Foods to Avoid When Taking Anastrozole

Medicines are known to react with certain foods. It is important to avoid eating those foods that interact with the medicine you are taking because taking that food might delay the absorption of the medicine, or interfere with its effectiveness. So, what is the case with Anastrozole and foods? Which foods should be avoided with anastrozole? 

What is Anastrozole? 

Anastrozole is a type of non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor medication that is hormone-based therapy, especially for women who develop breast cancer symptoms at menopause. 

Now, let’s see how taking anastrozole affects the body.

How Does Anastrozole Effects Your Body?

Adrenal glands synthesize estrogen and anastrozole reduces estrogen in the body by preventing its synthesis. When estrogen level decreases, it delays and prevents several breast cancer cells to grow that depend on estrogen for their growth in the body. In this way, taking anastrozole helps against breast cancer.

What is the Ideal Dose of Anastrozole?

Anastrozole comes in 1mg of tablet. So, the usual dose of this medicine is 1 tablet of 1 mg strength in one day. 

You would be interested to get to the central question of the article, so here we go.

What Foods to Avoid When Taking Anastrozole?

Some of the foods that you should avoid are:

• Raw Fruits and Vegetables

When you have cancer, there is always a high risk of infection as your immunity gets weak when you are suffering from cancer. Raw fruits and vegetables contain dirt, pesticide residues, some toxins, and harmful germs that cause digestive problems, food poisoning, infection, and sickness. So, for that reason, you should avoid all raw fruits and vegetables.

• Grapefruit and its juice

Certain phytochemicals in grapefruits like furanocoumarin have anti-chemo or chemopreventive effects on the body.

• Lemons

As it is citrus, it increases the risk of cancer or malignant melanomas due to a photosynthesizing compound called psoralens.

• High-saturated and Processed Foods

Foods that are high in fat saturation put you at increased risk of cancer. Processed foods are also high in fats and salt and often contain animal products that increase the risk of breast cancer.

• Beef

Beef contains N-nitroso compounds that are carcinogenic and cause the destruction of the cells lining the bowel and hence, raising the chances of breast cancer.

• Lamb

It contains high amounts of heterocyclic amines, that have carcinogenic effects. So lamb should be avoided when taking Anastrazole.

• Safflower and Sunflower oil

These oils are linked with increased cancer cells as they contain high levels of linoleic acid that cause invasion and metastasis of carcinoma cells.

• Caffeine

Avoid taking caffeine when taking Anastrozole because caffeine contains Acrylamide that is carcinogenic and worsens the symptoms of breast cancer.

• Alcohol

Alcohol contains ethanol that breaks down into a carcinogenic compound, acetaldehyde. So, alcohol intake increases breast cancer risk and decreases the chance of survival.

Foods to Eat When Taking Anastrozole

You can eat all food items except the ones mentioned in the to-avoid list. It is normally recommended by oncologists to especially eat the below-mentioned food items as they have the function and effectivity of aromatase inhibitors. 

• White rice
• Chicken (boiled or baked)
• Sardines
• Dry beans
• Bell peppers
• Brocolli
• Brussel sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Raddish
• Chickpeas
• Carrot
• Flax seeds
• Pumpkin
• Parsley
• Hot peppers

Side Effects of Anastrozole

Almost all medicines have some side effects. Mentioned below are some common side effects of taking Anastrozole:

• Blurred vision
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Irregular heartbeat
• Nausea
• Bone pain
• Chest discomfort
• Difficulty sleeping

Conclusion

Anastrozole is a non-steroidal medication used as a  hormone-based therapy,  for women who develop breast cancer symptoms at menopause. When you are suffering from cancer, you become prone to getting infections due to weak immunity, so you should avoid taking raw fruits and vegetables, citrus fruits, processed foods, high saturated foods like beef and lamb, some oils like safflower and sunflower, caffeine and alcohol when taking Anastrozole.