Make the most of your meds
Natasha Holt discovers tips and tricks to ensure the pills you pop are as effective as possible
Timing matters: The time you take your medicines can make a difference to how well they perform. For example, with osteoarthritis it helps to work out when the pain is most severe and take ibuprofen or aspirin a few hours beforehand.
“For rheumatoid arthritis, however, symptoms such as swelling, stiffness and pain tend to peak in the morning, so taking NSAIDs before bed can produce better relief,” says Abbas Kanani, pharmacist at Chemist Click (chemistclick.co.uk).
“Antihistamines are also best taken at night because they reach peak effectiveness 12 hours after taking them, and will tackle morning symptoms when histamine levels are the highest.”
Keep cool: Many people keep medications by the sink so they don’t forget to take them, but according to Abbas, this can prevent them working. “Heat, air, light and moisture can put your medicine at risk of damage and reduce potency,” he says.
“While some medications, such as insulin, antibiotic liquids, injections and eye drops, need to be kept in the fridge, most should be stored in a cool, dry place away from sun and appliances that generate steam, heat
or water. Heat can cause capsules and gels to melt and liquids to dry up, and the cold can cause medications to degrade faster or develop impurities.”
Wash them down: Unless your medicine is designed to dissolve on your tongue or be mixed into water, you should always drink a full glass of water when taking tablets. “This will help it to be absorbed by passing it from the mouth to the stomach and small intestine,” says Abbas.
“Taking pills without water means they could get lodged and damage your oesophagus.”
Mixing alcohol and certain medicines, however, is risky as it can be dangerous or lower effectiveness. Alcohol should definitely be avoided when taking prescription-only painkillers, such as tramadol, gabapentin, codeine and other morphine-like drugs.
Food for thought: Always ask your pharmacist if your medicines should be taken with food. “Some medication needs to be taken on an empty stomach, to prevent food from absorbing some of it, rendering it less effective,” says Abbas.
“However, others need to be taken after food – or with food – to reduce the chances of gastrointestinal side effects. Allopurinol, used to treat gout and kidney stones, can cause an upset stomach so, to reduce this, it is advisable to eat before taking it. Similarly medications such as aspirin, diclofenac, ibuprofen and steroids can irritate the stomach and trigger indigestion, stomach inflammation or ulcers – take them on a full stomach.”
Check the date: Keep an eye on the expiry dates printed on your medicines and replace them when necessary. “It’s always advisable to stick to expiry dates when taking medication,” advises Abbas. “Stability and composition can be altered over time, which can not only reduce effectiveness of medication, but also make them unsafe for consumption.”
Natural wonder?: Vitamin supplements and natural remedies can seem harmless but always tell your GP what you’re taking as some interfere with medicines. “For example, high doses of vitamins such as ginkgo, ginger and vitamin E can potentially increase risk of bleeding when taking warfarin, a bloodthinning medication,” says Abbas.
“St John’s Wort can impede the effectiveness of contraception and can also affect antidepressants.”
Diet dangers: Some foods can also affect your medication. “Statins can be impaired by grapefruits as they contain a chemical which interferes with the body’s ability to break down or metabolise certain statin medications,” says Abbas.
“Foods high in vitamin K, such as leafy green vegetables, can have potentially dangerous interactions with anticoagulants such as warfarin. And taking certain antibiotics with milk is not advised as the calcium binds to the antibiotics in the gut so can make them difficult to absorb.”
Check the information leaflet inside your medication to see if any foods should be avoided.