With every month that goes by, one of the big drug companies unveils another wonder-cure that can lower cholesterol, treat depression, or help us lose weight. In additon, a gaggle of natural health companies promise herbal alternatives and vitamin nutritional supplements that can replace prescription medication. Yet as the number, and cost, of prescription drugs and nutritonal supplements increases, how come the health of the nation is getting worse? Heart disease, depression and obesity are all rising despite the increase, and supposed effectiveness, of the pharmaceutical’s products. And if nutritonal supplements are supposed to balance our body’s vitamin and mineral content then why do we still feel ill after taking them?

It is a modern phenomonen than we are very simply taking too many medicines. These medicines not only produce harmful side-effects, they can also cause vitamin depletion and actually harm our health. It’s possible to replace these lost vitamins through nutritional supplements, but the one-size-fits all multivitamins sold in grocery stores may not have the right balance for your particular condition. Taking these nutritional supplements may, in turn, affect the action of your medication in the body. So medicines help with our health concerns but deplete the vitamins in our body, and nutritional supplements replace those lost vitamins but can stop the medication from working. How to break free from this visious circle? By taking control and being informed about your personal health and your vitamin nutrtional needs.

Ways of Preventing Drug-Vitamin Interactions

Drug vitamin interactions mostly affect psychiatric patients, elderly people, and individuals who had been recently hospitalized. These groups are more likely to be taking heavy medications for more than one health concern and so the risk of interactions is much higher. Drug vitamin interactions may also affect people who like to “shop around" and consult a number of different physicians and healthcare proffesionals - each one prescribing a different medication or nutritional supplement. However, the risk of drug vitamin interactions can be reduced if you take care of few important things such as:

1. Asking your pharmacist, doctor, or other health professional to check any interaction between your prescribed medicines and your vitamin nutritional supplements.

2. Learning the names of the medicines and nutritional supplements you’re taking and knowing the effect of each one upon your body.

3. Making a full list of all the nutritional supplements, vitamins, over-the-counter drugs, and homeopathic remedies you have and update it after each visit to the doctor.

4. Getting your prescription filled out the same pharmacy so that the pharmacist may be better able to notice any possible drugivitamin interactions.

5. Not taking a new medicine without discussing the side effects with your doctor, pharmacist, or healthcare professional.

6. Ensuring that each doctor knows the medicines prescribed by others, if you are consulting more than one doctor.

Besides, the above given precautions, drug vitamin interactions can be reduced if care is taken about keeping your medication and supplements properly. Some things to keep in mind are:

7. Different medicines or nutritional supplements should not be kept in same container as it can cause interaction between them.

8. All medicines and nutritional supplements have an expiry date (or should do). Don’t take expired medicine or nutritional supplements.

9. Always consult your doctor or physician if you decide to stop taking a certain medication to begin a course of nutritional supplements instead.

10. If any side effect or problem is experienced due to a medication or nutritional supplement, consult your doctor immediately.