Pomegranate juice +Calcium channel blockers = NO

[dixiegrrrrl]

Studies coming out now recognizing that grapefruit juice, a big no-no for people who use CC Blockers, inhibits same enzyme that pomegranate juice does.
That enzyme inhibition results in higher levels of the medicine remaining in body, can cause very serious health affects.

Pomegranate juice is being used to reduce PSA levels in men's prostates.
Seems effective, too.

So, Mr. D. takes Verapamil, a CCB, AND had mild rise n PSA, we knew about pomegranate juice, seemed like a good idea, until I stumbled links on the web.
His doctor said nothing about either juices.
The pharmacy warning hadnoout mentioned only grapefruit juice.

I check out the web for all meds. we have to take.

Google has links all over the place. I hven't had coffee yet. Please check it out.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

1. You may want to look at this... you may not.

http://www.westonaprice.org/moderndiseases/bpdrugs.html

CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKERS

But calcium channel blockers are, by far, the worst of the bunch. And, of course, they're among the most widely prescribed drugs in the modern world. Calcium channel blockers block the movement of calcium across cell membranes. This suppresses muscular contraction, which dilates the arteries and reduces resistance to blood flow. The doctor sees a reduction in your blood pressure and proclaims it medical magic: You take the little pills, your pressure comes down, and the doctor is a genius.

I wish it were that simple, but what else happens?

Your heart feels like a fish flopping around in a bucket. You feel like you are going to faint, especially if you stand up quickly. You figure you can live with that; you just won't stand up quickly. But if going from sitting to standing can cause you to faint, how about going from flat on your back to standing? This sudden drop in your pressure can cause a stroke, and off to the emergency ward you go. But the calcium channel blocker won't take any of the blame: After all, your doctor prescribed it to you to prevent a stroke brought on by high blood pressure.

The "cure" that causes 85,000 unnecessary deaths each year, these "Kalcium Kardiac Killers" (KKK) can also cause heart failure, heart attacks, gastrointestinal bleeding, liver and kidney damage, and reduced white blood cell count (causing you to be more susceptible to infections). And another common--and deadly--possibility is their interaction with other drugs, which can lead to any of the above disasters.

The most important study to date on calcium channel blockers is the Wake Forest University School of Medicine research, which was presented at an international cardiology meeting in Amsterdam in 2000 by Curt Furberg, MD, Ph.D., who is a professor of public health.

According to the report, these very popular (with the doctors anyway) drugs may be responsible for an excessive number of heart attacks and cases of heart failure. It appears that they don't even prevent the cardiovascular complications of high blood pressure. In fact, they cause complications. Calcium channel blockers lead to about 40,000 "unnecessary or excess" heart attacks in the US each year and about 85,000 such tragedies worldwide, said Marco Pahor, MD, the professor of medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine who headed the research project.

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. Bless you for that

I am very much a "natural" health person, and until yesterday could claim it worked,
today I have a mild cold, first one in 15 years.


Mr. D. is a rather obedient "listen to the Dr. and do what he says" person.

Gradually he is "growing out" of this.
I will save article for him.

thanks.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

4. Please understand..... Dr. Sinatra is a 30 veteran cardiologist

who has be "educated". Please read this entire article for your so and also check out the home page.

http://www.sinatramd.com/MainSite/HealthCenter.aspx?Healthcenter=JRCA_HC%20Blood%20Pressure
Week Three: Begin Taking Targeted Supplements

Coenzyme Q10: Research shows that 200-300 mg CoQ10 per day can lower blood pressure. CoQ10 makes cells healthier and less vulnerable to constriction, which can elevate pressure inside blood vessels. Many of my patients who take a water-soluble form of CoQ10 have cut their blood pressure drugs in half.

Magnesium + Calcium: It's hard to get sufficient levels of these critical minerals in your diet. That's why you must supplement. Magnesium helps regulate heart health and calcium keeps the blood vessels in shape. It's best to take 400 mg magnesium every day in conjunction with 1,000 mg calcium.

Note: Take these minerals after meals. If you have kidney problems, don't take supplemental magnesium or calcium without your doctor's approval.

Fish Oil: A recent study of 11,000 patients shows that fish oil promotes healthy blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels - even better than vitamin E. I'm so thrilled with fish oil that it's part of my core program for heart health.

[grasswire]

5. I read Sinatra's web site last year

There's an incredible amount of stuff worth reading. I am following his recommendations for the most part, although I haven't made it to several of the supplements yet. But adding magnesium and coq10 have greatly improved my daily life.

[patrice]

2. Thanks, both of you. nt

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

6. thanks for posting. I will stop giving my mother Pomegrant juice

I hear about grapefruit juice, but not the others.

My mother takes several heart and blood pressure meds, so this information was
very important.

[eShirl]

7. wow thanks! - transplant patients are among those supposed to avoid grapefruit

And since he got his new kidney, DH drinks nothing but 4C Totally Light Cranberry Pomegranite drink mix (with artificial cranberry flavor and "natural and artificial pomegranite flavor"). It must have very little if any actual pomegranite, since he's had no problems whatsoever, but I will definitely try to get him onto a different flavor now (to be on the safe side).

They really put the fear of Hades into us over grapefruit, at the transplant center.