Does A Protein Drink Count As Taking Medication ‘With Food’?

Answer

Hello and thanks for reaching out! There are quite a few considerations to take into account when talking about food intake with medications, but as a general rule of thumb, yes, protein drinks would certainly be considered a 'food' if your medication label states to take it with food.

Why Should Some Medications Be Taken With Food?

By and large, there are two reasons why a medication may be recommended to take with food:

• Food may reduce the risk of side effects, such as nausea, stomach cramping, and diarrhea (antibiotics recommended to take with food are a good example here)
• Food may affect the absorption or metabolism of a drug (for example, a high-fat meal significantly increases the absorption of the antipsychotic drug Latuda).

In regard to what is considered a 'food', a protein shake would certainly apply here, as long as your specific drug doesn't interact with a high protein diet (as some do, which I talk about in the next section) or recommends a specific food.

When it comes to preventing nausea-related side effects, protein shakes are a good choice. Now, some individuals are sensitive to protein shakes themselves (as they often contain milk products), but if you're not, protein, again, is a good choice as a 'food'.

Protein can significantly delay what is known as 'gastric emptying'. It can make you feel fuller longer and prolongs how long food stays in the stomach. If your medication doesn't interact with protein, and is considered safe to take 'with food', there are no issues considering your protein shake a good food option.

Food - Drug Interactions

I won't get too into the weeds regarding drug-food interactions, as there are many. I simply want to point out that there are plenty of medications that should not be taken with food, or at least separated from certain foods.

Since this question deals with protein, let's show some examples of high protein-drug interactions.

One good example here is the antihypertensive drug propranolol. Several studies have shown that taking the drug with a high protein meal can increase absorption, which may increase the risk of side effects.

Another good example is with the blood thinner warfarin. Studies show a high-protein diet can raise albumin levels in the blood, which can in turn decrease the international normalized ratio (INR). This can significantly reduce the effectiveness of the medication, putting you at risk for blood clots.

It is very important to talk to your doctor or pharmacist about whether or not your medication should be taken with food, and if there are any foods to avoid.

Nevertheless, as mentioned, as just a general statement, protein shakes are okay as food to take with medication, as long as there aren't specific recommendations for you to follow.

Final Words

You mentioned ibuprofen specifically in your question, and that is certainly a drug where taking it with food can help reduce the risk of some stomach-related side effects. A protein drink is perfectly fine to take with ibuprofen.

Thanks for your question and reach back out anytime!