Does Medication Rob You Of Vitamins?

Are your medications causing nutrient deficiency? Long-term doses of certain medications may rob you of calcium, folic acid and crucial B vitamins.

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Medications are well-known for causing side effects such as nausea or drowsiness. These are the kinds of side effects you notice and can do something about. But sometimes a lesser known side effect happens without giving you any warning: Nutrient deficiency.

“If your doctor doesn’t tell you that it may be a possibility, or if you’re not reading medical literature to stay up to date, you might not know that some medications can cause nutrient deficiency with long-term use,” says Dr Laura Carr, a pharmacist at Harvard affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.

Why It Happens