DO take iron medications
after your meal. Iron, taken orally, causes gastrointestinal disturbances such as
gastric distress, nausea or diarrhoea.
DON'T take iron medications with
antacids such as calcium carbonate, aluminium hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide, as they
reduce iron absorption, possibly by neutralising the gastric activity.
DO take iron medications with vitamin
C, as vitamin C accelerates the absorption of iron.
DO chew your antacids thoroughly for
maximum efficiency.
DO wait an hour after your meal
before popping an antacid - it will be effective longer (for three to four hours) rather
than the 15 to 30 minutes when taken in a fasting state.
DON'T POP multivitamins
indiscriminately, or as dietary supplements, "to keep up energy and
strength". They do no more than placebos if unwarranted.
DON'T take insulin orally, as
gastrointestinal enzymes destroy it. It must be administered parenterally.
DO inject plain insulin about half an
hour before each meal.
DON'T take calcium, magnesium,
aluminium and iron salts in combination with tetracycline as these form complexes in the
gastrointestinal tract, impairing the absorption of the antibiotic.
DO take antibiotics with vitamin B
complex, as these tend to destroy the normal bacterial flora that line the intestines,
creating a vitamin B complex deficiency.
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