Okuzeka
Pharmacy & Pharmacology vocabulary · Dispensing and Counselling

Take with food

Meaning in pharmacy & pharmacology, with examples

phraseCore term

In pharmacy & pharmacology, take with food means: A common instruction meaning that a medicine should be taken during or just after a meal, often to reduce stomach upset or to improve absorption.

In Turkish: yemekle birlikte alınız, tok karnına alınız

How it is used

One of the commonest phrases on labels and in counselling, with variants such as 'take with or after food' and 'take with a meal'. The opposite is 'take on an empty stomach', often explained as about an hour before food or two hours after. Pharmacists explain the reason so that patients remember it.

Example sentences

  1. Take these with food; they can upset your stomach if you take them on their own.

  2. The label says 'take with food', so I have mine with breakfast.

Common collocations

  • take with or after food
  • take on an empty stomach
  • take with a meal
  • take with plenty of water
  • absorptionThe movement of a drug from the place where it is given, such as the gut or the skin, into the bloodstream.
  • dispensing labelThe label a pharmacy sticks on a dispensed medicine, showing the patient's name, the drug and strength, the directions for use, the date and the pharmacy's details.
  • patient counsellingThe conversation in which a pharmacist explains to a patient how to use a medicine, what to expect from it and which side effects or warnings to watch for.
  • side effectAn effect of a medicine that is not the main reason for taking it; most side effects are unwanted, such as nausea, drowsiness or a headache.

More terms: Dispensing and Counselling

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level:

This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.