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DRUG INTERACTIONS
we keep you safe*

Many have the mistaken notion that all herbs and foods are safe to combine with medications because they are natural. However, everything you put in your mouth has the potential to interact since it travels the digestive system in similar ways to medications. Some drugs interfere with the body’s ability to absorb nutrients, and certain herbs and foods can speed up or slow down the action of a medication.
Interaction symptoms can include headaches, flu-like symptoms, increased anxiety, insomnia, nausea and some can be life threatening.
The team at Point of Return specialize in this field and know that an interaction can create unnecessary discomfort or pose a danger. Our program outlines herb, food and over-the-counter medications that may interact with Antidepressants, Benzodiazepines and Sleeping Pills. Each medication is listed in the Point of Return workbook with a list of Items to Avoid in your diet while on the program. And our Pocket Interaction Guide in a compact size that includes Antidepressants, Benzodiazepines, Sleeping Pills and Anti-Psychotic medications.
Whether you are withdrawing from medications or not, it is critical to understand how many items can affect your prescriptions or heavily deplete the body. Below is just a sampling of items to avoid such as Passionflower, St. John’s Wort, 5-HTP, Caffeine, Barley Grass, Ginseng, Chinese Herbs and others. For a complete list of items to avoid, please review both the Point of Return workbook (not sold separately but included in the program) and the Pocket Interaction Guide, which is sold separately.
Some items such as artificial sweeteners should be avoided when possible, whereas specific herbs should be gradually tapered versus an abrupt discontinuation.
A FEW EXAMPLES: (references at bottom)
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Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal)
Common side effects may include headaches/migraines, nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue, sleep problems, vision problems, depression, asthma and anxiety attacks. [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9] MORE.... |
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Antihistamines (Benadryl, Dimetapp, NyQuil, Alka-Seltzer Night-Time Cold, Thera Flu, ect.)
Antihistamines may increase the effect of benzodiazepines and sleeping pills and can cause cognitive deficits, dangerous drops in blood pressure, suppression of the lungs and extreme sedation. [15, 16] MORE.... |
Saccharin (Sweet-and-Low, SugarTwin)
Common side effects may include nausea, headaches, diarrhea, eczema, hives, itching, wheezing and excessive urination. [10] MORE.... |
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Nasal Decongestants (Afrin, Sudafed, ect.)
Can cause increased adrenaline and norepinephrine, which can worsen anxiety and depression. Common side effects are stomach upset, trouble sleeping, dizziness, lightheadedness, headache, nervousness, fast heartbeat, loss of appetite and shaking.[17] MORE.... |
Sucralose (Splenda)
Common side effects may include skin rashes/flushing, agitation, panic attacks, dizziness, numbness, diarrhea, muscle aches, headaches, intestinal cramping, bladder issues, stomach pain, chest pains, acne, bleeding, hair loss, heart palpitations and elevated blood pressure. [11, 12, 13] MORE.... |
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Pain Relievers (Acetaminophen - Tylenol, Excedrin, ect. or Ibuprofen - Motrin, Advil, ect.)
Painkillers such as Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen are called analgesics, which numb pain. Both can have a profound effect on other medications as well as the absorption of nutrients. [18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23] MORE.... |
MSG (Monosodium Glutamate or Sodium Glutamate)
Side effects may include cardiac issues, swelling, diarrhea, nausea, depression, mood swings, rage, migraine headaches, dizziness, confusion, anxiety, panic attacks, hyperactivity, behavioral changes, lethargy, insomnia, blurred vision and hives. [14] MORE.... |
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Stomach Relievers (Maalox, Tums, Prilosec OTC, Pepcid, Tagamet, Zantac, ect.)
Can upset the natural balance of healthy bacteria required for good health, and allow unhealthy bacteria to proliferate. May bind to nutrients and prevent proper absorption. [24, 25, 26, 27, 28] MORE.... |
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5HTP
Combining 5-HTP with Antidepressants may cause an unsafe rise in Serotonin. [29] MORE.... |
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Alcohol
Alcohol is a drug that interacts with almost every medication. [50] MORE.... |
Calcium
Can over-stimulate the brain neurons and increase anxiety, insomnia and fear. [30, 31, 32] MORE.... |
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Barley Grass
May decrease the absorption of medications and prevent their full effects. [51] MORE.... |
Chinese Herbs
Can interact with many medications and either interfere or exaggerate their effects. [33, 34] MORE.... |
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Broccoli
With some medications, Broccoli can accelerate the processing of some Antidepressants and leave less amounts to enter the bloodstream. [52] MORE.... |
Ginseng
May over-stimulate the nervous system, resulting in insomnia. [35] MORE.... |
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Caffeine
The effects of this stimulant can last up to 20 hours in the body. [53, 54, 55, 56] MORE.... |
Inositol
Has an antidepressant effect and may involve the Serotonin receptors by enhancing or speeding up the response to SSRIs. Side effects are similar to SSRIs. [36, 37] MORE.... |
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Charbroiled Foods
Charbroiled foods can alter the metabolization of some Antidepressants and can therefore change the amount of medication in the bloodstream. [57] MORE.... |
Kava
