What should not be eaten with Eltrombopag/Eltrombopag? Diet taboos while taking medication

Eltrombopag is a thrombopoietic receptor agonist that is widely used to treat diseases such as chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) and aplastic anemia. During the period of using this drug, patients should pay special attention to dietary management, because certain foods may significantly affect its efficacy and reduce the therapeutic effect.

According to data, the oral absorption of eltrombopag is interfered by a variety of mineral ions, especially calcium, iron, magnesium, aluminum and zinc. Therefore, foods and health products rich in the above minerals should be avoided within 4 hours before and after taking the medicine. Typical examples include dairy products (such as milk, cheese, yogurt), calcium and iron-fortified juices, iron-containing supplements, magnesium-containing antacids, etc., which may form chelates with eltrombopag , significantly inhibiting its intestinal absorption rate, resulting in a decrease in the blood concentration of the drug. It is recommended that patients choose the time of taking medication to stagger the time of eating high-calcium and high-iron foods. For example, taking the medication on an empty stomach in the morning and then eating mineral-containing foods 4 hours later is a more ideal way of taking medication.

In addition, it is also important to avoid drinking alcohol, because alcohol may increase the burden on the liver, and eltrombopag has a certain risk of hepatotoxicity. Drinking alcohol will increase the chance of abnormal liver function. Furthermore, some Chinese herbal medicines or nutritional supplements may affect the liver enzyme system, thereby indirectly changing the metabolism rate of eltrombopag. Therefore, if you need to use other drugs or supplements while taking the drug, you should seek advice from your doctor or pharmacist in advance.

Maintaining a regular diet, avoiding overeating, and regularly monitoring liver function and platelet levels are key measures to improve efficacy and safety. Patients should establish good medication habits and avoid arbitrarily adjusting their diet. If necessary, they can ask a nutritionist to assist in formulating a diet plan, so as to form a synergy with drug treatment and improve efficacy and quality of life.

Reference materials:https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB06210