As a food that is very rich in calcium, milk can reduce the effect of some medications, especially drugs used to treat thyroid problems, some antibiotics or iron supplements.
This is because calcium binds to substances in these medicines, making them more difficult to absorb in the stomach, especially if taken within 2 hours of taking the medicine. So, while not harmful to health, taking some medications with milk can decrease the amount of medicine available in the blood, reducing its effectiveness.
To prevent this from happening, it is very important to give preference to water when taking the medicine, or read the package insert or ask the doctor about the possibility of using milk with the medicine you need to take.
Medicines that should not be taken with milk
There are several types of remedies that should not be taken with milk, however, the most common include:
- Thyroid medications , such as Levothyroxine;
- Some antibiotics , such as Levofloxacin, Quinolone, Tetracycline or Norfloxacin;
- Iron supplements , widely used in the treatment of anemia.
As the list is not complete, it is very important to consult the doctor who prescribed the drug if there are any doubts about its use, even if it is just to ask if it can be taken with milk.
In addition to milk, when taking these medicines, it is also advisable to avoid eating cheese, yogurt, ice cream or taking antacids, as they also contain a high level of calcium, which ends up having an effect similar to that of milk.