Can cause excess sedation, a lowering of blood pressure, physical depression, suppression of the lungs and cognitive impairment. [38] MORE.... |
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Chamomile
Can cause excess sedation, a lowering of blood pressure, depression, suppression of the lungs and cognitive impairment [58] MORE.... |
Milk Thistle
May interfere with many medications and increase them to dangerous levels because the same liver enzymes break down the herb. [39] MORE.... |
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Diet Drinks
Diet Beverages contain artificial sweeteners including Aspartame, Splenda and Saccharin, which are all excitotoxins to the CNS. [59] MORE.... |
N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC)
Side effects reported include nausea, vomiting, headache, dry mouth, dizziness, blurred vision and abdominal pain. [40] MORE.... |
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Grapefruit
Grapefruit affects more than 50 prescription medications since it inhibits an enzyme in the intestines. [60] MORE.... |
Passionflower
Combining with certain medications can cause excess sedation, suppression of respiration, and impaired cognitive function. [41, 42, 43] MORE.... |
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Kiwi
Kiwi has a naturally high serotonin concentration and can have a synergistic effect when combined with SSRIs. [61] MORE.... |
St. John's Wort
Mixing St. John’s Wort with Antidepressants can cause an overload of Serotonin. [44, 45, 46, 47] MORE.... |
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Tangerines
Can interfere with the effectiveness of certain medications. [62, 63] MORE.... |
Valerian
Reported to cause excitability, headaches, stomach upset, uneasiness, unsteadiness, vertigo, low body temperature, and with chronic use, insomnia. [48, 49] MORE.... |
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Tomato
Highly acidic, so for anyone prone to heartburn or gastrointestinal issues, removing tomatoes from your diet is recommended. [64] MORE.... |
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Drug Interaction Pocket Guide
Only $10 and includes Antidepressants, Anti-Anxiety medications, Sleeping Pills and Anti-Psychotics. It is small enough to be carried in a purse or jacket pocket for easy referencing.
REFERENCES:
- Excitotoxins
- Sugar Substitutes: Americans Opt for Sweetness and Lite
- Aspartame – The Shocking Story of the World’s Bestselling Sweetener
- Aspartame Warning
- Aspartame, Nutrasweet Dangers to your Health
- Aspartame – A Bitter Sweetener
- Does Aspartame Cause Human Brain Cancer?
- Nutrapoison Part One
- How Aspartame Damages the Body
- Saccharin
- Spenda – safer than aspartame but is it really safe?
- The Lethal Science of Splenda, A Poisonous Chlorocarbon
- New Study of Splenda Reveals Shocking Information About Potential Harmful Effects
- MSG Warning About your Health!
- Med-Psych Drug-Drug Interactions Update - Antihistamines
- Adverse Drug-Drug and Food-Drug Medication Interactions - Antihistamines
- Nasal Decongestant Plus Oral
- Acetaminophen and NSAID Toxicity
- Understanding Acetaminophen Poisoning
- Acetaminophen decreases intracellular glutathione levels and modulates cytokine production in human alveolar macrophages and type II pneumocytes in vitro
- Ibuprofen May Pose Danger to Heart Patients
- Alert after everyday painkillers linked to danger of heart attack
- Drugs that Deplete Melatonin
- The Dangers of Antacids
- Health: The Truth About Antacids
- Handbook of Essential Psychopharmacology - Antacids
- Are there any interactions with proton pump inhibitors?
- Proton Pump Inhibitors
- 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)
- Micromolar-affinity benzodiazepine receptors regulate voltage-sensitive calcium channels in nerve terminal preparations
- Direct Inhibition of recombinant L-Type Voltage-Gated Calcium Channel Currents by Benzodiazepine
- Chronic benzodiazepine administration potentiates high voltage-activated calcium currents in hippocampal CA1 neurons
- Interaction of drugs and Chinese herbs:
- Oriental Herbs –Western Drugs: Recognition and Prevention of Adverse Interactions
- Garlic / Ginseng / Gingko Biloba: Herbs used for Psychotropic or Behavior Modifying Activity
- The antidepressant activity of Inositol in the forced swim test involves 5-HT2 receptors
- Inositol as a treatment for psychiatric disorders: a scientific evaluation of its clinical effectiveness
- Coma from the Health Food Store: Interaction between Kava and Alprazolam
- A Warning about Milk Thistle and Drug Interactions
- N-acetyl Cysteine
- Passionflower
- Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)
- Passionflower Drug Interactions
- St. John’s Wort
- St. John’s Wort Side Efects, Interactions and Warnings
- St. John’s Wort: Effective, with Caveats
- Possible Interactions with St. John’s Wort
- Valerian
- The Gamma-Aminobutyric Acidergic Effects of Valerian and Valerenic Acid on Rat Brainstem Neuronal Activity
- FDA: Avoiding Drug Interactions (Food/Beverages-Drugs) alcohol
- Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.): Safety, Interactions
- Cruciferous Vegetables Drug – Nutrient Interactions
- Food and Diet: Alternative and Integral Therapies
- Herb/Drug Interactions
- Sleep Medication
- Neurologic Effects of Caffeine
- Charbroiled - References for Cytochrome P450 Drug Interaction
- Chamomile (Matricaria recutita, Chamaemelum nobile)
- The Dangers of Diet Soda
- Grapefruit FDA: Avoiding Drug Interactions
- Kiwi Fruit
- Tangerine Dosing and Safety
- Tangerines
- Tomato - Biological Name: Lycopersicon esculentum
Disclaimer:
The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional . The products and the statements made about specific products on or through this site have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease or illness.
You should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, before reducing any medication or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem. MORE...
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