Doctors are urging patients to be cautious with some widely used medicines, as taking them on an empty stomach can sometimes trigger serious side effects.
Health professionals say eating beforehand can, in certain cases, help the body handle a drug more comfortably and may also support how well it works.
Dr Blen Tesfu, an internal medicine physician and medical advisor at Welzo, told the Daily Mail: “Taking your prescription medicine after you eat will help protect your stomach lining and make it easier for your body to tolerate the medication.”
She also said: “The food in your system serves as an additional barrier against gastrointestinal irritation from the medication.”
While food is simply beneficial with some treatments, doctors stress it can be crucial with others to reduce the risk of harm.
Dr Tesfu explained: “Additionally, certain medications stimulate stomach acid production in addition to weakening the natural barrier of protection for the stomach.
“When a patient is exposed to both, they have an increased risk of developing internal bleeding or long-term problems with their digestive system.”
Over time, persistently elevated stomach acid and irritation can cause painful complications, and in severe situations the consequences can be dangerous.
One potential outcome in the most serious cases is a stomach ulcer.
Ulcers are sores that develop in the stomach lining and can be extremely painful. In rare but urgent situations, they can rupture, allowing contents to leak and potentially causing life-threatening infection.
One person who has spoken about this experience is blogger Perez Hilton, who said he spent 21 days in hospital after unknowingly taking medication without food.
Hilton, 47, shared online that he had been prescribed medication following a bout of flu, though he did not specify which drug.
He said he took it for a week and did not pair the doses with meals.
According to Hilton, that mistake contributed to an ulcer and severe stomach pain.
He added that the ulcer perforated, which he said allowed bacteria to enter his bloodstream.
Urging others not to repeat his error, he wrote: “My stupidity landed me in the hospital for 21 days… It was the worst and best thing that’s ever happened to me.
“Because I have been taking all of this medication without food for a week, I developed an ulcer then a perforation and then sepsis. People die of sepsis.”
If you are unsure whether your medication should be taken with food, speak to a pharmacist or doctor and always follow the directions on the label.
More information is available here.