Vitamin D is a popular supplement, but it can have harmful interactions with various medications.High blood pressure and seizure medications are just some of the drugs that may not mix well.Talk with your pharmacist about any medications you\u2019re taking that may interact with vitamin D.<\/p>\n
We need vitamin D for our immune health, building and maintaining bone density and even reducing inflammation<\/a>. But it\u2019s challenging to eat enough vitamin D through food alone. And even though it\u2019s synthesized in the skin via sun exposure, it\u2019s often not enough. Perhaps that\u2019s why about a third of Americans are turning to vitamin D supplements to help meet their daily needs.\n<\/p>\n Vitamin D supplements help to fill the gaps, but that can come at a cost if they\u2019re taken with certain medications. \u201cLike any supplement, vitamin D should be used with guidance to avoid interactions and ensure safety,\u201d says Lauren Smith, Pharm.D.<\/a> Learn more about these six medications that interact with vitamin D supplements<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n Thiazide Diuretics <\/p>\n High blood pressure is common in the U.S., with close to half of American adults living with the condition. If you\u2019re one of the many with high blood pressure, then you may be prescribed a drug from a group known as thiazide diuretics, such as hydrochlorothiazide. In addition to managing fluid retention and blood pressure, thiazide diuretics also cause the body to absorb and retain calcium. \u201cAdding vitamin D on top of that can sometimes raise calcium in the body to unsafe levels, which may cause nausea, confusion or irregular heart rhythms,\u201d says Smith.<\/p>\n Corticosteroids <\/p>\n Corticosteroids like prednisone are prescribed for a variety of conditions, such as inflammatory disorders and autoimmune diseases. They can also interact with vitamin D supplements because they may reduce their effectiveness. \u201cLong-term use [of corticosteroids] can make it harder for your body to use vitamin D, which means you may not receive enough calcium,\u201d says Smith. \u201cOver time this increases the risk for weakened bones.\u201d Smith says that it may be beneficial to take a vitamin D supplement when prescribed corticosteroids but emphasizes to only do so under the care of a health care professional.<\/p>\n Antiseizure Medications <\/p>\n Antiseizure medications like phenytoin or phenobarbital are prescribed to treat seizures and, in some cases, may be used as a sedative. These types of medications have been linked to vitamin D deficiency<\/a> and lower blood calcium levels, which can negatively impact bone density<\/a>. \u201cThese medications cause your body to break down vitamin D faster, making it less effective and possibly leading to weaker bones over time,\u201d says Smith. Cardiac Glycosides <\/p>\n \u201cVitamin D and calcium go hand in hand, as vitamin D allows for the absorption of calcium into the body,\u201d says Joseph Walter, Pharm.D., an ambulatory care pharmacist<\/a>. \u201cAs a result, it can increase calcium levels.\u201d This increase in calcium can cause complications if you\u2019re taking cardiac glycosides, like digoxin, which are used to treat heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and arrhythmias\u2014all conditions that affect the heart\u2019s rhythm.,\u00a0\u201cHigh vitamin D intake can raise calcium levels, increasing the risk of digoxin toxicity, which can cause serious heart rhythm problems,\u201d says Smith.\n<\/p>\n Lipase Inhibitors <\/p>\n Lipase inhibitors, such as orlistat, are drugs that reduce the absorption of fat from food. Because vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and requires fat in the diet for optimal absorption, a side effect of orlistat can be a reduction in vitamin D absorption from supplements. Walter recommends separating when you take orlistat and vitamin D supplements by at least two hours.\n<\/p>\n Bile Acid Sequestrants <\/p>\n
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