Prescription Drug- Nutritional Risk Factors

If you take a prescription drug or know someone who does, it is always a good idea to be informed of possible nutritional risk factors.

Pharmaceuticals can provide important benefits to patients with medical problems but consumers/patients should know and understand the possible risk and/or potential depletion of nutrients associated with their use.

Pharmaceutical Medicine and possible nutritional deficiencies :

Digoxin
Nutrients deficiency: Magnesium, Vitamin B1

Diuretics (loop) (eg. Bumetanide, Ethacrynic Acid, Furosemide, Torsemide)
Nutrients deficiency: Calcium & Magnesium (however, if this type of diuretic is COMBINED with a potassium-sparing diuretic, then a magnesium deficiency will NOT occur. A calcium deficiency IS still likely though) Potassium- Vitamins B1, B6 & C

Diuretics (potassium sparing) (eg. Amiloride, Triamterene, Sopironolactone)
Nutrients deficiency: Calcium, Folic Acid

Diuretics (Thiazide type) (eg. Chlorothiazide, Hydrochlorothiazide, Indapamide, Methyclothiazide, Metolazonel)
Nutrients deficiency: Co-enzyme Q10 -Potassium (however, of this type of diuretic is COMBINED with a potassium-sparing diuretic, or an ACE inhibitor, then a potassium deficiency will NOT occur). Magnesium (however, if this type of diuretic is COMBINED with a potassium-sparing diuretic, then a magnesium deficiency will NOT occur. Zinc (however, if this type of diuretic is COMBINED with a potassium-sparing diuretic, then a zinc deficiency will NOT occur.

Fibrate type cholesterol-reducing medications (eg. Bezafibrate, Ciprofibrate, Clofibrate, Gemfibrozil, Fenofibrate)
Nutrients deficiency: Co-Enzyme Q10, Vitamin E

Histamine H2 blockers (eg. Cimetadine, Ranitidine, Famotidine, Nizatidine)
Nutrients deficiency: Calcium & Vitamin D, Iron, Vitamin B12 & Folic Acid, Zinc

Hydralazine
Nutrients deficiency: Co-enzyme Q10, Magnesium, Vitamin B6

Metformin
Nutrients deficiency: Folic Acid & Vitamin B12

Paracetamol
Nutrients deficiency: Glutathione, Selenium

Phenytoin
Nutrients deficiency: Calcium & Vitamin D, Vitamin B1, Folic Acid & Biotin

Proton pump inhibitors (eg. Lansoprazole, Omeprazole)
Nutrients deficiency: Vitamin B12

Phenothiazines (eg. Chlorpromazine, Fluphenazine, Mesoridazine, Perphenazine, Prochlorperazine, Thioridazine, Trifluoperazine)
Nutrients deficiency: Co-enzyme Q10

Thioxanthenes (eg. Chlorprothixene, Flupenthixol, Thiothixene, Zuclopenthixol)
Nutrients deficiency: Vitamin B2

Sodium bicarbonate
Nutrients deficiency: Magnesium, Folic Acid

Sulfasalazine
Nutrients deficiency: Folic Acid

SSRI antidepressants (eg. Fluoxetine, Sertraline, Paroxetine, Citalopram, Escitalopram, Fluvoxamine)
Nutrients deficiency: Melatonin, Protein

Statins (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors) (eg. Atorvastatin, Fluvastatin, Lovastatin, Provastatin, Simvastatin, Posuvastatin)
Nutrients deficiency: Co-enzyme Q10

Sulfonylureas antidiabetic medication (eg. Acetohexamide, Chlorpropamide, Gliclazide, Glipizide, Glybenclamide, Glyburide, Tolazamide, Tolbutamide)
Nutrients deficiency: Co-enzyme Q10

Theophylline & derivatives (eg. Theophylline, Aminophylline
Nutrients deficiency: Vitamin B6

Tricyclic antidepressants (eg. Amitriptyline, Amoxapine, Clomipramine, Desipramine, Doxepin, Imipramine, Noriptyline, Protriptyline, Trimipramine)
Nutrients deficiency: Co-enzume Q10, Vitamin B2

Valproic Acid & derivatives
Nutrients deficiency: L-Carnitine, Copper, Zinc & Selenium, Folic Acid

For a continued List – read Pharmaceuticals - Nutritional Risk Factors

This information is for informational purpose only and is not intended to replace the care or advice of a physician.