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Grapefruit avoidance

Evening all,

Been a looking time since I've posted on here but thought why not now.

As a general update, I achieved MMR around November 2020 after 2 1/2 years on Imatinib, Dasatinib and finally Nilotinib which is fantastic. None were without their side effects (Imatinib is the worst 😂) .

However my main query this evening is with regards to the advice given to avoid grapefruit juice with our medication.

I'm more than happy to avoid grapefruit juice as a general rule, it is pretty nasty after all. But I'm wondering if anyone has any knowledge about whether this applies to any product that contains/may contain any trace of grapefruit. For example, I'm partial to a gin and tonic. But the sheer amount of Gin that have been made using grapefruit is quite staggering. So I have no idea which I need to avoid.

If anyone can shed any light, id be very grateful.

And as always, if anyone just needs a chat to someone new, just drop me a message.

Jay.

Hi Jay,

 

I spent a while avoiding grapefruit in any form because...well, just because it was kinda in there with pomegranate as something to avoid. I take Nilotinib 300mg 2x daily.
I am also, however, partial to a G&T and have 3-4 a week I guess. It had never occured to me there was grapefruit in gin so I am sure it matters not. 
I also use a grapefruit body wash and haven't noticed anything.
I may be wrong but I suspect sustained consumption of the juice / fruit might be a harmful thing in the end but i have had some pomegrannate dressing and seeds a few times without knowing it and the G&T certainly helps with or without grapefruit! I've eaten grapefruit marmalade without knowing etc. I think we can overthink these things perhaps. 
My Dad took his statins with a full glass of grapefruit juice daily for nearly 10 years before a friend mentioned he should categorically NOT be doing that too...he's still going strong at 86. blush
 

Caspar

Products with a trace amount are very likely to be totally fine.

The reason we should avoid grapefruit is because it consumes an enzyme that is used to break down our TKIs. So if the grapefruit has already used them all up, the TKI stays active for longer than it should. It's also the reason why heroin addicts will drink grapefruit juice as it "potentiates" the drug.

Because of that things like a grapefruit body wash are 100% fine - you don't ingest it. Similarly, if there was a slice of dried grapefruit to flavour my G&T a little bit it wouldn't worry me. And I severely doubt there's a significant amount of grapefruit in grapefruit flavoured gin ... after all, it's likely to be grapefruit flavouring, not actual grapefruit anyway. 

 

David

I think it is the juice and flesh of a grapefruit that we need to avoid and as far as i am aware the peel is used as a botanical in gin and so should be ok.