Drug Interaction Checker

Specific food or beverages including dairy products (such as cheese, milk, yogurt, or cottage cheese), coffee, or tea can decrease the absorption of Iron from the stomach. To limit this interaction, take Iron Salts (examples: Femiron, Feratab, Nephro-Fer, Slow FE) at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after meals. If stomach upset occurs, Iron Salts may be given with meals. However, where possible, avoid coffee, tea, or dairy products within 1 hour before or 2 hours after taking any Iron product. Taking these food together while taking Iron Salts can decrease the effectiveness to increase the amount of Iron in the body. In addition, Enteral Feedings (liquid nutritional feedings such as Ensure, Isocal, Jevity and others) are not recommended to be given within the 1 hour before and 1 hour after giving Ferrous Sulfate Elixir (example: Feosol Elixir). There does not appear to be an interaction with other liquid Iron products.

Ethanol can decrease the actions of Magnesium Salts, by increasing its elimination from the body. To get the best results, limit your intake of alcoholic beverages while taking Magnesium Salts or supplements.

Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages at the times you take Niacin, Niacinamide. Side effects such as skin flushing from Niacin may get worse when you drink Alcohol (also known as Ethanol) at the same time as your Niacin dose.

Taking oral Zinc Salts (dietary supplements or medicines like Galzin, Zinc Sulfate, etc.) at the same time as food or beverages, other than water, can reduce the amount of zinc absorbed. Breads, vegetables, fruits, eggs, and beverages like milk or coffee are all known to decrease zinc supplement absorption. If you do take a Zinc supplement, it is best to take it at least 1 hour before or 1 hour after you have taken any feeding, meal, or beverage.

If you regularly drink alcohol-containing drinks, you may have a lack of certain B-vitamins including Cyanocobalamin, Vitamin B12 . Discuss which supplements would be most appropriate for you with your health care provider. If you experience weakness, fatigue, numbness, tingling in fingers and toes, decreased appetite, diarrhea, hair loss, or depression, contact your health care prescriber.

Food interactions with Cyanocobalamin are for the most part insignificant. However, if you use the intranasal Cyanocobalamin supplements (Nascobal), you should avoid drinking hot liquids or eating very hot foods within 1 hour before or after using the nasal spray or gel. Hot foods/liquids can make the nose runny, which can limit the amount of vitamin absorbed thru the nose.

If you need to use Enteral feedings (examples: Ensure, Jevity and others) as your sole nutritional dietary intake for long periods of time, you may be at risk for Zinc deficiency, as the feeding may impair the absorption of zinc. This interaction is not a concern if you simply use these products as supplements to a normal diet; true zinc deficiency is relatively rare. If you take Enteral Feedings as your only diet for long periods of time, you may need to discuss the use of additional mineral supplements with your prescriber. If you do take a Zinc supplement, it is best to take it at least 1 hour before or 1 hour after you have taken any feeding, meal, or beverage.

Most iron supplements do not significantly interact with Enteral Feedings. However, Ferrous Sulfate syrups and elixirs, when given at the same time as Enteral feedings (examples: Boost, Ensure, Jevity, Sustical and others) may cause a thickening of the feeding that may increase the likelyhood of a tube clog. Such interactions are not common. However, to avoid this interaction, ferrous sulfate elixirs at least an hour before taking any nutritional supplement beverages down a tube. Alternatively, your health care professional may be able to recommend an iron supplement that would be less likely to interact.