LONDON, Apr 3, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- Doctors in Britain say a U.S. woman
nearly lost a leg as a result of a blood clot caused by her grapefruit diet and
her contraceptive pills.
Hematologist Dr. Trevor Baglin of Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge said the
unidentified 42-year-old woman's grapefruit diet appears to have interacted with
the contraceptive, causing a blood clot to develop in her left leg, The Daily
Mail said Friday.
"From this case study it appears as if the grapefruit enhanced the thrombotic
effect of the contraceptive pill in the presence of a genetic predisposition,"
Baglin said in the medical journal Lancet.
The grapefruit apparently stopped an enzyme in the woman's body from breaking
down the pill's estrogen, which can cause blood clots in the body if levels get
too high.
Dr. Elisabeth Weichselbaum of the British Nutrition Foundation said grapefruit
is a beneficial food item but advised doctor visits for those combining the
fruits with medication.
"If you are taking any form of medication, you may want to discuss with your
pharmacist, physician or GP if grapefruits may interact with your drugs," she
said.
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Copyright 2009 by United Press International