Why some antibiotics should be avoided with milk (2024)

8 July 2014: TheDaily Maillooked at how milk reacts with antibiotics as part of a series of articles about foods that can stop medicines from working properly. Neal Patel, RPS spokesperson, said: “Calcium in milk binds with the antibiotic and this change means it cannot get into the bloodstream to fight infection. Even if the milk affects just half of the drug, you’re only getting half the dose, which could mean the infection isn’t killed off by the end of the course.

“You need to leave a window either side of taking the antibiotic — avoid milk and other dairy products, such as ice cream, custard or cheese, for two hours before and afterwards. A very small amount isn’t going to have an effect, so milk in your tea is probably OK — though not as a drink to take your antibiotics with, as hot drinks aren’t as good for getting a drug down the gullet.”

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