ABSTRACT
It is well known that many drugs, particularly when used in chronic long-term drug therapy, can affect the nutritional status of individuals for certain nutrients. Effects on appetite, digestion of food, absorption, metabolism, and excretion of nutrients are consequences of some chronic drug therapies. Drugs and nutrients are both chemical entities and their interaction occurs because of direct chemical reactivity, competitive or noncompetitive inhibition of vitamins or coenzymes with enzymes, or by alteration of membrane permeability or receptor sites. In addition to direct drug-nutrient interactions, foods and fiber in the diet often affect drug absorption by altering gastrointestinal pH, diluting medications, and causing nonspecific binding. The chapter provides a list of some drugs and their interactions with nutrients and/or foods. It presents factors that need to be considered before making a recommendation for medical nutritional therapy in the management of a food or nutrient-drug interaction.
