Many drugs and supplements are more soluble in fat or oil than in water. Low water solubility may slow the uptake of the drugs in your intestines, or cause nausea if taken on an empty stomach. Uptake and comfort can be increased if the drugs are taken with a meal or with a snack containing a fat and small mass of food. Fat-soluble drugs accumulate in body fat over time and can be eliminated by weight loss and increasing water and fiber intake.
Absorb fat-soluble drugs
Step 1
Prepare the carrot or celery by washing and cutting it into three inch sticks. They may be either peeled or scrubbed. A serving should be approximately the size of your palm and two inches high. Any fresh fruit or vegetable may be substituted to your preference. The fruits or vegetables are present in your snack to provide a mass of food containing fiber in order to increase transport time through the intestines increasing drug absorption.
Step 2
Prepare 1 tbsp. of peanut butter or a small piece of cheese. Any nut butter may also be substituted to taste. The peanut butter or cheese is present in your snack as a source of fat to increase the solubility of the drug in your intestines. The more a drug is dissolved, the more reaches the wall of the intestines to be absorbed into your bloodstream.
Step 3
Consume your fat soluble drug with 8 oz. of water in the middle of eating your snack. This allows the drug to dissolve fully in the food mass in your intestines without being overly watery and decreasing the time the food spends in your intestines.
Step 4
Experiment to find your favorite snack to take with fat-soluble drugs. The general guidelines are one to two servings of solid food, fruits, vegetables, meat or carbohydrates, and one tbsp. of a fat, nut butter, cheese, oil or non-light salad dressing. Avoid drinking excess water with the snack as this makes the snack less viscous in your intestines, decreasing the amount of time that it can be absorbed into your body.
Eliminate fat-soluble drugs
Step 1
Increase water intake to speed elimination of fat soluble drugs. Drugs that are not soluble in water are not very efficiently excreted through the urine. Increasing water intake to at least 64 oz. a day leads to increased blood flow and urination, speeding up drug elimination.
Step 2
Increase fiber intake by consuming more fruits and vegetables or taking a fiber supplement. Most fat soluble drugs are excreted through the intestines via liver bile. A high content of fiber in the intestines decreases the amount of the drug that is reabsorbed through your intestines back into the blood stream.
Step 3
Burn fat to increase the amount of fat soluble drugs excreted by your body. Body fat acts as the main store for fat soluble drugs and vitamins. Burning fat releases these back into the bloodstream, allowing the body to excrete them.
Tips and Warnings
- Avoid taking fiber supplements or eating meals very high in fiber while taking medications. Do not take laxatives with drugs or supplements.
- Follow the instructions of your doctor or pharmacist when taking prescription medication.
Things You'll Need
- Peanut butter or cheese
- Carrots, celery or another vegetable
- 8 oz. of water
References
- Merck Manuals: Drugs: Administration and Kinetics of Drugs: Absorption
- "Oral Drug Absorption: Prediction and Assessment"; Dressman JB, Lennernäs H; 2000
- Merck Manuals: Drugs: Administration and Kinetics of Drugs: Elimination
Member Comments