What foods affect blood thinners?

1 / 8 Certain Food and Drink Choices Lower Risk of Blood Clots.

2 / 8 Drink Plenty of Water.

3 / 8 Sip Red Wine or Grape Juice.

4 / 8 Go for Garlic.

5 / 8 Enjoy Virgin Olive Oil.

6 / 8 Eat a Kiwi.

7 / 8 Make Leafy Greens a Routine.

8 / 8 Limit Animal Fats in Your Diet.

5 Things to Avoid When Taking Blood Thinners

Foods Rich in Vitamin K. Specifically for individuals taking the blood thinner warfarin (Coumadin), vitamin K-rich foods like spinach, brussels sprouts, kale and even green tea can counteract the drug’s effectiveness.

Alcohol.

Contact Sports.

Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS)

Grapefruit Juice.

The newer medications are Pradaxa (dabigatran), Xarelto (rivaroxaban), Eliquis (apixaban), and most recently Savaysa (edoxaban) — which work by preventing pooled blood in the heart from clotting. Unlike warfarin, the newer drugs are safer and easier for patients to use.

They include:

vegetables, like lettuce, tomatoes, broccoli, and onions.

fruits, like berries, grapes, grapefruits, pineapple, and pomegranates.

tree nuts like walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, pistachios, and brazil nuts.

fish like mackerel, trout, herring, albacore tuna, and salmon.

Bananas and Warfarin. Here is a thought that may ease your mind: bananas are a fruit that are low in vitamin K and full of potassium which your body needs. In addition to high potassium, they offer a good source of fiber, which can help in normal digestion.

You may need to eat foods fortified with vitamin B12 or take a dietary supplement that contains vitamin B12. Folic acid is also called vitamin B9. Taking high doses of Vitamin C can cause diarrhea. It can also thin blood too much, especially if you are taking a blood thinning medicine.

While anticoagulants help prevent thrombotic and embolic strokes, the risk of a hemorrhagic stroke is higher for those on Coumadin. Also, you have to watch your supplement intake while on common blood thinners, as some vitamins and herbs (such as vitamin E, aspirin, or Ginkgo biloba) can thin your blood too much.

Water helps to thin the blood, which in turn makes it less likely to form clots, explains Jackie Chan, Dr.P.H., the lead study author. But don’t chug your extra H2O all at once. “You need to drink water throughout the day to keep your blood thin, starting with a glass or two in the morning,” adds Dr. Chan.

Carrots, cauliflower, green beans, lettuce, red and green peppers, and tomatoes have slightly higher amounts of vitamin K, ranging from 13 to 16 micrograms in a one-cup serving.

Vitamin K is primarily found in leafy green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, and lettuce, and enters your body when you eat these foods. Your body uses vitamin K to produce some of the clotting factors that helps blood clot.

Research has shown that Green Tea can prevent the formation of these potentially harmful blood clots. Animal studies have confirmed that Green Tea reduces clotting, and some evidence suggests that, much like aspirin, the cholesterol inhibitor present in Green Tea (EGCG) also acts as an anticoagulant, or blood thinner.

Note: Most fruits, meats, starches, dairy products and sweets do not contain high amounts of vitamin K. Consuming large amounts of cranberry juice may increase warfarin levels (so your INR may be higher, and you may be at a higher risk for bleeding).

So, in addition totaking steps to prevent bleeding, it’s also important to recognize the warning signs of this potentially serious side effect:

Excessive menstrual bleeding.

Coughing up anything red in color.

Severe headache or stomachache.

Dizziness or weakness.

Blood in the urine or bowel movements.

Blood-thinning medications: There have been reports that CoQ10 may make medications such as warfarin (Coumadin) or clopidigrel (Plavix) less effective at thinning the blood. If you take blood thinners, ask your provider before taking CoQ10.

Blood clots cause problems in the affected organ by cutting off oxygen flow. Thick blood is caused by heavy proteins, or by too much blood in the circulation. Too many red cells, white cells, and platelets will result in blood thickening. Another cause is an imbalance in the blood clotting system.

10 Fruits High in Vitamin K

Prunes — 24% DV per serving. 5 pieces: 28 mcg (24% DV)

Kiwi — 23% DV per serving.

Avocado — 18% DV per serving.

Blackberries — 12% DV per serving.

Blueberries — 12% DV per serving.

Pomegranate — 12% DV per serving.

Figs (dried) — 6% DV per serving.

Tomatoes (sun-dried) — 4% DV per serving.

While eating small amounts of foods that are rich in vitamin K should not cause a problem, avoid eating or drinking large amounts of:

Kale.

Spinach.

Brussels sprouts.

Parsley.

Collard greens.

Mustard greens.

Chard.

Green tea.

Iron-deficiency anemia: Iron is necessary for the body to make red blood cells. Low iron intake and loss of blood due to menstruation are the most common causes of iron-deficiency anemia. It may also be caused by blood loss from the GI tract because of ulcers or cancer.

Having your blood too thin can be extremely dangerous. A. Thank you for the reminder that anyone on warfarin (Coumadin) or other anticoagulants should steer clear of turmeric or curcumin. Although this spice has anti-inflammatory properties, it also can magnify the effect of these anti-clotting medications.

These over-the-counter painkillers — called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) — include such drugs as Advil, Aleve, Bufferin, Excedrin, Motrin and Nuprin, as well as aspirin. Patients who use blood thinners such as warfarin, Eliquis, Xarelto or Pradaxa should not take them, the researchers said.