What Foods to Avoid While On Eliquis?

We’ve often heard of blood thinning about drugs and how much important they are. It is necessary to learn about the food-drug interactions when taking any medicine. A new medicine, Eliquis has been introduced for blood thinning like Warfarin, but we wonder if it interacts with foods in the same way as Warfarin or not. We must know what foods you should avoid while we are on Eliquis and how it reacts toward our body. So, read below to find out.

What Is Eliquis Used For?

Eliquis is an anti-coagulation medicine, which acts as a blood thinner and is used to treat blood clots linked to pulmonary thrombosis or Atrial Fibrillation. It is a condition in which the heart does not pump the blood properly, causing it to form clots in the blood. It also forms clots in the brain, which often leads to stroke.

Now, let’s get to the main question of why you are here. 

What Foods To Avoid While On Eliquis?

There are no known drug interactions of Eliquis with any food or drink. There is no such food item that can react negatively with Eliquis, affecting its absorption or function. But it is vital to understand that avoiding some foods depending on your medical condition is always beneficial. 

Though it is not known to have any interaction with foods, it is better to avoid certain things to be on the safe side.

1- Some Herbs

• St, John’s Wort
• Ginger
• Ginkgo Biloba
• White Willow
• Turmeric

These herbs make the function of the Eliquis drug less effective.

2- Foods High In Saturated Fat

Foods that are rich in saturated fat like fast foods and red meat result in promoting fatty plaque formation in the blood vessels, which increases the chances of heart problems and stroke. Some examples are:

• Beef
• Lamb
• Pork
• Bacon
• Butter
• Fast or processed foods
• Cheese
• Full-fat dairy products
• Icecream
• Pastries

3- Grapefruit

Eliquis can be affected by grapefruit. Due to the presence of some compounds like furanocoumarins, the intake of grapefruit can increase the risk and chances of the side effects of the drug Eliquis. It is suggested to avoid taking grapefruit or grapefruit with Eliquis. 

4- Alcohol

Alcohol does not react with Eliquis. Alcohol makes your blood thin and does not let it form clots. If you take alcohol and Eliquis together, they may increase the bleeding risk. That is why you should avoid or limit alcohol when taking this medication. 

Read below to know what you can eat with Eliquis.

What Foods To Eat While On Eliquis?

When you are taking Eliquis, you should eat healthy foods that include:

1- Fruits

2- Vegetables

3- Whole Grains

4- Legumes

5- Lean Protein

6- Omega 3 fatty acids

There are always contraindications for every drug, so let’s read about Eliquis.

When I Can’t Take Eliquis?

Some health conditions can put you at an increased risk of any possible harm if you take Eliquis at that time. The condition, called contraindications, of taking Eliquis are:

1- If you are suffering from any active bleeding in the body

It is suggested that you should not take this medicine if your body has any bleeding due to any condition like gastrointestinal bleeding. That’s because taking Eliquis at that time puts you at an increased risk of excessive bleeding.

2- Any allergic reaction happened to you

You should not take Eliquis if you’ve had any allergic reaction to it or because of the ingredients in it.

Now, we’ll quickly have a look at the common side effects of this drug.

Side Effects of Eliquis

A few common side effects are:

• Nausea
• Minor bleeding
• Blood from cuts
• Bruising

Conclusion

Eliquis is a blood thinning medication that is used to treat and deform the blood clots caused by pulmonary thrombosis or Atrial Fibrillation. Though there is not any known interaction of Eliquis with foods, it is suggested to avoid taking some herbs, especially St. John’s wort as it alters the effectivity of the drug. It is good to avoid highly saturated foods, grapefruit, or grapefruit-like products and alcohol as they increase the chances of side effects of the drug.