Foods to Avoid While Taking Nitrofurantoin (Macrodantin)
For most people, taking a new medication may mean switching up your lifestyle a bit and that includes the foods you eat. A food-drug interaction means that a specific nutrient or compound within the food changes the way your body metabolizes the medication, and this can either enhance or reduce the dose your body gets, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. The potential results: an increased risk of side effects, many of which can be dangerous, or the drug not working as it was intended.
Before introducing a medication, ask your pharmacist about any food interactions, including with alcohol, and any adjustments you may have to make to your diet. In this article, we will discuss nitrofurantoin and the foods to avoid while taking it.
What is Nitrofurantoin?
Nitrofurantoin sold under the brand names Macrobid, Macrodantin, and Furadantin is a medication used to treat urinary tract infections. Nitrofurantoin is in a class of medications called antibiotics. It works by killing bacteria that cause infection.
Nitrofurantoin serves one primary and important purpose: to kill the bacteria that cause UTIs. After taking it for several days in a row, UTI symptoms will start to subside. This is an indicator that your body has returned to its usual balance of healthy bacteria in your urinary tract.
Nitrofurantoin does not work against other bacterial infection such as sinus infections or strep throat. Nitrofurantoin does not treat any sexually transmitted infections (STIs). If you’re worried about STIs, you’ll need testing and different treatment.
Nitrofurantoin is prescribed to treat UTIs, which fall into two major categories:
- Lower tract UTIs: Also called bladder infections, these are the most common type of urinary tract infections and also the easiest to treat. They occur in the lower urinary tract, meaning the area from the urethra up to the bladder.
- Upper tract UTIs: These more serious forms of UTIs are also known as kidney infections. Upper UTIs usually result from untreated lower UTIs that spread upward to the kidneys. Symptoms include nausea, fever, body chills, and lower back or side pain. Kidney infections can be treated with antibiotics but in severe cases may require a trip to the hospital to prevent permanent organ damage or renal failure.
Nitrofurantoin is primarily prescribed to treat uncomplicated lower urinary tract infections. A UTI is considered uncomplicated if someone has no urinary tract abnormalities or underlying health issues. If you are prone to recurrent UTIs—meaning, you get two or more in six months or three or more in a year—your doctor might prescribe nitrofurantoin in a smaller dose over a longer period of time to prevent UTIs.
How should I take Nitrofurantoin?
Nitrofurantoin comes as a capsule and a suspension (liquid) to take by mouth. Nitrofurantoin usually is taken with food two or four times a day for at least 7 days. Try to take nitrofurantoin at the same time every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand.
Take nitrofurantoin exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Typical dosing for nitrofurantoin (Macrobid)
Treatment of UTI
Macrobid capsules and its generics: Adults and children over 12 years old should take 100 mg by mouth every 12 hours with food for 7 days.
Macrodantin capsules, Furadantin oral suspension, and their generics: Adults should take 50 mg to 100 mg (or 10 mL to 20 mL) by mouth four times a day with food. The dose for children will depend on their weight, typically 1.25 mg/kg to 1.75 mg/kg of body weight (or about 2.5 mL to 10 mL) by mouth four times day with food. This medication should be taken for 7 days or for at least 3 days after you have a urine test free of bacteria.
Prevention of UTI
Macrodantin capsules, Furadantin oral suspension, and their generics: Adults should take 50 mg to 100 mg (or 10 mL to 20 mL) by mouth once a day at bedtime with food. The dose for children will depend on their weight, typically 1 mg/kg of body weight by mouth total per day with food.
Macrobid and its generics are not FDA-approved for use in children under 12 years old.
Macrodantin capsules, Furadantin oral suspension, and their generics are not FDA-approved for use in children under 1 month of age.
Shake the liquid well before each use to mix the medication evenly. Use a dose-measuring spoon or cup to measure the correct amount of liquid for each dose; not a household spoon.
You should begin to feel better during your first few days of treatment with nitrofurantoin. If your symptoms do not improve or if they get worse, call your doctor.
Take nitrofurantoin until you finish the prescription, even if you feel better. If you stop taking nitrofurantoin too soon or if you skip doses, your infection may be more difficult to treat and the bacteria may become resistant to antibiotics.
Foods to avoid while taking nitrofurantoin (macrodantin)
While nitrofurantoin is best taken with food or milk to lessen stomach upset and help your body to absorb the medicine, it’s best to avoid the following types of foods while taking nitrofurantoin.
Coffee: Avoid drinking coffee while taking nitrofurantoin because the drink can affect how the medication works and increase the risk of side effects. A caffeine drink lasts for up to 120 hours, and this reduces its effects on several drugs. Taking any medicine requires the use of coffee for at least three hours ahead of consumption.
Spicy food: Eating spicy food while taking nitrofurantoin is not recommended especially if spicy foods are normally a culprit for upset stomachs and abdominal pain. One study specifically highlighted that frequent consumption of spicy foods can trigger upper gastrointestinal symptoms in some people with dyspepsia (or, indigestion).
Alcohol: Alcoholic drinks are not a good idea while taking nitrofurantoin. Avoid alcoholic beverages while taking this medication and for at least 3 days after finishing this medicine because severe stomach upset/cramps, nausea, vomiting, headache, and flushing may occur. Do not take this medication with alcohol or any product that contains alcohol. It is advised that you drink a lot of water.
What other drugs can interact with nitrofurantoin?
Antacids such as Gaviscon that contain magnesium trisilicate: These drugs can make nitrofurantoin less effective. Taking probenecid and sulfinpyrazone drugs while you’re taking nitrofurantoin may cause harmful levels of nitrofurantoin to build up in your blood.
Nitrofurantoin is not an “enzyme inducer” so in theory should not reduce the birth control pills’ effectiveness. However, until more is known, most doctors recommend while taking nitrofurantoin, an additional method of contraception is required.
