New research provides another reason for transplant recipients to avoid juices such as grapefruit, orange and apple when taking certain medications. Grapefruit juice is known to increase absorption of certain drugs, which can lead to toxic overdoses. Now studies show these common juices can create the opposite effect by decreasing the absorption of other drugs, diminishing their beneficial effects.

Consuming these juices could cause organ rejection in kidney transplant recipients because immunosuppressive medications are not functioning correctly. This new research also shows individuals with heart disease, cancer and other infections are also at risk.

This article originally appeared in the September 2008 issue of Kidney Transplant Today.