Does Eating Tofu at Night Affect Omeprazole Absorption or Effectiveness?

There is no strong human evidence that eating tofu at night reduces the absorption or effectiveness of omeprazole. Omeprazole works by lowering stomach acid, and standard guidance is to take it before meals (often in the morning) to optimize its effect, regardless of specific foods like tofu. Food can slow the rate of omeprazole absorption but generally does not reduce the overall amount absorbed, so effectiveness is usually maintained. ^[1] Omeprazole can change the absorption of certain other medications due to raised stomach pH, but routine foods such as tofu are not listed among clinically relevant interactions for omeprazole itself. ^{[2] [3]}

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What Official Guidance Says

• Omeprazole increases stomach pH and can alter the absorption of drugs with pH‑dependent solubility; this is a medication–medication concern, not a typical food interaction. ^{[2] [3]}
• Labeling emphasizes interactions with specific drugs (for example, iron salts, certain tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and mycophenolate mofetil), not with common foods. Tofu or soy products are not listed as clinically significant interactions. ^{[4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]}

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What Research Suggests About Food and Soy

• Food may decrease the rate (speed) of omeprazole absorption but does not usually reduce the overall extent (total amount) absorbed, so clinical effectiveness tends to remain intact. This means taking omeprazole with food might delay peak levels but not negate benefit. ^[1]
• In rats, very high amounts of soybeans increased omeprazole exposure (higher Cmax and AUC, longer half‑life), but animal data at exaggerated doses do not directly translate to typical human tofu consumption. There is no equivalent human study showing clinically important changes with tofu. ^{[10] [11] [12]}
• Soy protein meals can stimulate less gastric acid secretion than beef in humans, which aligns with omeprazole’s goal of lowering acid; however, this dietary effect does not imply a harmful interaction with omeprazole. It simply means soy is less acid‑stimulating than some animal proteins. ^{[13] [14] [15]}

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Practical Guidance

• Timing: Omeprazole is commonly taken 30–60 minutes before the first meal of the day to allow activation at the proton pumps during meal‑stimulated acid secretion. If prescribed at night, aim for 30–60 minutes before your evening meal, unless your clinician advises otherwise. ^[1]
• Consistency: Keep a consistent routine; taking omeprazole at the same time daily helps maintain acid control. Eating tofu with dinner should not meaningfully reduce omeprazole’s benefit. ^[1]
• Other drugs: If you take medicines known to have pH‑dependent absorption or are metabolized by CYP2C19, discuss timing and interactions with your clinician, as omeprazole can affect their levels. This is a drug–drug issue, separate from tofu. ^{[2] [3]}

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Summary Table: Tofu/Soy and Omeprazole

Topic	Evidence	Practical Takeaway
Food effect on omeprazole	Food slows rate but not total absorption in humans. [1]	Take before meals for best effect; food, including tofu, won’t typically reduce total absorption.
Soybean effects (animal data)	High-dose soy increased omeprazole exposure in rats. [10] [11] [12]	Not directly applicable to normal human tofu intake; no proven harmful interaction.
Soy protein and gastric acid (human)	Soy protein triggers less acid than beef. [13] [14] [15]	Compatible with acid-reduction goals; does not impair omeprazole.
Official interaction listings	Focus on drug–drug interactions; foods like tofu not listed. [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [2] [3]	No clinically relevant tofu–omeprazole interaction documented.

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Bottom Line

Based on available human guidance and interaction listings, tofu at night does not appear to reduce the absorption or effectiveness of omeprazole. For optimal results, take omeprazole 30–60 minutes before a meal, stay consistent with timing, and focus on known drug–drug interactions rather than routine foods like tofu. ^{[1] [2] [3]}