It is generally accepted that increasing water intake while taking medication is seen as helping to promote the absorption and metabolism of medications. However, from a medical professional point of view, this practice is not suitable for all medications. In fact, for certain types of drugs, increasing water intake may interfere with their efficacy or even bring adverse effects. Drinking water in moderation is indeed beneficial to the body, but when taking certain medicines, drinking too much water may dilute the concentration of the drug in the body and affect the effectiveness of the drug. What's more, some medications require fluid restriction when taken to prevent waning effects or adverse effects. Therefore, the correct course of action should be to follow the doctor's instructions and adopt the appropriate drinking strategy for different medications. This is essential to ensure the effectiveness and safety of medicines**.
Introduction to appetite boosters
Drugs such as Compound Gentian Solution and Gentian Coptis Solution increase appetite and optimize the digestive process by activating taste-sensing cells in the mouth, thereby stimulating the active appetite center and indirectly promoting the production of gastric acid and digestive juices. When taking these medications, it is recommended to moderate the amount of water you drink to avoid diluting gastric juices, which can affect their ability to promote digestion.
Instructions for medications to promote urination
Diuretics, including cyclic diuretics and thiophene sulfates, accelerate urine production and excretion through their own unique physiological mechanisms of action, with the aim of reducing excess water and salt in the body. While using these medications, it is important to control your water intake to prevent the risk of dehydration and electrolyte imbalances caused by excessive urination.
When taking antihypertensive drugs such as angiotensin-converting enzyme blockers and ridozine, it is also necessary to pay attention to the regulation of water intake.
Recommendations for the use of antidiarrheal medications
Antidiarrheal drugs such as montmorillonite powder work by adsorbing pathogens and their toxins in the digestive system. In order to ensure the efficacy of the drug, it is recommended to drink less water so as not to dilute the concentration of the drug in the digestive tract.
Precautions for taking stomach protection medications
Gastric protectors, such as sucralfate and pectin bismuth, can form a protective layer on the surface of the stomach wall or ulcer after taking it, helping to protect and repair the gastric mucosa. To ensure this effect, it is recommended to avoid drinking water for 30 minutes after taking the medicine.
Magnesium laxatives:Electrolyte powders including magnesium sulfate and polyethylene glycol, which are used to promote intestinal excretion.
Antipyretic analgesics:Commonly used medications include ibuprofen and acetaminophen, which are mainly used to lower body temperature and reduce pain.
Sulfonamides:Representative drugs are sulfadiazine and cotrimoxazole, which are widely used in antibacterial**.
Antivirals:Medicines such as acyclovir and valacyclovir are mainly used for **virus infection.
Fluoroquinolone antimicrobials:For example, levofloxacin and moxifloxacin are drugs that require concern because their metabolites form crystals in the kidneys and urethra, which may cause adverse effects such as crystalline urine, hematuria, and painful urination. Therefore, the amount of water you drink should be increased when using these drugs to help the drugs be better excreted from the body.
When ingesting the drug, warm water is recommended. Because tea, juice, milk, etc. contain complex ingredients that may interfere with the efficacy of the drug. In particular, certain ingredients in these beverages, such as the fruit acids in the juice (including vitamin C and citric acid), may react chemically with the drug, affecting the absorption and potency of the drug. For example, certain antibiotics, such as tetracycline and erythromycin, when ingested with milk, may bind to the calcium in the milk to form hard-to-dissolve compounds that weaken or eliminate their effectiveness. Therefore, to ensure that the drug works optimally, avoid taking it with beverages with complex ingredients.