Q: My wife said that if you eat pork while on penicillin you will have serious side effects. Is that true? Are there any foods or drinks that an otherwise healthy person should not ingest while on penicillin?
A: No, it is not true that you will suffer any side effects by taking penicillin and eating pork.
There are no dietary interactions with penicillin, except that it is best to take any antibiotic on an empty stomach to ensure full absorption of the dose. Dietary fiber especially can cause decreased absorption. If the antibiotic causes nausea, then take with a small amount of food that is low in fiber, such as plain crackers.
Some antibiotics do have interactions, or decreased absorption with some foods or other medicines. So, it is always best to check with the pharmacist where you get the prescription before starting a different antibiotic.
— Answer from Valarie D., a registered nurse on JustAnswer.
Daily Answer is excerpted from the JustAnswer archives and features information provided by a Expert on JustAnswer.
