The Danger of Eating Too Much Fruit, Can Cause Blood Clots

The Danger of Overeating Fruit - When someone is injured, the body will respond by experiencing blood clots. This happens so that the body stops bleeding, which harms health.

However, if bleeding occurs in more than one vein in the body, this condition is known as Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and can cause problems for the patient.

Quoting Express, there was a case that reported that a woman had blood clots in her legs.

As a result, he was forced to almost lose his leg due to an amputation. The Lancet journal also stated that the cause of the incident experienced by this woman was very surprising.

Upon investigation, it turned out that the woman had a habit of consuming grapefruit daily. According to researchers, this fruit may have triggered blood clots due to continuous consumption.

In addition, the patient is known to have driven long distances every day for a long duration. The car trip took about 1.5 hours.

She is physically exhausted, plus she also previously took oral estrogen contraceptives and had a genetic variant called the factor V Leiden mutation. Thus, the patient is also at risk of developing DVT or blood clots.

Consuming grapefruit for three consecutive days blocks the action of the CYP3A4 enzyme. This enzyme functions to break down the contraceptive hormone estrogen. Thus, this action can also increase coagulability.

Coagulability is a condition where there is a tendency for blood to clot. This is because grapefruit juice has a prolonged breakdown. Thus, this cumulative effect affects the body when consumed every day.

On the third day of drinking grapefruit juice, the woman's estrogen levels increased many times above normal, triggering blood clots. His condition was exacerbated because he had a genetic variant of the factor V Leiden mutation.

This 42-year-old woman was treated in an emergency at Olympia, in the state of Washington, on the US Pacific coast in November 2008. Besides blood clots in her legs, she also experienced shortness of breath, dizziness, and difficulty walking.

An ultrasound scan also found a large blood clot blocking a vein in his left leg.

The emergency doctor also gave him clot-busting drugs directly at the blockage center to treat gangrene.

"It seems as if grapefruit is increasing the thrombotic effect of the contraceptive pill. Because the patient has a genetic predisposition, his condition becomes more severe. However, this is a single case study and a very unusual case," said Doctor Trevor Baglin, Consultant Hematologist, Addenbrooke's NHS Trust, quoted from Express.

Even so, consuming grapefruit is still good for your health as long as it's not excessive and you don't have specific health problems. Differences in physical and genetic conditions between people with one also affect.

As Doctor Trevor mentioned, the woman's case was not uncommon. Thus, food selection needs to be done by considering the physical condition and health.

Image source: Grapefruit Image |kumparan.com