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Is It Safe To Take Green Tea Along With Multivitamins?

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Posted on Mon, 17 Aug 2015
Question: is it advisable to take the following together: milk thistle 175 mg /day (for liver health) , Centrum multi-vitamin with IRON for adults under 50 once a day (for menopause and borderline anemia) , Green tea capsule 500mg /day and a single low dose aspirin once a day? Please also note the asthma / allergy meds I take daily.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Swarnava Dattagupta (2 hours later)
Brief Answer:
milk thistle and green tea can both cause diarrhea

Detailed Answer:
Hello.
Welcome to HCM.
This is Dr. Swarnava Dattagupta answering your query.

I have gone through your query and understand your concern.
First of all, green tea reduces iron absorption so taking green tea alongwith multivitamins containing iron can reduce the efficacy of iron component.
Next, you are experiencing increased stool or diarrhea. Both green tea and milk thistle have common side effect of diarrhea. The diarrhea is most at the start of the regime and generally settles down. So you might consider continuing these for a few more days and check for symptoms. If diarrhea persists, you should stop them.
Apart from the points mentioned above, there is no major complication or interaction among the four items you have mentioned.

Hope this was useful.
You can consult me for any further queries.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
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Follow up: Dr. Swarnava Dattagupta (1 hour later)
Thank you for your response. I didn't know that Green Tea inhibited iron absorbtion, though I knew it about caffeine, so that makes sense. I guess I should stop taking the Green Tea supplement. I'm not feeling great on this combo, I thought it was because of the iron, but now I think it might be at least partially the GT. My doctor said I was borderline anemic, just from this last test in the ER...my hemoglobin was 11.65, but a few months prior when I had annual bloodwork done, it was a bit over 12....I really don't eat much red meat at all, and I haven't been too big on green leafy veggies either lately. I do eat a lot of cashews, pasta, bread and I love beans, and some small bit of chicken a couple times a week, but I only have eggs maybe every other week for one breakfast every two weeks. I know that my anemia might be caused by something more serious- and I am worried about internal bleeding somewhere or maybe cancer, but I looked at the iron numbers for so many things I regularly eat (I tend towards organic, vegetarian and healthy) and I'm afraid that it does appear that iron-rich foods have been a gap in my diet as most of the things I love to eat that do have iron in them don't have all that much afterall. Would it be advisable for me to stop taking the vitamin with iron and instead just change my diet and make sure I get that iron every day from food sources? I just don't like taking pills and I REALLY don't like how these are making me feel. All tense and weird.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Swarnava Dattagupta (6 hours later)
Brief Answer:
follow as advised

Detailed Answer:
Hello again.
Your hemoglobin level is not in the range of anemia, might be a bit towards borderline. If you take iron pills, you will have to take for a few months to increase hemoglobin as well as to replenish iron stores in body. It is no use taking it for a few days only.
If you do not have symptoms like lethargy, fatigue, weakness etc I believe you should start with diet modification only. You can go to a dietitian and get a diet chart done which will be rich in iron and will be ideal for you. Still after a repeat blood work, if you see your hemoglobin levels are decreased, you can take iron pills.

Hope this was useful.
Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Swarnava Dattagupta (11 hours later)
Thank you! This confirms my suspicions...I had another question on here that a different doctor responded to and she initially told me to take 60mg of iron THREE TIMES A DAY---and I'm menopausal!!! I told her I thought that was extremely excessive, given my age and numbers and the fact that my own doctor only recommended 18mg a day with a multi-vitamin. She then suggested just one 60 mg tab a day, but I still think that sounds excessive. I'm going with the diet change first and then get blood work to see where I'm at with this. I just don't like taking pills and I love healthy food, it seems a simple enough adjustment to make. I'm going to have to bring in some red meat for now, but I do enjoy the occasional organic filet mignon...so there's that. Thank you for your response.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Swarnava Dattagupta (5 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Consult a dietitian

Detailed Answer:
Hello.

I do not know the context due to which the doctor prescribed you iron pills, but there might have been some reason behind that.
As of now, with a hemoglobin of 11.65, iron pills are not necessary. But rather than deciding the diet yourself, you should better consult a dietitian and follow as advised.

Regards.
Kindly give a feedback about your hemoglobin level later if possible.
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E
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Answered by
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Dr. Swarnava Dattagupta

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2013

Answered : 906 Questions

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Is It Safe To Take Green Tea Along With Multivitamins?

Brief Answer: milk thistle and green tea can both cause diarrhea Detailed Answer: Hello. Welcome to HCM. This is Dr. Swarnava Dattagupta answering your query. I have gone through your query and understand your concern. First of all, green tea reduces iron absorption so taking green tea alongwith multivitamins containing iron can reduce the efficacy of iron component. Next, you are experiencing increased stool or diarrhea. Both green tea and milk thistle have common side effect of diarrhea. The diarrhea is most at the start of the regime and generally settles down. So you might consider continuing these for a few more days and check for symptoms. If diarrhea persists, you should stop them. Apart from the points mentioned above, there is no major complication or interaction among the four items you have mentioned. Hope this was useful. You can consult me for any further queries. Regards.