Clinically significant food-drug interactions alter pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics:
| Food/Component | Medication Class | Interaction Mechanism | Clinical Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grapefruit juice (furanocoumarins) | CYP3A4 substrates: statins (simva, lovasta, atorva), CCBs (felodipine, nifedipine), some benzos, immunosuppressants | Irreversible CYP3A4 inhibition (gut) | ↑ Drug levels → toxicity (rhabdo, hypotension, sedation) |
| Dairy (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺) | Tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones | Chelation → ↓ absorption | Treatment failure |
| Tyramine-rich (aged cheese, cured meat, fermented soy, red wine) | MAOIs (phenelzine, tranylcypromine) | Displaced NE → hypertensive crisis | Stroke, intracranial hemorrhage |
| High potassium (banana, potato, spinach) | K⁺-sparing diuretics (spironolactone, triamterene), ACEi/ARB + K⁺ supplement | Additive K⁺ retention | Hyperkalemia → arrhythmia |
| Vitamin K (kale, spinach, broccoli) | Warfarin | Antagonizes VKA | ↓ INR → thrombosis risk |
| Alcohol | Disulfiram, metronidazole, CNS depressants | Disulfiram: ALDH inhibition; others: additive sedation | Flushing, nausea, hypotension, respiratory depression |
| Caffeine | Stimulants (methylphenidate), theophylline, clozapine | Additive CNS stimulation / CYP1A2 inhibition | Anxiety, insomnia, tachycardia, toxicity |
Individual variability (genetics, microbiome, disease) modifies risk.