Can I take medicine half an hour after drinking tea?
Nov 20, 2023
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yang Ziqi
Introduction
In general, whether it is acceptable to take medication half an hour after drinking tea depends on the specific circumstances. If the patient is taking common cold medications, it is usually safe to take the medicine half an hour after drinking tea; however, if the medication is an antibiotic, it should not be taken half an hour after drinking tea. If the patient experiences any discomfort, it is recommended to seek medical attention at a hospital promptly to avoid delaying treatment.
Generally speaking, whether it is safe to take medication half an hour after drinking tea depends on the specific circumstances. If a patient is taking common cold medications, it is usually acceptable to take the medicine 30 minutes after drinking tea; however, if the medication is an antibiotic, it is not recommended to take it half an hour after tea consumption. Detailed explanations are as follows:
1. Permissible
If the medication being taken includes common cold remedies, antipyretics, or analgesics, the effectiveness of these drugs is generally not affected by tea. Therefore, patients may take such medications 30 minutes after drinking tea. Additionally, the half-life of tea polyphenols in the body is approximately 30 minutes to two hours, so taking medication 30 minutes after tea consumption is considered acceptable.
2. Not recommended
It should be noted that certain medications can be affected by substances in tea. For example, tannic acid in tea may bind with active ingredients in some medications, forming insoluble precipitates that impair drug absorption. This particularly applies to antibiotics and iron supplements—these medications should not be taken within 30 minutes after drinking tea. Moreover, caffeine in tea may interfere with the effectiveness of certain drugs, such as sleeping pills or sedatives. Therefore, if a patient is taking such medications, it is advisable to wait a longer period after drinking tea before taking the medication, or preferably avoid tea altogether.
If a patient experiences any discomfort, it is recommended to seek medical attention at a hospital promptly to avoid delaying treatment.
