Millions warned that popular summer fruit can seriously interfere with medications

Amid this summer's sweltering temperatures, many people are finding relief by sipping fruity cocktails and smoothies or drinking fruit juices.But a doctor is warning millions of people taking common medications such as statins and antidepressants that ingesting grapefruit — a common "healthy" ingredient in many summer snacks and drinks — can have serious consequences."Grapefruit is a pleasant snack for most, but it is important to disclose large amounts of grapefruit use to your doctor because it can interact with an array of medications," Dr.Nicole James, a doctor based in Illinois, told news agency SWNS.GRAPEFRUIT COULD MAKE YOUR COFFEE BUZZ LAST LONGER AS EXPERTS WARN OF HIDDEN RISKSCommon cocktails that contain grapefruit include palomas, greyhounds, some margaritas and sea breezes."Grapefruit contains natural compounds — primarily furanocoumarins and flavonoids.

These inhibit an important enzyme called cytochrome P450 3A4," James said. "Grapefruit is a pleasant snack for most, but it is important to disclose large amounts of grapefruit use to your doctor because it can interact with an array of medications," said one doctor.  (iStock)This enzyme is referred to as CYP3A4. It plays an important role in breaking down oral medications so that the body can properly process them."When you ingest grapefruit, it blocks this enzyme," said James, who is also a clinical research fellow in the department of dermatology at Stanford University.CELEBRITY CHEF SAYS IF YOU CAN DRIVE TO MCDONALD'S, YOU CAN COOK HEALTHY MEALS AT HOME"This causes drugs that would normally be broken down in the gut wall to instead pass through intact, leading to significantly higher-than-intended blood levels of the medication," James added. People should keep an eye on mixed fruit juices, smoothies and cocktails, as grapefruit juice is a common ingredient.Having higher concentrations of a medication than normal can cause serious side effects.Drug concentrations in the blood can rise too...