Define Importance of Nutrient and Drug Interaction?
Certain foods, beverages, alcohol, caffeine, and even cigarettes can interact with medicines. This may make them less effective or may cause dangerous side elects or other problems. On the other hand, certain medicines and drugs have powerful ingredients that interact with the human body in different ways, and these can sometimes significantly influence the absorption, metabolism and utilization of nutrients in the body leading to poor nutritional status.
These nutrient drug interactions, therefore, were the focus of this unit. We learnt about the different ways in which the food effects drug absorption, metabolism. Further, the relationship between drugs and the nutritional status was also explored. The factors by which the drug influences food intake and the effect of drug on nutrient absorption, utilization and excretion were highlighted. The unit finally dwelt upon the risk factors associated with nutrient drug interactions) and presented handy guidelines for wise use of drugs and measures to adopt to reduce the risk from nutrient drug interactions.