Can you drink Fresca with blood pressure medications?
By
Dr Natalia Marceli Stephanes (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes PhD is a Pharmacist with expertise in Drugs Administration and Toxicity; Discovery of New Drugs; Cancer Treatment; Biochemical Analyzes and Hematological Analyzes. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes’ Highlights:
- Pharmacist at the Department of Health of Santa Catarina State, Brazil
- PhD with a focus on oncology treatment
- Years of experience in commercial pharmacy
- Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina
Professional Experience:
From her undergraduate studies to her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Pharmacy, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has participated in numerous scientific studies in the field of oncology and onco-hematology at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Her research has focused on understanding the molecular and biochemical bases of malignant neoplasms and investigating safer and more effective therapeutic alternatives.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has also served as an assistant professor of haematology for undergraduate students at the Federal University of Santa Catarina. Additionally, she held the position of professor of Hospital Pharmacy at the Qualificar Technical School in Brazil, where she developed instructional materials for use in the Pharmacy Postgraduate Program at the Leonardo Da Vinci University Center.
In addition to her academic experiences, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes possesses a strong expertise in commercial pharmacy, with in-depth knowledge of medications, their routes of administration, desired effects, adverse effects, and toxicity.
Currently, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes works as a Pharmacist at the Health Department of Santa Catarina State, where her role entails providing pharmaceutical scientific consulting services to judges.
Education:
- 2016 Bachelor in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2018 Master in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2023 PhD in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
The main publications of Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes are:
Falchetti M ; Delgobo M, Zancanaro H, Almeida K, Das Neves RN, Dos Santos B, Stefanes NM, et al. Bishop Omics-based identification of an NRF2-related auranofin resistance signature in cancer: Insights into drug repurposing. Comput. Biol. Med [Internet]. 2023; 152:106347.
Feuser PM, Matos dos Santos PC, Cordeiro AP, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Maioral MF, Santos-Silva MC, et al. Antineoplastic activity of free 4-nitrochalcone and encapsulated in poly(thioether-ester) nanoparticles obtained by thiol-ene polymerization in two human leukemia cell lines (Jurkat and K562). J Drug Deliv Sci Technol [Internet]. 2022; 67:102924.
Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Perondi DM, Efe FL, Souza LFS, Sens L, et al. Synthesis of chalcones derived from 1-naphthylacetophenone and evaluation of their cytotoxic and apoptotic effects in acute leukemia cell lines. Bioorg. Chem [Internet]. 2021; 116:105315.
Duarte BF, Vieira DSC, Lisboa ML, Stefanes NM, Grando LJ, Santos-Silva MC. Características clínico-epidemiológicas de pacientes portadores de carcinoma de células escamosas de boca. Arquivos Catarinenses de Medicina. 2021; 50(2): 232–245.
Machado V, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Santos-Silva MC, Biavatti MW. Anti-leukemic activity of semisynthetic derivatives of Lupeol. Nat. Prod. Res. 2021; 35(22):4494-4501.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Yunes RA, et al. A novel sulfonamide derivative as a strong and selective apoptotic agent against hematological malignancies. Chem. Pap. 2020; 74:2965–2976.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Cytotoxic mechanisms of primin, a natural quinone isolated from Eugenia hiemalis, on hematological cancer cell lines. Anticancer Drugs. 2020; 31(7):709-717.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Neufeldt PD, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Santos-Silva MC. Aldehyde biphenyl chalcones induce immunogenic apoptotic-like cell death and are promising new safe compounds against a wide range of hematologic cancers. Future Med. Chem. 2020; 12(8):673–688.
