What Drinks and Foods Should You Avoid While Taking Strattera?

If you or a loved one has attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), you may be familiar with medications that treat it. This may include stimulants, such as Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts), and nonstimulant medications, such as Strattera (atomoxetine). Stimulants are typically first-choice medications for treating both adult and childhood ADHD. But sometimes, nonstimulant medications like Strattera are a better choice. 

If you're prescribed Strattera, there are several things to discuss with your healthcare professional before you start treatment. For example, make sure you understand what your prescribed dosage is and know about the possible side effects and drug interactions. You should also ask about whether you need to avoid certain foods while taking Strattera.

Strattera isn’t known to interact with specific foods or drinks. But some items can worsen side effects, while others can change how your body absorbs the medication. Here, we’ll review three types of drinks and foods to consider avoiding while taking Strattera.

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1. Alcohol

Alcohol has many different effects on the body. For example, it’s known to lower inhibition and increase impulsivity. And in adults with ADHD, these effects can be even greater.

This alone may be a good enough reason to limit your alcohol consumption. But it’s also important to know that alcohol and Strattera can interact indirectly. Drinking alcohol can worsen Strattera side effects such as nausea and vomiting, behavioral changes, and liver damage. Because of this, it’s safest to avoid alcohol while taking Strattera. 

If you drink alcohol, Strattera can still be an effective ADHD treatment. It may even be preferred over stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin (methylphenidate) since it doesn’t carry a risk of dependence or misuse. In fact, Strattera is considered a first-choice ADHD medication for people with substance use disorders. This includes people with alcohol use disorder. 

If you're prescribed Strattera, be honest with your healthcare professional about how much alcohol you drink. They can help you decide whether it’s safe for you to take Strattera. They can also recommend strategies for reducing your alcohol consumption if needed.

2. Foods and drinks with caffeine

Caffeine is found in several foods and drinks, including coffee, tea, and energy drinks. In moderate amounts, caffeine can have health benefits. But it can also cause side effects. For example, caffeine can worsen anxiety and cause appetite loss. Some of these side effects, including appetite loss, are also possible side effects of Strattera. So combining the two can have compounding effects.

Like other stimulants, caffeine may improve ADHD symptoms in adults. But there’s not enough research to know for sure. If you’re taking Strattera for ADHD and caffeine is a part of your diet, pay attention to how you feel. If you have increased anxiety or appetite loss, you could try cutting out caffeine to see if it helps. 

EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT

• What medications treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? A range of medications can treat ADHD symptoms. Learn about some popular options for children and adults.

• Advice for managing ADHD: Here are some firsthand tips from someone who lives with the condition. 

• How long does Strattera (atomoxetine) take to work? If you’ve just started taking Strattera, it helps to know when you’ll likely feel the effects.

3. Greasy, fatty, or fried foods

Taking Strattera with high-fat foods — such as greasy or fried foods — can slow down the medication’s absorption. For example, it typically takes the body about 1 to 1.5 hours to fully absorb Strattera. But if you have recently eaten a high-fat meal, this process can be delayed by an additional 3 hours.

Despite this effect, you don’t necessarily have to avoid high-fat foods while taking Strattera. Over time, the medication reaches steady levels in your system after repeated daily doses. So if you take Strattera on a daily basis, you likely won’t notice any effects from delayed absorption.

Still, if you feel like your Strattera doses have a delayed effect, consider altering your eating habits. If you’ve been taking Strattera with high-fat foods, try avoiding these foods around the time you take the medication for several days. You may notice an improvement.

Also, keep in mind that avoiding some high-fat foods, such as fried foods, is a healthy eating choice for most people.

Should you avoid certain medications while taking Strattera?

Strattera has a few drug interactions to be aware of. In some cases, you should avoid combining Strattera with the interacting medication completely. For example, it’s recommended to avoid taking Strattera with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI). Examples of MAOIs include rasagiline (Azilect), phenelzine (Nardil), and selegiline (Zelapar, Emsam).

In other cases, you may not need to avoid an interacting medication completely. You may just need to watch for increased side effects like nausea and high blood pressure. Examples of these medications include:

• Albuterol (Ventolin, ProAir, Proventil)

• Some antidepressants, such as fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), and bupropion (Wellbutrin SR, Wellbutrin XL)

• Medications that can raise blood pressure, such as pseudoephedrine (Sudafed), Adderall, and Ritalin

Before starting treatment with Strattera, share your current medication list with your prescriber. This will help them identify potential drug interactions.

Should you avoid certain foods or drinks if you have ADHD?

Some research that shows certain foods and drinks may worsen ADHD symptoms in some people. This is regardless of whether they take ADHD medication, including Strattera. 

For example, some research shows artificial food dyes may increase hyperactivity in children who have ADHD (and those who don’t). So it may be best to avoid items that include these dyes when possible. Additionally, some research shows avoiding ultraprocessed foods — and eating a diet filled with fresh vegetables, fruits, and legumes — may decrease the risk of developing ADHD.

If you or your child has ADHD, talk to your healthcare professional about whether optimizing your diet could improve your quality of life. Making a few tweaks may help, regardless of whether you or your child takes ADHD medication.

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Written by:

Austin Ulrich, PharmD, BCACP

Austin Ulrich, PharmD, BCACP, is a board-certified ambulatory care clinical pharmacist. In his early career, he provided direct patient care in a variety of settings, including hospital and community pharmacies, and in a primary care clinic as a clinical pharmacist.

Edited by:

Amy B. Gragnolati, PharmD, BCPS

Amy Gragnolati, PharmD, BCPS, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. Amy currently holds her pharmacist license in Georgia and California.

Reviewed by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

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