Warfarin (Coumadin) diet: What can I eat?

Can you tell me what I should eat on a warfarin (Coumadin) diet? What foods should I avoid?

- Beth / Illinois

Answer

Warfarin is a blood-thinning medication that helps treat and prevent blood clots. There is no specific warfarin (Coumadin) diet. However, certain foods and beverages can impair the effect of warfarin. For this reason, it's important to pay attention to what you eat while taking this medication.

Until recently, doctors advised people taking warfarin to avoid foods high in vitamin K. This is because large amounts of vitamin K can counteract the benefits of warfarin. However, recent research shows that rather than eliminating vitamin K from your diet, it is more important to be consistent in your dietary vitamin K intake. The average recommended daily allowance of vitamin K for adult men is 120 micrograms (mcg). For adult women, it's 90 mcg.

Certain beverages can increase the effect of warfarin, leading to bleeding problems. Avoid or drink only small amounts of these beverages when taking warfarin:

• Cranberry juice
• Alcohol

You should also avoid beverages that contain large amounts of vitamin K, such as green tea.

If you take warfarin, eat a sensible, consistent diet. Talk to your doctor before making any major changes in your diet and before starting any over-the-counter medications, vitamins or herbal supplements. If you are unable to eat for several days or have persistent stomach upset, diarrhea or fever, consult your doctor. He or she may need to adjust your warfarin dose.

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