From AF:
Title
Can grapefruit juice influence ethinylestradiol bioavailability?
Author
Weber A; J¨ager R; B¨orner A; Klinger G; Vollanth R; Matthey K; Balogh A
Address
Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Germany.
Source
Contraception, 53(1):41-7 1996 Jan
Abstract
The effects of grapefruit juice on the bioavailability of 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2) after a single oral administration of 50 micrograms EE2 have been investigated. The pharmacokinetics of EE2 were studied in an open, randomized, cross-over study in which 13 healthy volunteers were administered the drug with herbal tea or grapefruit juice (naringin, 887 mg/ml). In contrast to herbal tea, grapefruit juice increased the peak plasma concentration (Cmax) significantly to 137% (mean; range 64% to 214%, p = 0.0088) and increased the area under plasma concentration-time curve from 0 to 8 hours (AUC0-8) to 128% (mean; range 81% to 180%, p = 0.0186). This study shows that grapefruit juice increases the bioavailable amount of EE2. A possible explanation may be that grapefruit juice inhibits the metabolic degradation of EE2. Whether the increased bioavailability of EE2 following grapefruit juice administration is of clinical importance should be investigated in long-term studies.
Language
Eng
Unique Identifier
96213355
The question being: will grapefruit juice prevent the same chemical degradation in 17 alpha-alkylated substances as in 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol? There's never been any conclusive evidence saying yes. I guess it's like saying "T3 on its own will burn muscle", "Winny will prevent progesterone-induced gyno", and "fina's a good cutting drug because it burns fat". There's never been any proof, but it usually can't hurt to follow the guidelines. Besides, everyone else says it, so it must be true.