Can You Take Vitamin C With Blood Thinners

Interactions From Supplements And Other Medications

Dr. Gandy said food isnt the only thing to be cautious of when taking blood thinners, also called anticoagulants. Vitamin supplements can also disrupt a carefully balanced dosage of medication. Antibiotics and common pain relievers also can cause the blood to thicken.

On the flip side, some over-the-counter medications used to treat cold and allergy symptoms can cause the blood thinners to have more potent effects.

Can I Take Vitamins With Blood Thinners

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Examples of supplements which may reduce warfarin’s ability to thin the blood include vitamin K, ginseng, St. John’s wort, and, in very high doses, green tea. CoQ10 is chemically similar to vitamin K2 and may also decrease the effects of warfarin, although the evidence for this is mixed.

Additionally, can you take vitamin C with blood thinners? Warfarin — There have been rare reports of vitamin C interfering with the effectiveness of this blood-thinning medication. However, if you take warfarin or another blood thinner, talk to your doctor before taking vitamin C or any other supplement.

Likewise, people ask, which vitamins are blood thinners?

Vitamin E reduces blood clotting in a few different ways. These effects depend on the amount of vitamin E that a person takes.4.Vitamin E

What supplements should not be taken with warfarin?

Common supplements that can interact with warfarin include:

• Coenzyme Q10

Things To Avoid If Youre On Blood Thinners

While leafy greens, grapefruit and green tea are generally considered healthy diet staples, they may counteract the effects of some blood thinners.

Patients on the blood thinners Coumadin or Warfarin need to avoid vitamin K-rich foods and supplements, said Dr. Samantha Crites, a cardiologist at Mon Health Heart and Vascular Center. While blood thinners prevent and/or dissolve blood clots, Vitamin K can thicken your blood.

If a patient is prescribed Coumadin or Warfarin and consistently eats foods high in vitamin K, the vitamin K will work against the medication and make it harder to regulate the patients blood, she added.

New oral anticoagulants are not affected by vitamin K and do not have these dietary restrictions, said Dr. Crites. If foods high in vitamin K are a big part of your diet, discuss these options with your doctor.

Dr. Crites recommends patients who take Coumadin or Warfarin avoid or limit the following:

Leafy greens

Leafy greens like kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts and lettuce contain high amounts of vitamin K.

If a patient eats the same amount of these foods daily, their medication can be adjusted, Dr. Crites said. But adjusting medication doesnt work if the patient is eating these foods inconsistently.

Good replacements for these foods include tomatoes, potatoes and cucumbers.

Green tea

Cranberry juice

If youre taking a blood thinner, even the new types, cranberry juice can increase the risk of bleeding.

Grapefruit

Alcohol

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Consistent Vitamin K Intake Is Key

I think all warfarin-treated patients would benefit from increasing their daily vitamin K intake, Ferland said in a statement.

She added that given the direct interaction between dietary vitamin K and the action of the drug, it is important that daily vitamin K intakes be as consistent as possible.

Our hope is that healthcare professionals will stop advising warfarin-treated patients to avoid green vegetables, she said.

Williams agreed.

Clinically, this may prevent patients on warfarin from having too many highs and lows on their INRs, the International Normalized Ratio blood test used to monitor how thick or thin the blood is, she said. This could give more consistency to the patients blood clotting ability.

But she cautioned that while the information in this trial is thought-provoking for physicians, larger studies will need to be conducted before significant changes can be made in patient care.

Apart from the findings of this clinical trial, there are other medications and vitamins that can affect how warfarin works. These include:

• prescription medications, such as the common antibiotics azithromycin and

Medication Interactions: Food Supplements And Other Drugs

Some foods even healthy ones can make your medications less effective.

Healthy eating is critical for patients battling cardiovascular disease, also called heart disease. In fact, it can help reverse a condition or reduce the need for medication. But even healthy foods, including fruits and vegetables, can cause unintended and possibly dangerous interactions with certain medications.

