If a patient is taking warfarin, which dietary supplement should they avoid?

Patients taking warfarin need to be cautious about certain dietary supplements that can affect the medication's anticoagulant properties. Garlic, in particular, is known to have blood-thinning effects, which can potentiate the anticoagulant effects of warfarin, increasing the risk of bleeding. This interaction occurs because garlic can inhibit platelet aggregation and potentially enhance the anticoagulation effects of warfarin.

While other supplements listed may have their own health benefits or risks, they do not significantly impact the effectiveness or safety of warfarin to the same extent as garlic. For instance, turmeric does contain curcumin, which may have some mild anticoagulant effects, but it is not as pronounced in its interaction with warfarin as garlic. Lycopene and calcium do not pose a clear risk of enhancing the effects of warfarin and are generally considered safe to consume alongside this medication.

Thus, it is crucial for patients on warfarin to avoid garlic to maintain their desired INR (International Normalized Ratio) levels and minimize the risk of adverse bleeding events.