Are Medications Depleting Your Nutrients?

Drug-nutrient interactions are plentiful, and they can result in the depletion of essential nutrients required for healthy metabolic function.

These can happen if a drug: 

• reduces nutrient absorption 

• reduces nutrient synthesis in the body 

• impairs metabolism of the nutrient, so it can’t function properly

• increases excretion of the nutrient

A pharmacist or the internet can tell you what category of drugs a medication is from.

This list gives the better-known nutrient lowering effects of some of the most commonly used drugs, but is by no means exhaustive. There are textbooks and websites that list drug-induced nutrient depletions, if you need to know the potential effects of other drugs. 

The extent of the depletion may differ from drug to drug and from person to person. If you are using one of these drugs, and especially If you think you may be experiencing symptoms from nutrient depletion, check with your naturopathic doctor or pharmacist, to discuss increasing your intake of the nutrient from your diet or maybe using a supplement.