Foods to Avoid When Taking Colchicine for Gout (Plus 5 More Pharmacist-Backed Tips)

Colchicine (Colcrys, Mitigare, Gloperba) is well known for its anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, it has been used for thousands of years to help manage various inflammatory conditions. Today, colchicine is FDA approved for preventing and treating gout flares in adults. It’s also approved for treating an autoimmune disorder known as familial Mediterranean fever.

If you’re wondering what foods to avoid when taking colchicine or the best way to take it, we’ve got you covered. Below, we’ll review six pharmacist-backed tips for taking colchicine.

1. There are certain foods to avoid when taking colchicine

There are two main types of food and drink you should avoid if you’re taking colchicine: grapefruit and high-purine foods.

Promotion disclosure

Colchicine

Avg retail price

$323.02(Save 95.15%)

GoodRx discount

$15.66

See all discounts

How it works

Use GoodRx to find medications, pharmacies, and discounts.

GoodRx discounts can help you pay less for your prescription.

Bring your free coupon or savings card to the pharmacy.

Grapefruit and grapefruit juice 

Grapefruit products can block the enzyme in the body that breaks down colchicine. As a result, colchicine levels may be higher than intended. High levels of colchicine can lead to potentially serious side effects, including muscle and nerve-related problems. It’s best to avoid grapefruit products if you’re taking colchicine.

Foods high in purines

Eating high-purine foods may raise uric acid levels, making gout attacks more likely. Shellfish, canned fish, and alcohol are examples of foods high in purines. Certain meats, such as bacon, turkey, and organ meat, also contain high amounts of purines. It’s best to avoid these altogether if you’re having acute gout symptoms. And avoid eating large amounts of purine-rich foods to help prevent gout attacks. Keep in mind that if you are taking colchicine for conditions other than gout, these foods aren’t likely to cause issues for you.

There are other foods you should avoid while taking colchicine to avoid worsening side effects — more on that next. 

2. You can take colchicine with or without food

Food does not affect how well your body absorbs colchicine. This means you can take it with or without food. However, nausea is a common side effect of colchicine. So taking it with food may help reduce the chance you’ll experience nausea. Just be sure to avoid purine-rich foods, as mentioned. It’s also helpful to avoid fried or spicy foods, as they’re likely to make nausea worse.

If nausea doesn’t improve, talk to your prescriber. A lower colchicine dosage may help lessen this side effect.

3. There are ways to manage diarrhea from colchicine

Colchicine can throw off the fluid balance in your gut, causing diarrhea. Over 20% of people taking colchicine experience diarrhea, making it the most common side effect.

Diarrhea from colchicine generally resolves on its own within a few days. In the meantime, here are some tips to help manage it:

• Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water or electrolyte drinks.

• Avoid caffeinated beverages and alcohol.

• Avoid spicy or fatty foods, as they can worsen diarrhea.

• Try an over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medication, such as loperamide (Imodium A-D), if your prescriber OKs it. 

If diarrhea is severe or doesn’t go away, talk to your prescriber. They may need to lower your colchicine dosage. They can also make sure there isn’t something more serious going on.

4. Colchicine comes in several different dosage forms

Colchicine comes in three oral dosage forms: a tablet, a capsule, and a liquid. While all three contain colchicine, they have different brand names and are approved for different uses. 

Generic colchicine is commonly prescribed as a tablet (brand name Colcrys). This formulation is approved to help prevent and treat gout in people over 16. It’s also approved for familial Mediterranean fever in adults and children ages 4 and older. 

In contrast, the brand-name medications Mitgare (capsule) and Gloperba (liquid) are only approved for preventing gout flares in adults. 

Some people find the tablet and capsule formulations hard to swallow. In these cases, the liquid formulation may be an option. If you have trouble swallowing colchicine pills, ask your prescriber if the liquid is an option for you.

Lodoco is a brand-name colchicine tablet that’s approved to lower the risk of heart problems in those at high risk for them. It’s not interchangeable with colchicine products for gout. 

5. You shouldn’t take colchicine alone to prevent gout flares

A gout flare occurs when uric acid builds up in the joints, resulting in pain and swelling in that joint. Colchicine helps reduce inflammation, making it a great option for treating gout flares. However, it doesn’t affect uric levels. So it’s not recommended on its own to prevent gout attacks. 

Medications known as uric acid lowering therapy (ULT) are first-choice options for preventing gout flares. These medications help prevent uric acid levels from getting too high. Examples include allopurinol (Zyloprim) and febuxostat (Uloric). 

Gout attacks are common when you first start treatment with a ULT. It’s not clear why this happens, but ULT may disrupt uric acid deposits, which can raise uric acid levels in the blood. Because of this, your prescriber may have you take colchicine daily for 3 to 6 months along with ULT to help prevent gout flares.

6. You should review your medication list with your healthcare team before taking colchicine

Colchicine interacts with a number of medications. This includes cholesterol medications, some calcium channel blockers, and certain antiviral medications (including Paxlovid). In most cases, the interaction raises colchicine levels in the body. High colchicine levels can lead to unwanted side effects and colchicine toxicity. 

The best way to avoid colchicine interactions is to review your medication list with your healthcare team before you start taking it. You should also check in anytime you start or stop a medication or dietary supplement. And don’t forget to update your list as your medications or dosages change.

How to save on colchicine

There are ways to save on colchicine, which is available as both a brand-name and generic medication. GoodRx can help you save over 80% off the average retail price of generic colchicine tablets. The price at certain pharmacies is as low as $8.70 with a free GoodRx discount. 

You can save over 70% off the price of colchicine capsules with GoodRx. And patient assistance programs are also available for most forms of colchicine.

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Emilie White, PharmD

Emilie White is a clinical pharmacist with over a decade of hospital pharmacy experience. Her professional areas of interest include critical care as well as infectious and autoimmune diseases.

Edited by:

Stacia Woodcock, PharmD

Stacia Woodcock, PharmD, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Kentucky and is licensed in New York and Massachusetts.

Reviewed by:

Joshua Murdock, PharmD, BCBBS

Joshua Murdock, PharmD, BCBBS, is a licensed pharmacist in Arizona, Colorado, and Rhode Island. He has worked in the pharmacy industry for more than 10 years and currently serves as a pharmacy editor for GoodRx.

Our editorial standards

Meet our experts