Prune juice and BC?

Question

Would prune juice decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills? I take my pills at the exact same time every day, but I also recently starting having about a cup of prune juice a day to help with constipation. The prune juice works like a charm but I'm wondering if it will make my BC less effective.

Answer

If it has a laxative effect, yes.

Answer

EDIT: 
No, prune juice and/or prunes will not affect the effectiveness of BC.

The rate at which medications (BC) are absorbed or processed is referred to as ones "metabolism".  Prunes, or prune juice, do not affect the metabolism, they affect the end stages of digestion. Digestion is the process of your body breaking down food. Yes, pills (BC) enter the body through ones digestive system but they are absorbed by the body long before prunes or prune juice affect your digestion.

Medications (like BC) taken orally begin to devolve in the stomach.  Some medications are completely dissolved in the stomach and absorbed (into the blood stream) by the stomach lining.  Other medications start dissolving in the stomach and finish dissolving in, and are absorbed (into the blood stream) by the small intestine.  Once in the blood stream, medications are metabolized by the body.  Prunes, or prune juice, only affect the end stages of digestion: elimination.

There are 5 types of laxatives: bulk forming, stimulant, Osmotics, Lubricants, and Stool Softeners.  Most laxatives that are prescribed or at the pharmacy are stimulant laxatives; they work by stimulating peristalsis and therefore, they speed up the transit time which decreases the amount of time medications have the dissolve and be absorbed.  Prunes, and prune juice, are bulk forming but also have (minimal) traits of osmotics and have a minor stimulating affect.

Answer

The only fruit I've heard of that affects the pill is grapefruit

Prune juice and BC?

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