Perondi DM, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Maioral MF, Sens L, Pacheco LA, Cury NM, et al. A novel thiosemicarbazone as a promising effective and selective compound for acute leukemia. Anticancer Drugs. 2019; 30(8):p 828-837.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Argenta DF, Dotto MER, Santos-Silva MC, et al. PEO-chitosan nanofibers containing carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanoparticles loaded with pyrazoline for skin cancer treatment. Eur. Polym. J. 2019; 119:335-343.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Santos-Silva MC, Nunes RJ, Parize AL, et al. A new and efficient carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanocarrier for a pyrazoline with antileukemic activity. Mater. Sci. Eng. C [Internet]. 2019; 105:110051.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Miconidine acetate, a new selective and cytotoxic compound with synergic potential, induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in leukemia cells. Invest. New Drugs. 2019; 37:912–922.
Srefanes NM, Toigo J, Maioral MF, Jacques AV, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Perondi DM, Ribeiro AAB, et al. Synthesis of novel pyrazoline derivatives and the evaluation of death mechanisms involved in their antileukemic activity. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2019; 27(2):375-382.
Maioral MF, Bodack CN, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Yunes RA, et al. Cytotoxic effect of a novel naphthylchalcone against multiple cancer cells focusing on hematologic malignancies. Biochim. 2017; 140:48-57.
You can view some of Dr Natália’s work below and links to her professional profile below.
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Natalia-Stephanes
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliamarceli/
Can you drink Fresca with blood pressure medications?
You can drink Fresca while you’re on blood pressure meds, but it’s not recommended to take both of them at the same time. It is also not recommended to use Fresca excessively because of the potential side effects.
Fresca has grapefruit in it, which may interact with some of the blood pressure meds, mainly with the mechanism through which these meds are eliminated (1). As a result, the amount of the drug increases in your body, which could lead to toxicity.
However, not all antihypertensives react with grapefruit this way. Calcium channel blockers including Nifedipine and Falodipine are known to react with grapefruit in terms of drug absorption and metabolism (2).
Make sure you talk to your healthcare provider if you’re a chronic user of antihypertensive meds or if your blood pressure is unmanaged currently.
Potential risks of drinking Fresca with blood pressure medications
Drinking Fresca with blood pressure medications is associated with some potential risks, including:
Potassium levels
Fresca contains potassium citrate, which is a form of potassium. Some blood pressure medications, such as ACE inhibitors and potassium-sparing diuretics, can increase potassium levels in the body.
Consuming Fresca, which also contains potassium, may lead to excessive potassium levels when combined with these medications, posing a risk of hyperkalemia (high potassium levels). (3)
Aspartame sensitivity
Fresca contains aspartame, an artificial sweetener. While rare, some individuals may have sensitivities or reactions to aspartame.
If you are taking blood pressure medication, combining it with Fresca may potentially exacerbate any adverse effects or interactions associated with aspartame (4).
Individual reactions
Each person’s response to certain ingredients can vary. Some individuals may experience increased blood pressure or adverse effects due to specific components present in Fresca, such as citric acid or natural flavours.
To ensure the safe use of blood pressure medication and minimize any potential risks, it is important to consult with your healthcare provider or pharmacist.
Final words
To sum up, you shouldn’t combine Fresca and blood pressure medications. The intensity of the drug-beverage interaction depends on the type of antihypertensive drug you are taking. This is why it’s best to reach out to your doctor and pharmacist before combining anything with your blood pressure medication.
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References
1.-
Grapefruit and drug interactions. Prescrire Int. 2012 Dec;21(133):294-5, 297-8. PMID: 23373097. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23373097/
2.-
Harvard Health Publishing. Grapefruit and medication: A cautionary note [Internet]. Available from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/grapefruit-and-medication-a-cautionary-note
3.-
Simon LV, Hashmi MF, Farrell MW. Hyperkalemia. 2023 Feb 19. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–. PMID: 29261936. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470284
4.-
Sathyapalan T, Thatcher NJ, Hammersley R, Rigby AS, Courts FL, Pechlivanis A, Gooderham NJ, Holmes E, le Roux CW, Atkin SL. Aspartame sensitivity? A double blind randomised crossover study. PLoS One. 2015 Mar 18;10(3):e0116212. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0116212. Erratum in: PLoS One. 2015;10(5):e0126039. PMID: 25786106; PMCID: PMC4364783. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25786106/
