Battling Belly Fat: Grapefruit Juice, I Bet You Didn’t Know!!

Battling Belly Fat: Grapefruit Juice, I Bet You Didn’t Know!! is a part of a series on battling belly fat the right way. There are so many diet plans that promise to give you results in a few days or a few short weeks that it is time for the truth to be known. Well, if you've every had to lose more than 10 pounds before then chances are you have learned that many of the millions of ads and quick weight loss promises are just another means of getting your money quickly with little to no lasting results. This hub is going to reveal an example of why it is so important to research and investigate what you are putting into your body. Even something as healthy and natural as a grapefruit can be helpful or harmful if you remain uninformed of what this wonderful fruit does.

Many people, including myself, love the sour tang of Grapefruit juice; its heavy refreshing tartness first thing in the morning, cleanses the palate while quickly alerting the senses. Grapefruit juice lovers don’t think twice before gulping down a big glass every single day, and individuals watching their weight, may have a second glass during the day, in that Grapefruit has been known to "cut the fat"! The Baby Boomers will recall the grapefruit diet trend of when it was popular to have grapefruit with every meal to burn excess fat. And my research revealed that many are still using this diet plan to lose weight over 40 years later.

So what’s the "sour punch"?

Some are probably thinking a diet that is over 40 years old well it must work really great and fast. Well here the sour punch - Medical researchers have discovered that hidden along with the unique sour of grapefruit juice, is a potentially serious health danger for some drinkers.

While some enzymes in Grapefruit juice are powerful enough to assist in the digestion of fat, Grapefruit juice can lead to potentially life threatening consequences for some drinkers when taken with certain medications. I asked my sister, the nurse a RN, MHA (Masters Health Care Admin), CCM (Certified Case Manager) to provide me with the terminology and reasons that something so natural and good tasting (if you like sour things) can be so lethal to some individuals. Here’s her research and opinions based on what she found:

The Liver Pathway

On the second hub titled, Battling Belly Fat: Ways to Lose the Bulge there was a video with Dr. Oz that discussed how one's food is ingested and over-eating can cause the omentum (belly fat) to grow larger as it moved along the liver pathway. If you have not viewed that video, then please take a look once you have finished here.
How can something portrayed as healthy be so dangerous?

Grapefruit juice utilizes the same digestive path as the liver when processing certain drugs. The liver excretes an enzyme (CYP3A) in the intestines that helps your body absorb certain oral medications and assists the digestive system in the excretion of the unused portions (mostly toxins and waste fillers) of those medications, unused by the body.
What’s the biological science behind the dangers of mixing Grapefruit with certain medications?

When a prescription is written it is based on body size, the assumption of how fast the drug will be absorbed and excreted from your body, and at what calculated rate. Grapefruit juice has been shown to affect CYP3A and the rate of medication absorption and removal from the body, the end result of that affect being an overdose of the drug, even if the correct dosage is taken.

So if you drink Grapefruit juice, and take certain medications, this means that you should discuss your diet carefully with your doctor, so that precaution can be taken when he/she is prescribing medications for you. For individuals that seek the natural path of herbs and home remedies, and or are trying to "cut the fat"; if you drink Grapefruit juice or eat Grapefruit you need to ask the doctor or your local pharmacist if there are any drug interactions to be aware of.

Medications that You Should be Aware of?

A few of the medications that grapefruit interacts dangerously with are listed here. This is by no means a comprehensive listing, so always make sure that you ask your doctor before beginning any new medications.
Norvasc or Amlodipine is used to treat angina. Grapefruit juice interacts with many of the medications used to treat the heart, causing tachycardia (a very fast heart rate), and sudden hypotension (blood pressure drops to an unsafe level).

Valium, also known as Diazepam, is a seizure and anxiety medication that Grapefruit juice can react adversely with, causing you to feel sluggish and tired as if you have been sedated.

Pravachol, also called Pravastatin, is used to lower cholesterol, along with many other "statin" medications whose effectiveness can cause dangerously adverse reactions; with symptoms of muscle toxicity, displayed by muscle weakness, tremors, and general body aches.



Battling Belly Fat: Grapefruit Juice, I Bet You Didn’t Know!!

A list of other known drugs that can be affected by Grapefruit juice are:


cyclosporine (Sandimmune)

erythromycin (E-Mycin, Ery-Tab, E-base, Ery-Ped)

estradiol (Estrogen)

sertraline (Zoloft)

sildenafil (Viagra)


antihistamines such as fexofenadine (Allegra)

atorvastatin (Lipitor)

buspirone (Buspar)

carbamazepine (Tegretol)

cerivastatin (Baycol)




How Can I Avoid a Dangerous Drug Interaction?

Please note that the above list has not included all the health issues or risks that might arise from taking medications even over-the-counter ones while ingesting grapefruit or grapefruit juice. If you take blood pressure medications, antihistamines, cholesterol lowering drugs and some antidepressants, you should ask your doctor if any of the medications that you take daily could potentially be life threatening, if you take them with Grapefruit juice!

Unfortunately for you Grapefruit lovers, the idea of having your juice in the morning and medication at night will not work because the effect on your body remains, even after 24 hours. If you think you will miss the taste or the health benefits of Grapefruit juice try another citrus fruit, such as oranges, and there are many other safer sources of juice for individuals watching their diets. Now that you know, I hope that you’ll agree that the risk is simply not worth risking your life.


There are always better alternatives than risking your life to lose a few pounds that if they are loss too quickly will only come back and may make your stomach bigger than it was before.  Many times quick weight loss not only results in pounds being gained back but you wind up with a slower metabolism.  The below video presents a sensible diet plan similar to the one that was reveal in my hub titled, Battling Belly Fat: Eat Mufas…

Ending Note

This concludes Battling Belly Fat: Grapefruit Juice, I Bet You Didn’t Know!! Hope you have found this hub useful in providing some information that you may not have known and or had forgotten about. Personally I love Grapefruit juice as a mater of fact it's one of my favorite juices however, now I will be choosing other alternative juices first to continue on my healthy lifestyle pathway. While it is important to avoid the health issues mentioned in my other hubs about battling belly fat; it is also just important that you make informed decisions concerning your health.

And just like you would not fall for the "next get rich quick" scheme, don't fall for the "next lose weight quickly" scheme either. The doctors and nutritionists are correct when they advise that if you lose weight the right way it will be less like to be regained. What is really frightening to me is that even common over-the-counter items can be a potential threat. According to the Summit Medical Group it is dangerous to mix grapefruit with caffeine, NSAIDs (like ibuprofen, Motrin, etc), and even wine. Click here for additional medicines and information.

Please note that the videos and suggestions within this hub are for informational purposes only. Always consult a physician before beginning a new diet program, especially if moderate health issues are a concern.

Namaste'