Statins warning: Taking statins with a popular 29p juice can increase RISK of side effects, warns pharmacist

Grapefruit juice increases the level of simvastatin in your blood, which "may increase the risk of side effects or even alter the effect of the medicine", warns pharmacist Thorrun Govind.

Grapefruit (and grapefruit juice) should therefore be avoided in those taking simvastatin, she says.

Atorvastatin - another type of statin - interacts with grapefruit juice if you drink large quantities (more than 1.2 litres daily), but an occasional glass is thought to be safe, says the NHS.

Currently, healthcare professionals advise it is safe to drink grapefruit juice and eat grapefruit if you're taking other types of statins.

What causes this effect?

As Harvard Health explains, statins are metabolized (broken down) in your intestines by an enzyme called CYP3A, which normally reduces the amount of drug that enters your bloodstream.

Grapefruit juice contains compounds called furanocoumarins that stop CYP3A from doing its job. As a result, more of the drug is absorbed, making it more powerful than it's meant to be — even toxic in some cases.

It's worth noting that studies showing dangerous effects used massive amounts of furanocoumarins, and eating half a grapefruit is considered less risky than drinking grapefruit juice, since it takes several fruits to make a single glass of juice.

However, to be on the safe side, check with your doctor and avoid taking your pills with grapefruit juice, advises Harvard Health.

Can I drink alcohol on statins?

If you're prescribed a statin, you may be able to continue drinking alcohol, says the NHS.

However, you should not drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week, warns the health body.

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People who regularly drink large amounts of alcohol are at increased risk of getting more serious side effects.

Does low-dose alcohol increase the likelihood that a statin will cause liver inflammation? Research suggests it does not.

A 2006 Harvard study evaluated the question in 1,244 men who had undergone coronary artery bypass surgery. The men were randomly assigned to take low- or high-dose lovastatin.

Among the 345 men on high doses, there was no effect of alcohol on the risk of liver inflammation, even in the men who averaged more than two drinks a day.