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How Do You Need To Take Your Medications?
With or Without Food - This Chart Shows You How

By , About.com Guide

Updated: January 13, 2008

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Some medications require food to be absorbed properly. Other medications need to be taken on an empty stomach. For some a meal high in fat is the key, for others low fat is a must. This table will help you straighten out all the food requirements so you can take your medications properly.

HIV Medication Fact Sheets

Dietary Recommendations

Retrovir (azt) Empty stomach or low fat meal
Epivir (3TC) With or without food
Abacavir (ABC) With or without food
Videx EC (ddi) 30 minutes before or 2hrs after meal. Separate from Tenofovir
Zerit (d4T) With or without food
Tenofovir (TDF) Take with meal / separate from Videx EC
Hivid (ddC) With or without food
Empriva (FTC) With or without food
Delavidine (DLV) With or without food
Sustiva (EFV) Take on an empty stomach
Nevirapine (NVP) With or without food
Indinavir (IDV) Take on empty stomach or light, low fat meal / 2 liters of water per day
Indinavir / Norvir (IDV/RTV) With or without food
Saquinavir (SQV) Take within 2 hrs. of high fat meal
Kaletra (LPV/r) Take with fatty meal
Norvir (RTV) Take with food
Nelfinavir (NFV) Take with food
Atazanavir (ATV) Take with food
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