April 3, 2009

expert comments on case report concerning grapefruit and thrombosis, as published in The Lancet

The case concerns a woman who developed a blood clot in her leg and almost lost the limb, as a result of going on an intense grapefruit-based diet which affected her body’s ability to process her contraceptive pill. Experts stressed that this was an unusual case.

Dr Trevor Baglin, Consultant Haematologist, Addenbrooke’s NHS Trust, said:

“From this case study it appears as if the grapefruit enhanced the thrombotic effect of the contraceptive pill in the presence of a genetic predisposition. However, it is worth pointing out that this is a single case study and a very unusual case at that. I would suggest that any extreme diets should be avoided because they can have unpredictable consequences.”