Question

Question 1: Nutrients can affect the actions of drugs, and drugs can affect nutrient absorption, metabolism and excretion. Review the Chapter 17 Highlight and describe a specific instance in which diet can affect drug absorption. Explain how the drug works, the nutrient-drug interaction and potential consequences of this interaction. You will need to defend your answer using specific facts, data, and other information drawn from the textbook and at least one other supplemental source. George is a 72-year old who is 6 feet tall and in excellent health overall, if just slightly overweight with a BMI of 26. He golfs with his buddies every Saturday morning, although they now take a golf cart rather than walking the course like they used to. George also swims 10 laps every day in his pool, about half of what he used to do a few years ago. George realizes that he's a bit overweight, and doesn't like the slight bulge in his belly. He's always consumed about 2000 kcalories per day and figures that if he foregoes his daily beer, the weight should come off just as quickly as it used to when he was younger without having to give up his "steak and potatoes" diet. After three weeks with no weight change, George is getting frustrated. Question 2: Suggest three dietary changes that may help George lose weight without compromising the nutrient density of his diet. Be sure to explain how your recommendations may not only help George lose weight, but also the health benefits these changes convey. Support your answer with data, facts, key terminology, specific examples and other information drawn from the textbook and at least one other supplemental source.

Answer 1

Drug - Drug is a chemical substance used to treat a disease through its mechanism of action by producing relevant effect.

Nutrient-Whatever we eat ,it contains vitamins and minerals i.e., dietary supplement to our body refer to as nutrients.

How drug works-

Drug when swallowed , it enters into the body and stimulate the receptors and produces its mechanism of action either by stimulating the receptors (agonist) or by stopping the agonist to stimulate the receptors(antagonist).

Once the receptors are activated,hormones are released and these hormones produces a desired effect.

Nutrient-drug interaction-

Interaction between the vitamins , minerals and the medicine we take (for any disease) refer to as nutrient- drug interaction.

Nutrients directly or indirectly affects the action of medicine taken.

Nutrients increase or decreases the effect of medicine.Thats why doctors specifically prescribed that this medicine should be taken before or after the dinner.

When nutrient and medicine comes in contact with each other i.e., when interaction occurs on the one hand nutrients affect the medicine working and on the other hand drug produces side effects that results in changes in absorption,digestion and excretion of nutrients etc.

For example-

Diuretics lowers the potassium levels in our body, laxatives decrease nutrient absorption.

Consequences of nutrient-drug interaction-

Nutrient-drug affect the metabolism, absorption of each other.e,g., antibiotics inhibits the synthesis of vitamin.

Interaction increases or decreases the action which can result in adverse effects and toxicity.

Nutrients can reduces the concentration and activity of drug example vitamins can can reduce the microbial agent concentration of fluconazole.

Thats why nutrients and drug affect each other mode and mechanism of action .