Taking Medicine With Food

Many medicines have instructions that related to consumption alongside food or avoiding such. There are 3 periods when medicine can be taken, relative to a meal: before, during, and afterwards.

When eating foods, the body undergoes physiological processes that prepare for meal consumption. This includes increasing blood flow to the gut and the production of stomach acid.

Before a Meal

Some medicines are prescribed on an empty stomach. There can be components of the medicine that might bind or interact with food matter: taking on a empty stomach ensures the body can directly absorb most of it.

During a Meal

Some medicines can irritate or inflame the digestion system. Having a meal will trigger and prepare the body for digestion, which mitigates against this.

Other medicines may require higher blood sugar or incur risk of low blood sugar. A meal will mitigate against this.

Note that a meal here does not need to be a large meal. A small snack is enough to induce a digestive response.

After a Meal

Some medicines are taken after a meal. This ensures there is food in the digestive system, which slows digestion down. This can increase the absorption of medicines.