I've read that you should not have citrus when you first take amphetamines because citrus can block the absorption of amphetamines.

So I'm taking Adderall XR. Take it in the morning. Now, I guess around 4 hours later the second "dose" is released in the time release. So does that mean one should not have citrus then too? So should you really go all day without citrus or is it only when you first take the pill in the morning.

Also, is coffee and tea acidic enough to block the absorption?

Thanks!

. . . Kim

Good question! I have been worried about avoiding all things that make my stomach more acidic (and as you can imagine this has been pretty maddening!). So what's okay and what's not? And are there times that are better to eat these substance than others?

Dr. Amen was asked the following question on another website (following the question is his response)

Question: Is it just orange juice that decreases effectiveness or any citrus beverage, and how soon after taking your dose can you drink OJ?

Amen: It's any citrus beverage, so I recommend you don't have it an hour before or an hour after you take your medication.

Someone told me that grapefruit juice would increase your absorption, but that doesn't make any sense!

Has anyone ever heard that before?

Thanks Big!

My phramist said just not to when taking it followed by the first hour after. So Big gave you great advise to look at on that!

Grapefruit juice doesn't alter the absorption of the drug, it alters the metabolism of the drug! This can make a drug less effective, or last longer and stronger - it depends on how active the drug metabolites are - for some drugs, it's the metabolites that actually have the desired effect!
See below web site - a good explaination from the Mayo clinic on the drug interactions with grapefruit juice (this interaction is for grapefruit juice only, not orange or other citrus)

http://www.mayo.edu/proceedings/2000/sep/7509r1.pdf

"This drug-food interaction seems to occur through inhibition by grapefruit juice of one of the intestinal cytochrome P-450 (CYP) enzyme systems, cytochrome P-450 3A4 (CYP3A4). This enzyme system in the liver is well known for its involvement with drug-drug interactions."

I don't think that amphetamine is metabolized by CYP3A4, but I'm not sure - I tried look it up but couldn't find the info.

About other citrus, I'm not sure, but I don't think orange juice interacts with anything - but again, I could be wrong - I'll ask my pharmacist the next time I see him.
Cheers!

I always wondered why on some drugs you get from the pharmacist there is a sticker on the bottle that says "do not take with grapefruit juice." Now I know - thanks!