Orange juice can reduce the absorption of the antihistamine fexofenadine by around a third (Image: Getty)
As grass pollen season reaches its first peak of the month this year, experts urge hay fever sufferers to avoid these four drinks when taking antihistamines.
Between mid-May and the end of July, grass pollen is notoriously bad. Taking antihistamines is a classic way to relieve the sneezing and coughing symptoms but the drink you take those tablets with will actually determine how useful the medication is.
Experts at Bolt Pharmacy shared exactly which drinks will prevent the medication from working as it should.
Read more: ‘I’m a pharmacist – here’s 3 ways to stop hay fever in its tracks in May’
Read more: You’re not imagining it, this everyday condition is becoming more common
Hay fever sufferers should not take antihistamines alongside or just before drinking alcohol (Image: Getty)
Although perhaps surprising for some given its general healthy benefits, orange juice should be avoided when taking antihistamines.
Bolt Pharmacy said: “Many people take their morning allergy medication with a glass of orange juice without giving it a second thought.”
However, they added that this can “significantly alter how some oral medications are absorbed by the body”.
Orange juice can reduce the absorption of the antihistamine fexofenadine by around a third.
They added: “This interaction does not apply to all allergy medicines equally, and it is important to note that antihistamines used as nasal sprays or eye drops are not affected in the same way, as they do not rely on gut absorption.”
The pharmacy said that “alongside fexofenadine [apple juice] can reduce its bioavailability by around a third or more, meaning considerably less of the active drug reaches the bloodstream”.
Experts advise taking the tablets with water to avoid this issue.
Drinking grapefruit juice can also significantly reduce the efficiency of your allergy pills. The pharmacy said: “Understanding this interaction is an important step in ensuring your medication works as intended.”
People should be careful when drinking this juice alongside other medications too, with the combination causing problems with other medication like felodipine (Plendil), simvastatin (Zocor) and atorvastatin (Lipitor).
Blood levels can rise and that may cause unanticipated side effects, according to The People’s Pharmacy.
While the upside of hay fever season is that it’s beer garden season too, hay fever sufferers should not be taking their symptom-relieving medication alongside or just before drinking alcohol.
Bolt Pharmacy said that the NHS “advises avoiding alcohol when taking sedating antihistamines, as this can enhance drowsiness” so hay fever sufferers should be especially careful if completing tasks like driving or operating machinery.
