Foods to Avoid while on Coumadin

The very purpose of giving a prescription medication is to relieve the discomfort of the patient arising from a particular illness. However, this can happen when certain dos and don'ts are followed. For instance, certain food items can interact with medications and make them less effective to cure the illness. This holds true for medicines like Coumadin that are commonly prescribed for the treatment of thrombosis, a condition that causes formation of blood clots. Coumadin, also referred to as Warfarin, does not allow the blood to clot in the long run. Patients who have had a heart attack or stroke from blood clots are advised to take blood thinners like Heparin and Coumadin. However, its ability to prevent blood clots can reduce considerably if vitamin K is included in the diet. It is discussed below:

Vitamin K and Coumadin
As aforementioned, Coumadin is an oral drug used to prevent future development of blood clots. Although, Coumadin does not burst a blood clot, it prevents future episodes of blood clotting. Also known as anti-coagulants, they ensure that the blood clot does not grow large and disrupt blood circulation to important organs of the body. However, this positive effect of Coumadin to stop future blood clots can become feeble if vitamin K foods are an integral part of the person's diet. Thus, the main intention of taking this drug is defeated if the person does not avoid eating vitamin K foods.

Vitamin K Foods to Avoid while on Coumadin
It is observed that vitamin K and Warfarin do not go well together. This is because, there are certain chemicals in vitamin K foods that interact with Coumadin (Warfarin) and minimize its efficacy. Thus, vitamin K and Coumadin interaction can make the medicine substantially ineffective, thereby increasing the chances of developing more blood clots. So, for best results, one should stay away or minimize intake of vitamin K rich foods whenever taking a daily dose of Coumadin. Thus, Coumadin diet restrictions discard the following vitamin K foods:

• Vegetables that include cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, spinach, alfalfa, turnip greens, mustard greens and collard greens
• Beverages such as herbal teas (green tea) and coffee
• Herbs such as parsley and endive
• Vegetable oils that include soybean, olive, cottonseed and canola
• Peas and green onions
• Dairy products such as yogurt

The aforementioned foods are major sources of vitamin K and so excluding them from the diet ensures that the efficacy of Coumadin does not go down. Certain food items like citrus fruits (oranges), breakfast cereals (Kellogg's Cornflakes), fish (salmon) and milk contain vitamin K in small amounts and can be taken only in moderation.

Coumadin Diet Restrictions
If certain foodstuffs decrease anticoagulant effects, then the intake of certain beverages amplify its effectiveness to a great extent. Consuming beverages that interact with this medicine and enhance its anti-coagulation effect is as good as taking Coumadin in high doses. This can lead to serious repercussions that manifest in the form of internal bleeding. Beverages that increase the anti-coagulation effect of Coumadin are as follows:

• Alcoholic drinks
• Cranberry juice

So, be it beer or wine, one should refrain from taking these alcoholic beverages, whenever taking these blood thinners. Studies also show that dietary supplements as well as certain medications elevate Coumadin's anti-coagulation effect, and so avoiding them is recommended while on Coumadin. They are listed below:

• Antibiotics
• Vitamin E supplements
• Herbal supplements of St. John's Wort, bilberry, ginger and ginko
• Aspirin containing medicines
• Laxatives such as mineral oil

On the whole, complying with these precautionary measures will ensure that the patients respond quite well to this anti-coagulant therapy. This will guarantee proper blood circulation to different organs and prevent blood clot attacks in the near future.