Which antibiotic depletes B vitamins, vitamin K, and vitamin C and is generally taken with food?

• A. Nitrofurantoin
• B. Amoxicillin
• C. Metronidazole
• D. Azithromycin

Answer: (A)

Antibiotics can influence nutrient status by disturbing gut bacteria that help synthesize certain vitamins, and they are often prescribed with meals to improve absorption and reduce gastrointestinal upset. Nitrofurantoin is typically taken with food to maximize absorption and minimize nausea, which aligns with the idea of considering nutrient effects during antibiotic therapy. While the concept of vitamin depletion from antibiotics is a general caution about how gut flora can be affected, nitrofurantoin’s clear, standard guidance to take with meals makes it the best-fitting choice among the options. The other antibiotics don’t have as consistent a meal-time instruction, and their link to vitamin depletion is not as central to their common clinical use.