Can you take Augmentin with milk? (3+ ways to ensure safe and effective use)
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/
In this article, we will discuss whether you can take Augmentin with milk. We will also discuss the general use of antibiotics with milk and what potential risks are associated with it.
Can you take Augmentin with milk?
Yes, you can take Augmentin with milk. Although antibiotics are generally not recommended to take along with dairy products, Augmentin can be taken with milk (1). However, dairy products might slow down the absorption of Augmentin to some extent.
It is generally recommended to take Augmentin with food, as the antibiotic can cause gastrointestinal side effects (2). It is also important to make sure that you take Augmentin just as directed by your healthcare provider.
Stopping your Augmentin treatment halfway or skipping doses can affect your therapeutic goals and the risk of your infection getting severe also increases.
What antibiotics should not be taken with milk and why?
Some antibiotics, including Tetracyclines (Tetracycline, Doxycycline, etc) and Fluoroquinolones (Ciprofloxacin, Levofloxacin, etc), should not be taken with milk or other dairy products.
The reason is that these antibiotics can form complexes with the calcium in dairy, causing chelation (3). This means the antibiotic and calcium bind together, forming a complex that the body can’t absorb effectively (4).
As a result, the antibiotic’s effectiveness might be reduced, potentially making it less helpful in treating infections.
Antacids, the medications used to relieve heartburn or indigestion, can also interfere with these antibiotics (3). Basically, compounds containing calcium, magnesium, aluminium, etc should not be taken along with these antibiotics.
How to take Augmentin properly?
The following steps are important to ensure the safe and effective use of Augmentin (1):
- Always take Augmentin exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider. Don’t change the dosage or stop taking the medication without consulting your doctor first.
- Take the medication at evenly spaced intervals. Usually, it’s every 8 to 12 hours, depending on the severity of your infection and the dosage strength being used.
- Avoid taking Augmentin on an empty stomach if it causes abdominal pain, acid reflux, nausea, or diarrhoea.
- Finish the entire course of Augmentin even if you start feeling better. Stopping treatment halfway can lead to a worsening of the infection.
- Augmentin can interact with other medications, so make sure your doctor knows about all the OTC and prescription medications you’re currently taking.
- If you experience rash, swelling, or difficulty breathing after taking Augmentin, please seek immediate medical attention.
- Keep the medication in its original container, away from heat, moisture, and direct sunlight.
- Keep out of reach of children and pets.
Remember, safe and effective use of medications is important to make the most out of them.
Conclusion
In this article, we have discussed the use of Augmentin with milk and dairy products. We have also talked about the antibiotics which should never be paired with milk or other dairy products and why.
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References
1.-
LABEL: AUGMENTIN- amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium tablet, film coated and AUGMENTIN- amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium powder, for suspension. DailyMed [Internet]. Available from: https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/getFile.cfm?setid=174cc098-fe49-4f1a-87e2-601c7573f0db&type=pdf
2.-
Evans J, Hanoodi M, Wittler M. Amoxicillin Clavulanate. 2023 Aug 16. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–. PMID: 30844191. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538164
3.-
Bushra R, Aslam N, Khan AY. Food-drug interactions. Oman Med J. 2011 Mar;26(2):77-83. doi: 10.5001/omj.2011.21. PMID: 22043389; PMCID: PMC3191675. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3191675/
4.-
Neuvonen PJ, Kivistö KT, Lehto P. Interference of dairy products with the absorption of ciprofloxacin. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1991 Nov;50(5 Pt 1):498-502. doi: 10.1038/clpt.1991.174. PMID: 1934862. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1934862/
