Eating or drinking too much of anything can be a bad thing, and this includes grapefruit. Incorporating grapefruit into your diet can provide you with a wealth of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, potassium, pectin, folic acid, bioflavonoids and beta-carotene, but taking in too much grapefruit can negatively impact your health in dangerous ways.
Increases the Risk of Breast Cancer
Eating grapefruit may put you at greater risk of developing breast cancer. Research published in the July 2007 issue of the "British Journal of Cancer" indicates that postmenopausal study participants who ate grapefruit every day significantly raised their chance of contracting this type of cancer. Researchers report grapefruit raises estrogen levels by inhibiting a molecule that keeps hormones that increase estrogens in your body from overproducing. These estrogens may contribute toward your risk of breast cancer. More research is needed to determine the role daily grapefruit plays in your chance of getting cancer.
Immunosuppressant Interference
Do not eat or drink large amounts of grapefruit if you take cyclosporine or tacrolimus to suppress your immune system. The Family Doctor website indicates that grapefruit can make these drugs, often prescribed as anti-rejection medications if you've recently had an organ transplant, work in ways not intended. Cyclosporine may also find use as a treatment for psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease, suppressing immune responses that can make these conditions worse. Tacrolimus is also sometimes used to treat Crohn's disease. Research in the August 2006 "American Family Physician" notes that there are no alternative therapies for these medications. PubMed Health indicates that reactions with grapefruit can occur when drinking or consuming more than 1 liter per day.
Interactions with Anti-Depressants
Anti-depressant drugs such as buspirone and sertraline can react with grapefruit and grapefruit juice, according to MayoClinic.com. Buspirone finds use in the short-term treatment of anxiety disorders and may also treat some symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. Your physician may prescribe sertraline as therapy for depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress syndrome, social anxiety disorder and panic attacks. This medicinel may also treat headaches and sexual problems. Do not ingest more than 1 liter of grapefruit juice per day while taking these medications.
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