Is it true that eating grapefruit can interfere with medicine absorption by the body?

Grapefruit juice has chemicals in it which can cause problems with enzymes that break down the medication in your intestines. Grapefruit juice has been found to affect around 50 medicines.

Yes It is true that grapefruit can cause higher levels of some medicines in your body, making it more likely that you will have side effects from the medicine.

Only some medicines interact with grapefruit. Examples include medicines for:
High cholesterol: atorvastatin and simvastatin
High blood pressure: felodipine , nifedipine , and nisoldipine
Heart arrhythmia (when your heartbeat isn't normal): amiodarone and disopyramide

If you don't know if the medicine you are taking interacts with grapefruit, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Information from American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs: Grapefruit interferes with the breakdown of drug causing a higher level of drug in the body. Cholesterol drugs that grapefruit effects includes: atorvastatin (Lipitor), lovastatin (Mevacor), simvastatin (Zocor). Hypertensive drugs effected are: felodipine (Plendil), nicardipine (Cardene), nifedipine (Procardia), nimodipine (Nimotop), nisoldipine (Sular).

It is best to consult your doctor with concerns about specific drug interactions. Keep the doctor informed of all medications, including over-the-counter and herbals, you are taking. The local pharmacy can print out drug information on specific medications you are prescribed that should have information on food/alcohol/smoking/herbal/drug-drug interactions.

I understand the benefits of grapefruit, any ideas on how to sweeten it without adding sugar?

You can add a bit of honey, cinnamon, nutmeg or cloves

I like the soury taste of it. Is it true that it can lower the cholestrol in your body?

Yes, it can. Doctors give grapefruit to their patient who has high cholesterol and the result was good. They have lowered down their cholesterol by 25%.

I haven’t tried that yet. I will be giving this info to my father’s friend who has high cholesterol.

This is the best fruit to eat if you want to have normal cholesterol level. I had high cholesterol level before with this fruit and low fat diet, my cholesterol level went down.