Grapefruit can be a healthy addition to most people's diets. Half of a pink grapefruit contains only 60 calories and provides you with 100 percent of your recommended vitamin C for the day, as well as a portion of your requirements for other essential vitamins and minerals, including folate, magnesium, niacin, potassium and thiamine. Grapefruit is also a source of fiber. However, people taking certain types of medications should avoid grapefruit due to its interaction with them.
Lipitor Benefits
Lipitor, also known as atorvastatin, is a statin medication that can help lower high cholesterol levels by slowing down the amount of cholesterol formed by your body. Along with dietary changes, weight loss and exercise, taking Lipitor can help lower your risk for heart attack, heart disease and stroke.
Interaction with Grapefruit
Grapefruit interferes with the breakdown of Lipitor, thus making it stay in your body longer. This means the levels of Lipitor in your body can build up to dangerous levels, which puts you at higher risk for kidney or liver damage, as well as myopathy or rhabdomyolysis, two conditions that cause muscle damage.
Recommendations
Avoid consuming large amounts of grapefruit and products containing grapefruit, including juices and supplements. If you don't want to give up grapefruit, you can ask your doctor to switch your medication to one of the statins that does not interact with grapefruit.
Considerations
Lipitor also interacts with over 200 medications, according to Drugs.com, so tell your doctor about any other medications or supplements you are taking. You may experience side effects with Lipitor, including constipation, diarrhea, gas, headache, joint pain, nausea, lack of appetite, fever, muscle pain, itching, rash, swelling or chest pain. Notify your doctor of any side effects, since they may indicate a serious problem caused by your medication.
