There are many misconceptions about what to do when a person needs to take this drug. Coumadin is a blood-thinner. It’s not the only blood-thinner that you can take: garlic, vitamin E, Ginkgo Biloba, aspirin and fish oil are just a few others. The main concern of many people on Coumadin is eating certain vitamin K foods that you love, such as green leafy vegetables like salads, spinach or broccoli and even cranberries. Vitamin K is a coagulant (it helps the blood to clot) and Coumadin is an anti-coagulant (it helps to thin the blood to reduce clotting). In other words, the more vitamin K you eat, the less the Coumadin will work, and the more Coumadin you may need to take.
Another potential problem with Coumadin is the amount of blood thinners you are taking that you don’t realize. Don’t freely self-medicate with herbs if you don’t know anything about them. How many people know, for example, that Gingko Biloba mixed with Coumadin or aspirin can cause a hemorrhagic stroke due to the abundance of blood-thinning agents in all of these medications?
The most important thing for you to do is to stay consistent and not be excessive. Make sure you talk to your doctor and you are on the same page.
Latest news: Soy products, like tofu, and soymilk, contain substances called genistein and daidzein that may interfere with the body’s absorption of Coumadin. In other words, stay consistent and don’t overeat soy products if you are on Coumadin! Similarly, Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) may reduce the effectiveness of Coumadin.
