About Medications & Nutrition

Our philosophy

To provide an easily accessed, comprehensive and credible drug-nutrition interactions resource. The content is presented from a nutritional perspective.

Our (brief) story

Nutrition Consultants Australia (NCA) commenced publishing our drug-nutrition interactions resource in 1996 and continues to maintain the resource. As such, we are the second publication that includes regular ongoing updates, to be published globally.
During the last 3 decades, the resource has transitioned from print, to print and online, to online only.

Our concept

Medications & Nutrition is a comprehensive collation of the research evidence addressing the interactions between pharmaceuticals and nutrition factors. M&N was designed to enable busy clinicians to easily access this important information and to have confidence that the evidence is reliable.

Aspects of interactions that we currently include - 

- side effects that impact food intake, and impacts on biochemistry which are easily accessed in each pharmaceutical product's Product Information and Consumer Information documents.

- evidence that has identified a problem and may or may not have identified the mechanism of action. For example the paper may say this drug impairs the absorption of that nutrient and the proposed mechanism of action may not be included.

- occupancy and/or inhibition of membrane transporters that are important for the movement of drugs and nutrients into and out of cells.

- manufacturers recommendations for administration when the swallow reflex is impaired or oral intake is via enteral tube.

We were asked "how do you include this stuff in clinical assessments"? So we have trialled various presentation formats that are quick(ish), and comprehensive, and understandable for other healthcare service providers.

The inclusion of content and it's clinical application continue to evolve as curious scientists investigate aspects that are currently overlooked. I just wish there were a few more curious scientists!

Credibility

To ensure credibility, the primary sources for our content include –

- FDA – Food & Drugs Administration,

- EMA – European Medicines Agency,

Ease of access

The content format increases ease of access because –

• key points are presented in dot points,
• each entry is referenced,
• content has standardised sequencing,
• content includes as available – drug-food interactions, drug-nutrient interactions, impacts on glycaemia, impacts on the distribution system (carriers, transporters), and more.

MedNut Mail

NCA also publishes MedNut Mail, a fortnightlyish email that includes either/both an editorial and/or a de-identified case study. MedNut Mail also addresses matters that are important adjuncts that may not be included in the M&N resource.

Sample page

Click here to view a sample page from our resource Medications & Nutrition.