interaction between statin drugs and grapefruit? I have read the labels and looked on the Internet, but I?m still confused.

Are statin users not supposed to eat any grapefruit at all, at any time of day? Or can you eat grapefruit in the morning and take your medication in the evening?

I happen to be taking Lipitor now. But I wonder if the grapefruit interaction is different for the other statins.

A. Grapefruit slows elimination of some statin drugs (Mevacor, Lipitor and Zocor). That means that if you eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice it is likely that blood levels of your cholesterol drug will be higher than normal. This may increase the risk of side effects.

The grapefruit effect is long lasting. Reported effects may linger for up to 48 hours, so eating your grapefruit in the morning will not protect you from an effect in the evening.

We are sending you our Guides to Grapefruit Interactions and Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs for more details. Anyone who would like copies, please send $2 in check or money order with a long (no. 10) stamped (60 cents), self-addressed envelope: Graedons' People's Pharmacy, No. JL-97, P. O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.

Certain statin drugs (Crestor, Lescol and Pravachol) are processed through different enzymes and do not interact with grapefruit.

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In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of this newspaper or e-mail them via their Web site: www.peoplespharmacy.org. Their newest book is The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies (St. Martin's Press).