Perhaps the best-known example is grapefruit, which, along with pomegranate, can alter the way certain cholesterol medications work.

Other examples include some leafy green veggies, such as spinach or kale. Their high vitamin K levels pose risks for patients being treated with *blood thinners to prevent strokes. Eating high levels of these vegetables can counteract the medications effectiveness.

Read Also: Where To Get Free Prenatal Vitamins

Celeriac Puree With Sour Cream And Chives

This intimidating root veggie may lack glamour, but pours out a beautiful potato-like texture with a delicate celery flavor. Celeriac, aka celery root, is packed with some serious nutrition and flavor. In this recipe we elevated the delicate celery flavor with sour cream and chives.

Celery root nutrition facts:

• Contains only 15 grams of carbohydrates per cup, making it a great root vegetable for diabetics .

• Contains apigenin, a compound known for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidative and tumor inhibitory properties .

• Killer source of vitamin K! One cup contains about 80% of the daily recommend amount of vitamin K, which is great for bone health! .

• Did I mention vitamin C? Yup, this powerhouse veggie is also a great source of the antioxidant vitamin C! Eat 1 cup and have 21% of your daily value covered .

• Potassium too? You better believe it. This root veggie also brings a whopping 13% of the daily value of potassium to the party. Potassium has been shown to help lower blood pressure and may reduce the risk of stroke by 25% .

**Affiliate link disclaimer: This article contain affiliate links. If you click one of these link and make a purchase, I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!!

Special Considerations:

How to pick the perfect Celery root:

How to store a fresh celery root:

Possibility Of Cardiovascular Disease

Vitamin C is well known for its antioxidant properties that protect the body from diseases. But can one have too much of a good thing? Possibly, under some conditions. One study showed that high doses of vitamin C supplements can trigger cardiovascular disease in individuals who already have other underlying health conditions consuming over 300 mg per day of vitamin C supplements was associated with cardiovascular disease among postmenopausal women with diabetes. However, this was observed only in a single study and is not established firmly yet.10

Read Also: Can You Use Fsa For Vitamins

Avoid Problems With These Tips

There are lots of things you can do to take prescription or over-the-counter medications safely.

• Always read drug labels carefully and learn about the warnings for all the drugs you take.
• Keep medications in their original containers so you can easily identify them.
• Ask your doctor what you need to avoid when you are prescribed a new medication. Ask about food, beverages, dietary supplements and other drugs.
• Check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking an OTC drug if you are taking any prescription medications.
• Use one pharmacy for all your drug needs.
• Keep all of your health care professionals informed about everything that you take.
• Keep a record of all prescription drugs, OTC drugs, and dietary supplements that you take. Try to keep this list with you at all times, but especially when you go on any medical appointment.

Before taking a drug, ask your doctor or pharmacist these questions:

• Can I take it with other drugs?
• Should I avoid certain foods, beverages or other products?
• What are possible drug interaction signs I should know about?
• How will the drug work in my body?
• Is there more information available about the drug or my condition?

Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisers. See our editorial policies and staff.

Last Reviewed: Oct 30, 2014

Pay Attention To Food Labels To Keep Your Vitamin K Intake Consistent

Vitamin K foods can be included in your diet on a regular basis as long as you are mindful of the portion and keep the overall intake of vitamin K-rich foods consistent, says .

For instance, you can choose to have a vitamin K rich food every day, every week, or three times in a week as long as you keep this portion and frequency consistent, she says.

If necessary, you can discuss including regular sources of vitamin K in your diet with your doctor in case your warfarin dosage would need to be adjusted, she adds. You will want to tell your physician how often you eat foods high in vitamin K and how much of those foods you eat. Being knowledgeable about vitamin K is a key to managing it in your diet.

There are a variety of vegetables that contain lower amounts of vitamin K. These include:

• Tomatoes.
• Sweet potatoes.
• Squash .

