bisoprolol and highpotassium foods

[pd63]

Like bananas with porridge, tomatoes avocados etc. In salads.

Anyone know of restrictions when on beta blockers?

[Hidden]

Hi, personally .... I have made no concessions to AF ...,other than advised by a Nutritionist. Nor have I made any concessions to Warfarin. My building blocks have been .....gluten free, wheat free and oats free! Then came other foods including vegetables.

I still partaketh of booze too.

I have always been on Bisoprolol and have had a banana a day for lunch ( with sandwiches) for as long as I can remember.

Apart from that its just meds.

John

[10gingercats]

Spirolactone and possibly Furosimide can affect Potassium and send it upwards. You may want to check up on fish as well as a possible culprit. I ate a lot of pickled herring and it sent my potassium up .I am not a medic. This is based on my own experience and after chats with my GP.

[Autumn_Leaves]

None at all. Carry on eating bananas, avocados, oats and whatever else you like. My advice is avoid “no” lists without a really good reason ie not based on pseudoscience or fads, and enjoy your food. My motto kind of coincides with Michael Pollan’s — eat food, mostly plants, not too much.

[Mazza23]

I have been on bisoprolol for nine years eat everything no problem

[CDreamer]

I’m interested in what prompted the question? Are you taking for AF or high BP or both?

Beta Blockers can have an affect on potassium serum levels but that would have nothing to do with food.

Oats could affect absorption of Beta Blockers so if you take in the morning - that could lower the amount your system absorbs? Bananas are rich in potassium but not extraordinarily so. If you are worried about high Potassium serum levels then talk to your doctor.

The most important thing is to ensure you have regular (6 monthly) blood tests to track Potassium levels.

[pd63 in reply to CDreamer]

PAF, just something I read while browsing ghe Internet, shouldn't Google really

[CDreamer in reply to pd63]

The interactions between food and pharmaceuticals is unfortunately not well researched or even known about. I had a lot of problems with Pradaxa so started to research and that turned out to be all about the foods I ate at a similar time to taking the Pradaxa.

Some medications require you take with food whilst others are much better taken on an empty stomach eg: Flecainide. If interactions or absorptions are well researched or known about there will always be notes on the instruction leaflet that comes with the meds. If it’s not mentioned on the leaflet it may be considered insignificant. The advice for Biso is take with or without food.

[Barny12 in reply to CDreamer]

Wow, I take Bisoprolol every morning with my muesli - can you say a bit more about how oats lower absorption?

[CDreamer in reply to Barny12]

healthyeating.sfgate.com/fo...

Don’t stop eating oats and fibre because the health benefits are excellent and oats particularly help lower BP. If you are concerned then just don’t take your Bisoprolol with or just after breakfast.

We all absorb differently anyway so I wouldn’t be overly concerned about it.

[Autumn_Leaves in reply to CDreamer]

This is a very general, vague explanation about whether to take medication with or between meals. *It does not constitute medical advice.*

If someone wants to know whether it applies to their prescribed medication they should read the patient information leaflet, and take the medicine as prescribed.

There’s no need for anyone to avoid oats or anything else, or become anxious about whether this or that food is going to interfere with their medication unless it’s specifically stated in the information supplied with their medication, or they have been told explicitly by their prescribing physician.

Otherwise, carry on as normal and enjoy your food and forget about all the nutrib*ll*cks that is so ubiquitous online

[CDreamer in reply to Autumn_Leaves]

Which is why a LOT more research is required into how pharmaceuticals- which the body does not recognise as food - are absorbed or what hinders or helps.

[Autumn_Leaves in reply to CDreamer]

Yes, drugs are also foreign substances but on the other hand, if someone needs medication then it’s a case of weighing up the pros and cons *for that individual*. It’s easy to say “I don’t want to take medication” but in some cases it’s either life-saving or restores quality of life. The “no medication” route may result in the worse outcome. That’s for the individual to decide, and it’s nobody’s business what they choose to do.

[CDreamer in reply to Autumn_Leaves]

I’m sorry but what exactly gave you the impression that was what I was saying? We play nice on this forum and respect everyone’s view, even when we disagree.

The subject of the question was the interaction between foods and pharmaceuticals which I think is not well known about.

[Autumn_Leaves in reply to CDreamer]

It’s important not to scare people off their medication. It’s also important not to spread scare stories about “good” and “bad” foods. I’m not saying you are doing this, but people can and do turn to the internet for health advice at vulnerable times so everyone should be responsible about what they say. I’m speaking in general terms here, just to be clear. I am not aware I’ve had any kind of “disagreement” but as I’m not here to argue with people I’ll just consider this thread as “case closed”.

[Elsie1955]

From what I understand, one should not take in grapefruit, or its juice, if on a beta blocker.

[Autumn_Leaves in reply to Elsie1955]

Not beta blockers but definitely some other drugs that people here are taking, including calcium channel blockers and warfarin.

Reliable information source:

nhs.uk/common-health-questi...