Grapefruit Temptation

Honey came back from her walk yesterday telling me to grab the truck keys.  She had a fresh-picked grapefruit in her hand, and the juice from another one on her jacket.  One of our neighbors had a large box of home grown grapefruit at the end of their driveway with a sign saying "Free – Help Yourself,” and she wanted to go get more before they were gone.

I love grapefruit – always have – but I take a couple of medications that advise against taking with grapefruit or grapefruit juice.  Many drugs are broken down (metabolized) with the help of a vital enzyme called CYP3A4 in the small intestine. Certain substances in grapefruit juice affect the action of CYP3A4.  In some cases, such as Allegra, it reduces the effectiveness of the medication, but with other drugs, like Lipitor, more of the drug enters the bloodstream and stays in the body longer, causing the medication to work too well.

I took Lipitor, and regularly drank grapefruit juice – with or without a shot of tequila - for years before the study came out advising against it, and never had any adverse effects.  I have avoided grapefruit for the past few years, but this time I may have to make an exception.

As anyone who has grown their own fruits and vegetables can tell you, the difference in taste between store-bought and fresh-picked is amazing – maybe too good to resist.