Health Tips

Can taking medications long-term deplete your nutrients?

The answer is: yes, it can. However, not all medications can cause depletion of nutrients. Even if the medication you are taking does deplete nutrients, there are ways to manage it. It does not mean that you must stop taking the medications.

1. Blood pressure medication v.s. Zinc

Some of the most widely prescribed blood pressure medications can cause nutrients depletion. For instance, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI), a type of blood pressure medication, can deplete zinc. It is advised that people who take ACEI regularly ensure an intake of a minimum of 11mg of zinc daily. Examples of ACEI include Coversyl®, Coveram® and Enapril®. 

2. Blood cholesterol medication v.s. Fat-soluble vitamins and CoQ10

Statin, a widely prescribed medication for lowering blood cholesterol, is also known to lower key nutrient in the body. Statin lowers blood cholesterol by inhibiting an enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase in the body. HMG-CoA is a crucial enzyme required for the production of cholesterol in our body. But here’s another role about HMG-CoA reductase: it is also involve in the synthesis of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). As a result, although cholesterol is lowered by taking a statin, it comes at the expense of a reduced level of CoQ10. Therefore, for those who take statin regularly, it is advised that they take CoQ10 supplements 100 - 200mg daily. As statin lowers blood cholesterol, there is a risk of fat-soluble vitamins deficiency, such as Vitamin A, D, E and K. Those vitamins can be easily supplemented through a balanced diet or taking 1000-2000 IU of Vitamin D daily.

Examples of statin include Lipitor®, Caduet® and Crestor®. 

3. Diabetes medication v.s. Folic acid and Vitamin B12

If you have diabetes, your doctor may prescribe you with insulin injection or medication to take orally, depending on the severity of your diabetes. Among the oral medication used for diabetes, metformin is frequently prescribed due to lesser side effects and good effectiveness for lowering blood sugar level. However, it is known that metformin can cause depletion of folic acid (vitamin B9) and vitamin B12. The recommendation for folic acid is 120-240 mcg daily, while 25- 100 mcg daily for vitamin B12. Glucophage® is one of the brands of metformin. 

4. Gastric medications v.s. Trace elements and vitamins

For those who suffer from indigestion, stomach ulcer and/or Helicobacter pylori infection, it is likely that your doctor would prescribe an acid-suppressing drug and/or antacids for you to reduce your gastric acid, thereby relieving the symptoms of those conditions. However, these medications can deplete many trace elements such as calcium, folic acid, iron, magnesium, multiple Vitamin B, and vitamin D. You should be able to replenish those nutrients if you are taking a well-balanced diet. Nevertheless, supplementations of 25 - 100 mcg daily of vitamin B12 and 250 - 400mcg daily of magnesium are recommended. Examples of gastric medications are Nexium®, Tagamet® and Zantac®.

The bottom line is if you take those medications for a long period of time, make sure you eat a well-balanced diet and take necessary dietary supplements to prevent nutrients deficiency. 

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References:

1. https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/about_us/sponsored_resources/Nature%20Made%20Handout.pdf

2. https://www.uspharmacist.com/article/druginduced-nutrient-depletions-what-pharmacists-need-to-know

Written By

Ms.Toh Ker Ro

Reviewed By

Doc2us Medical Board