PEOPLE’S PHARMACY: When instructions say ‘take with food’
Q: When directions for medicine say take with food, do I take it before I eat anything, at midmeal or following the meal?
A: Unless there are instructions to the contrary (such as “take 30 minutes before eating”), a medicine to be taken with food can be taken at any point in the meal. The idea is to reduce stomach irritation and, for some drugs, improve absorption.
Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist and Teresa Graedon is an expert in medical anthropology and nutrition. They can be reached at peoplespharmacy@gmail.com.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Guides
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2011 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution