YOUR favourite spooky treats may come with an unintended trick, an expert has warned.
An ingredient in many Halloween snacks can stop lifesaving medicines from working properly.
GettyActivated charcoal is used to make food black[/caption]
GettyThe ingredient can make vital medicines less effective[/caption]
Activated charcoal, found in some toothpastes and face washes, is becoming a popular food colouring used to make various foods and drinks pitch-black.
And now, chefs and supermarkets alike are use the ingredient to make all sorts of treats, from black iced cupcakes right through to black spaghetti bolognese.
But registered nutritional therapist Lauren Johnson Reynolds (@londonwellnesscoach) says people taking certain medicines should be wary of creepy treats.
She tells the Sun: “Activated charcoal is known for its adsorption capabilities.”
In fact, activated charcoal is commonly used to treat poisoning. It works by absorbing the dangerous substance before the body absorbs it.
“When ingested with medicines, charcoal acts as a binding agent, attaching not only to toxins but also to the medication’s active ingredients in the digestive tract, reducing their absorption into the bloodstream,” she explains.
“This results in diminished therapeutic effects, making the medications less effective,” she adds.
But fear not, that one black cookie you just munched on is unlikely to stop your pill working.
“You would have to eat lots more than a pizza crust to cause any real issue, “Lauren explains.
“A little in a drink or on a crust is unlikely to interfere.”
According to the Cleveland Clinic, activated charcoal can interact with the following meds:
Acarbose: used to treat type 2 diabetes Aripiprazole: used to manage and treat schizophrenia, mania and autism Birth control pills: used to change the way the body works and prevent pregnancyCarbamazepine: a medicine used to treat epilepsyDapsone: an antibiotic Digoxin: used to treat heart problems Olanzapine: used to treat schizophreniaPhenothiazines: used for the treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorders and to control vomitingPhenytoin: used to treat epilepsyPindolol: used to teat high blood pressureSome herbal medicines or dietary supplementsTheophylline: used to treat asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Ursodeoxycholic acid: used in the management and treatment of liver disease
Lauren says people eating snacks coloured with activated charcoal should be cautious about the timing of their medication intake.
“I would suggest eat or drink it until at least an hour after medications to avoid it interacting.
“If you are concerned, always consult with your healthcare professionals to ensure that charcoal colouring don’t interfere with the prescribed treatments,” she explains.
Other foods, like grapefruit, can also affect how the body absorbs medicines.
According to the NHS, eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit can increases the level of the medicine in your blood.
This can increase the risk of side effects or alter the effect the medicine has.
PinterestPeople should wait up to an hour after taking medications before tucking into these ink coloured spaghetti[/caption]