Although it’s a perfectly healthy food, grapefruit is probably not a good choice for men who are taking Viagra or other erectile dysfunction medications. The popular citrus fruit tends to prolong the effects — both good and bad — of certain drugs, including those prescribed to treat ED.
It’s hard to imagine a more innocuous food than grapefruit, a popular choice for breakfast or a between-meals snack.
Nevertheless, men who are taking drugs designed to overcome their symptoms of erectile dysfunction might want to steer clear of this popular citrus fruit.
Grapefruit and some of its close citrus relatives, including Minneolas, pomelos, Seville oranges, and tangelos, contain a class of chemical compounds known as furanocoumarins. According to Healthline.com, these compounds are known to interfere with the way your body breaks down and processes medications.
Can Prolong Side Effects
Most drugs are processed in your liver and small intestine with the help of a special group of enzymes known as cytochrome P450s. By slowing the breakdown of medications, the furanocoumarins in grapefruit and certain other citrus fruits can prolong the side effects such medications may cause.
Viagra and the other PDE5 inhibitors prescribed to treat male impotence achieve that goal by temporarily lowering blood pressure, thus promoting increased blood flow to the penis and giving the erectile function a temporary boost.
Taken with grapefruit or grapefruit juice, the known side effects of these ED drugs can be extended in duration because the furanocoumarins slow the breakdown of the medication in the body. This could result in a prolonged period of low blood pressure, as well as an increase in such other side effects as dizziness, flushing, and headaches.
Because the effects of grapefruit tend to linger, it’s probably best not to eat the fruit or drink its juice while taking Viagra or other medications known to interact adversely with grapefruit. Switch to orange or another safer juice.
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