Have you ever wondered why pharmacies always have vitamins and supplements up front, by the counter? You may have thought, like many people, that it simply made sense to sell vitamins and supplements along with prescription medications. However, there is a deeper, more interesting reason than this. It is because long-term use of prescription and over-the-counter drugs can induce nutrient deficiencies, which may develop gradually over months or even years.
In a review published in pharmaceutics in March 2018, it states,
“… it is important to ensure at-risk patients reach their recommended intakes for vitamins and minerals. In conjunction with an overall healthy diet, appropriate dietary supplementation may be practical and efficacious way to maintain or improve micronutrient status in patients at risk of deficiencies, such as those taking medications known to compromise nutritional status.”
There is drug nutrient depletion occurring with your prescription medications and you need vitamin supplementation to keep you healthy and feeling optimal. Below is a table showing the vitamins and minerals that are being depleted along with the causative medications.
City Drug has the vitamins and supplements that you need to counteract the problem of drug nutrient depletion. We have carefully chosen the brands that will give you best chance to feel your optimal self. Contact our pharmacists or pharmacy techs to learn more about this topic.
The SolutionsRx brand that City Drug carries is specifically designed to help this problem of drug nutrient depletion.
We carry SolutionsRx along with other great brands such as Ortho Molecular Products, Metagenics, Designs for Health, and SolutionsRx among others. City Drug has chosen these specific brands based on our years of research, experimentation, and our own patient’s feedback on what works.
Drug Category | Name Brand Examples | Nutrients Depleted |
Antacids | Pepcid, Tagamet, Zantac | Vit B-12, Folic Acid, Vit D, Calcium, Iron, Zinc |
Prevacid, Prilosec | Vit B-12 | |
Antibiotics | Aminoglycosides (gentamicin, neomycin, strepotomycin), Cephalosporins, Penicillins | B Vitamins, Friendly Intestinal Flora |
Tetracylines | Calcium, Zinc, Magnesium, Iron, B6, Zinc | |
Anti-Diabetic Drugs | Micronase, Tolinase | Co-Q10 |
Glucophage | Co-Q10, Vit B-12, Folic Acid | |
Anti-Depressants | Adapin, Aventyl, Elavil, Tofranil, Pamelor, Sinequan, Nopramin | B-12, Co-Q10 |
Anti-Inflammatories | Aspirin & Salicylates | C, Folic Acid, Iron, Potassium |
Advil, Aleve, Anaprox, Dolobid, Feldene, Lodine, Motrin, Naprosyn, Orudis, Relafin | Folic Acid | |
Betamethasone, Cortisone, Dexamethasone, Hydrocortisone, Methylprednisone, Prednisone | C, D, Folic Acid, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Selenium, Zinc | |
Cardiovascular Drugs | Apresoline | B6, Co-Q10 |
Catapres, Aidomet | Co-Q10 | |
Corgard, Inderal, Lopressor, Betapace, Tenornim, Sectral, Biocadren | Co-Q10, Melatonin | |
Diuretics | Lasix, Bumex, Edecrin | Vitamins B1, B6, C, Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium, Zinc, Sodium |
Enduron, Diuril, Lozol, Zaroxolyn, Hygroton | Magnesium, Potassium, Zinc, Co-Q10, Sodium | |
Cholesterol Lowering Agents (Statins) | Lescol, Lipitor, Mevacor, Zocor, Prevachol, Crestor | Co-Q10 |
Colestid, Questran | A, B12, D, E, Folic Acid, Iron | |
Ulcer Medications | Tagamet, Pepsid, Zantac | B12, D, Folic Acid, Calcium, Iron, Zinc, Protein |
Prevacid, Prilosec | B12, Protein | |
HRT-Hormone Replacement Therapy | Evista, Pempro, Premarin, Estratab | B2, B6, B12, C, Folic Acid, Magnesium, Zinc |
Oral Contraceptives | Norinyl, Ortho-Novum, Triphasil, etc. | B1, B6, C, Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium, Zinc, Sodium |