Some medications you need to take with food, others you take without food and some require that you avoid certain food items, such as grapefruit or milk. Talk to your pharmacist about any new medications and whether you need to make any changes to your diet while you are on them. For some antibiotics, your pharmacist may recommend you avoid drinking milk before and after taking the medication. But when taking amoxicillin, you do not need to avoid dairy foods.
Amoxicillin
Amoxicillin is a penicillin antibiotic that helps fight bacteria. It is used to treat a number of different bacterial infections, including ear infections, bladder infections, pneumonia, gonorrhea, E. coli and salmonella. In some cases, amoxicillin is used in combination with clarithromycin to treat stomach ulcers that are caused by the Helicobacter pylori bacteria. Do not take amoxicillin if you are allergic to penicillin or have had an allergic reaction to other penicillin antibiotics, such as ampicillin, dicloxacillin or oxacillin.
Dairy and Antibiotics
Certain antibiotics need to be taken separately from dairy products. The calcium in dairy products prevents your body from absorbing the antibiotic, making them less effective. Amoxicillin is not an antibiotic that you need to take separately from dairy products. In fact, according to Drugs.com, amoxicillin can be mixed with milk to make it easier for you to take the medication. Antibiotics that you need to take separately from milk include quinolones.
Foods to Avoid on Amoxicillin
Amoxicillin can be taken with or without food, and there are no specific food items that you need to avoid while taking the medication. However, foods high in acid can interfere with the absorption of your medication, according to a January 2011 article at DallasNews.com, and you should avoid foods high in acid at the time you take your medication. High-acid foods include citrus fruits and juices, tomatoes and tomato products, chocolate and carbonated drinks.
Additional Concerns
While you may not need to avoid dairy while taking amoxicillin, you do need to take some precautions when taking the medication. Amoxicillin makes birth control pills less effective. It is recommended that you use a second form of birth control when taking amoxicillin to prevent pregnancy. Amoxicillin can also cause diarrhea because not only does it kill the bad bacteria, but it also kills the good bacteria. To prevent diarrhea, consume foods that contain friendly bacteria, such as yogurt with live active cultures.
