What should not be eaten after taking antibiotics?
After taking antibiotics, one should avoid alcohol, grapefruit, milk, dairy products, and spicy food. It is recommended to abstain from alcohol for a week after taking antibiotics, as the reaction with alcohol can easily lead to disulfiram-like reactions, which can be severe enough to endanger the patient's life. One should maintain a light diet and avoid spicy and stimulating food, after which normal diet can be resumed after a week.
1. Alcohol should be avoided during the use of antibiotics and within 7-10 days after discontinuation. This is because many antibiotics used clinically can inhibit an enzyme called acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, which is involved in the metabolism of alcohol (ethanol). This can lead to impaired metabolism of ethanol, resulting in acetaldehyde accumulation and causing disulfiram-like reactions. Symptoms may include facial flushing, conjunctival congestion, headache, dizziness, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and in severe cases, may lead to hypotension, respiratory depression, heart failure, and even life-threatening conditions.
2. Grapefruit inhibits liver metabolism, increasing the concentration of antibiotics in the body and potentially enhancing side effects such as gastrointestinal discomfort, nausea, diarrhea, skin rash, or impairment of liver, kidney, and hearing functions. Therefore, it is best to avoid grapefruit.
3. Calcium in milk and dairy products, when mixed with antibiotics or osteoporosis medications in the gastrointestinal tract, can form insoluble substances. Even drinking a small amount of milk can have an impact, so it is necessary to wait for 2 hours after taking medication before consuming milk or dairy products.
4. Antibiotics may cause gastrointestinal discomfort as a side effect (not everyone will experience this, depending on individual constitution). Spicy and greasy food can also have similar effects. To avoid gastrointestinal discomfort during treatment, it is recommended to maintain a light diet.