Iceberg lettuce is low and romaine is also fairly low, so most people can eat either if them daily. In addition, be sure to read labels on multivitamins as they have varying amounts of vitamin K. Talk to your doctor about what vitamins you should take.

Read Also: What Vitamins Prevent Cold Sores

Supplements That May Affect Your Blood

Research shows several supplements may affect how well your blood can form clots. For many of these, its not clear how much of the supplement is needed to affect clot formation. Some of these include:

Continued

Aloe. In one case, a woman taking an aloe supplement bled heavily after oral surgery. There’s also a risk of bleeding if you take aloe with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin or ibuprofen.

Cranberry. There are documented cases of cranberry supplements interacting with warfarin. This can lead to bleeding.

Feverfew. Lab studies of platelets show it can affect their ability to stick together and form clots.

Garlic. Animal and human studies show it can slow blood clotting and lead to bleeding.

Ginger. One study found high doses of ginger affected clotting. More research is needed, but theres also evidence it can raise your risk of bleeding if you’re taking warfarin.

Ginkgo. Research shows it can slow clotting. Its also led to bleeding in people who took it alone or with NSAIDs.

Meadowsweet. There are no reports of meadowsweet interacting with warfarin or NSAIDs. But it has a compound called salicylate that affects how well platelets can stick together.

Turmeric. Curcumin, one of turmeric’s active ingredients, has antiplatelet effects.

White willow. This supplement has aspirin-like effects in the body. That means it can keep platelets from sticking together. There’s no documented evidence of it interfering with warfarin.

Continued

Vitamin C And Coumadin

Some evidence has shown that too much vitamin C from supplements and food can decrease Coumadins effectiveness, according to MedlinePlus 4. But decreasing this medications effectiveness can put some people at greater risk of blood clots. The evidence regarding vitamin C’s interaction with Coumadin remains controversial, however, according to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University 3. Furthermore, the University of Maryland Medical Center suggests that doses of vitamin C up to 1,000 milligrams per day have had no effect on Coumadin’s function.

Also Check: How Long Does A Vitamin B Shot Last

Case Study Shows Powerful Effects:

New Zealand dairy farmer Alan Smith had a miraculous recovery from a coma induced by leukemia and severe double lung pneumonia. Doctors were ready to pull the plug on him when the family begged them to try high dose IV vitamin C. Alan began showing positive results after the doctors administered 50-100 grams of IV vitamin C.

Unfortunately, the doctors at the hospital who were relatively uneducated on vitamin C were concerned about any possible complications with the high dose IV vitamin C. They dropped the dosage to 2g of vitamin C and Alan began to struggle for survival again. His family began giving him 6 grams of oral liposomal vitamin C and within weeks he was significantly better and was discharged from the hospital.

/13asthma And Allergic Medications

Allergies have been a talking point with the COVID-19 vaccines since it can make some prone to developing anaphylaxis, which is a worrisome, severe allergic reaction.

However, Dr Pandit says that most medications, or antihistamines used by those suffering from allergies have been found to be safe when used with the COVID-19 vaccine. “Vaccine is safe amongst those with food allergy and common allergic conditions like Asthma, Allergic Rhinitis and Allergic Dermatitis. Only people who have an Anaphylaxis to any of the vaccine contents, should NOT take the vaccine.”

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Vitamin K In Popular Foods

Below, find more details on the amount of vitamin K present in different foods, including leafy greens, vegetables and other foods as provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

When it comes to blood thinners, the more you know the better you can manage your diet. Be sure to talk to your doctor if you have any concerns.

Possible Interactions With: Vitamin C

If you are being treated with any of the following medications, you should not use vitamin C supplements without first talking to your health care provider.

Aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs — Both aspirin and NSAIDs can lower the amount of vitamin C in the body because they cause more of the vitamin to be lost in urine. In addition, high doses of vitamin C can cause more of these drugs to stay in the body, raising the levels in your blood. Some very early research suggests that vitamin C might help protect against stomach upset that aspirin and NSAIDs can cause. If you regularly take aspirin or NSAIDs, talk to your doctor before taking more than the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C.

Acetaminophen — High doses of vitamin C may lower the amount of acetaminophen passed in urine, which could cause the levels of this drug in your blood to rise.

Aluminum-containing antacids — Vitamin C can increase the amount of aluminum your body absorbs, which could cause the side effects of these medications to be worse. Aluminum-containing antacids include Maalox and Gaviscon.

Barbiturates — Barbiturates may decrease the effects of vitamin C. These drugs include phenobarbital , pentobarbital , and seconobarbital .

Protease inhibitors — Vitamin C appears to slightly lower levels of indinavir , a medication used to treat HIV and AIDS.

Recommended Reading: How Much Vitamin D Does An Adult Need

Iv Vitamin C Versus Liposomal:

Some experts in the field of vitamin C such as Dr Thomas Levy, are saying that 6 grams of liposomal vitamin C is equivalent to 50 grams of intravenous vitamin C . Intravenous vitamin C elevates blood levels of vitamin C significantly higher, however, without the liposomal membrane this water soluble vitamin C is unable to efficiently penetrate the cell membrane.

Oral vitamin C acts as an antioxidant to reduce oxidative stress in the body. Intravenous vitamin C is a prooxidant drug that helps produce hydrogen peroxide which targets cancer cells while leaving normal cells unharmed. So it does have great benefits in advanced cancer patients.

The cell membrane blocks much of the vitamin C that is in the bloodstream from getting into the cell. The liposomal membrane is able to fuse with the same material and configuration that resides on cell walls. This results in a lower minimal necessary dosage and saves a tremendous amount of money and stress to the consumer.

Intravenous vitamin C treatments cost between $125 $160 a session. Typical sessions last around two hours. A daily dosage of 6g of Liposomal vitamin C costs less than $5 per day and takes no time at all. It does not require a doctor or needles and is very easy and user friendly as we are all familiar with swallowing a pill.

Melatonin And Other Sedating Herbs

You can easily overdo herbs or supplements with sedative properties. These include melatonin, valerian, ashwagandha, kava, and St. Johnss Wort: When taken together, they can cause too much sleepiness, Dr. Cooperman says. Always read the labels to find out what you can expect from supplements. Here are some more things to know if you are going to take melatonin.

Also Check: Can You Take Zinc And Vitamin C Together

Who Should Take Extra Vitamin E And Vitamin C

To lower your risk of heart disease, you need to take much more vitamin E and vitamin C than you can get from food. Your doctor may want you to take extra vitamin E and vitamin C if you have had any of the following problems:

A heart attack

How To Take Your Blood Thinner

Always take your blood thinner as directed. For example, some blood thinners need to be taken at the same time of day, every day.

Never skip a dose, and never take a double dose.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If you dont remember until the next day, call your doctor for instructions. If this happens when your doctor is not available, skip the missed dose and start again the next day. Mark the missed dose in a diary or on a calendar.

A pillbox with a slot for each day may help you keep track of your medicines.

Recommended Reading: Why Is Vitamin E Oil Good For Skin

Talk To Your Other Doctors

Because you take a blood thinner, you will be seen regularly by the doctor who prescribed the medicine. You may also see other doctors for different problems. When you see other doctors, it is very important that you tell them you are taking a blood thinner. You should also tell your dentist and the person who cleans your teeth.

If you use different pharmacies, make sure each pharmacist knows that you take a blood thinner.

Blood thinners can interact with medicines and treatments that other doctors might prescribe for you. If another doctor orders a new medicine for you, tell the doctor who ordered your blood thinner because dose changes for your blood thinner may be needed.

Tell all your doctors about every medication and over-the-counter product that you take.