Prescription medications form the basis for treatment of chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels, diabetes, and arthritis. Some estimates are that as many as 73% of people between the ages of 55 and 64 have used a prescription medication in the past month. As prescription medication use has grown, more attention has been paid to the effects they have on nutrition. Many prescription medications have been associated with nutrient depletion. Good nutrition and healthy lifestyle are basic necessities for lasting good health. Nutrient supplementation might be advised to complement prescription medication treatment to avoid deficiencies of specific nutrients that could have negative health consequences.

A classic case of nutrient depletion resulting from medication use involves the use of loop diuretics (such as furosemide) and thiazide diuretics (such as hydorchlorthiazide) resulting in potassium depletion. Diuretics are used to lower blood pressure and reduce fluid retention and often require potassium supplementation to avoid potassium depletion. Research has identified many other medications that affect nutrient levels.

Antibiotics not only kill harmful infectious bacteria, they also affect beneficial organisms that normally reside in the intestinal tract. These helpful bacteria and other organisms are essential to the normal production of and absorption of vitamins and nutrients. These include many of the B vitamins and vitamin K. Antibiotic use should be accompanied by a quality pro-biotic supplement to help maintain and restore healthy intestinal bacteria to avoid nutrient depletion.

Birth control pills reduce magnesium, vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid. When taken for long periods, they may result in deficiencies of these nutrients. Statin medications used to lower cholesterol levels also reduce the amount of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) produced by the body. CoQ10 is important for energy production in high-energy-use tissues such as heart muscle. Many physicians are now recommending their patients on statin medications supplement CoQ10 to avoid depletion. Many diabetes medications such as glipizide, glyburide, and glimepiride also deplete CoQ10.

These are just a few examples of commonly used prescription medications that can affect nutrients. Much information has been gathered regarding the effects of medications on nutrients, but this information is not yet widely distributed. Handy charts are available to help guide people on prescription medications regarding complementary nutritional supplementation for specific prescription medications. Patients on chronic medications may wish to discuss their nutritional requirements with their doctors and pharmacists to help avoid other health consequences resulting from nutrient depletion.

References: http://www.invitehealth.com/page.htm?PG=DrugDepletion, http://www.vrp.com/articles.aspx?ProdID=art2079&zTYPE=2. [Return to Archive Index]

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