If you take Losartan — or another medication in the same family — don’t panic. These medicines can be incredibly important for blood pressure, heart protection, and kidney health.
But after 30+ years as a pharmacist, I’ve learned something that almost nobody discusses at the pharmacy counter…
Many medications quietly deplete nutrients your body depends on.
I call it the Drug Mugging Effect.
And when nutrient depletion goes unnoticed for months or years, people often develop symptoms they chalk up to “aging” or stress, when sometimes it’s the medication changing nutrient balance behind the scenes.
That’s especially important with a class of medications called ARBs.
What Are ARBs?
Losartan belongs to a family of medications called angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). Other drugs in this category include:
- Valsartan (Diovan®)
- Irbesartan (Avapro®)
- Olmesartan (Benicar®)
- Telmisartan (Micardis®)
- Candesartan (Atacand®)
These medications work by blocking the effects of angiotensin II, a hormone that tightens blood vessels and raises blood pressure.
They absolutely have a place in medicine. But there’s another side to the story that deserves attention too.
The Zinc Connection Nobody Talks About
This is the nutrient depletion I worry about most with losartan.
Research published in the American Journal of Hypertension found that losartan increased urinary zinc excretion in patients with hypertension. In simple terms, the body lost more zinc through the urine. That effect became even more significant when losartan was combined with hydrochlorothiazide, the diuretic often paired with it in Hyzaar.
Why does zinc matter so much?
Because zinc is involved in hundreds of enzymatic reactions in the body. It supports:
- immune resilience
- taste and smell
- skin repair – Here are 5 Supplements for Beautiful Skin
- hormone balance
- wound healing
- thyroid function – How to Take Your Thyroid Medication – 5 Important Do’s and Dont’s
- hair growth
- neurotransmitter activity
When zinc drops low, symptoms can look surprisingly random:
- frequent infections
- hair shedding
- diminished taste or smell
- slow wound healing
- poor appetite
- brain fog
- lowered libido
Honestly, I can’t tell you how many people assume these symptoms are “just getting older.”
Sometimes they’re not. Sometimes the body is simply depleted.
What About Magnesium and Losartan?
This one requires a little nuance, but it’s common to be short on magnesium. That’s because coffee and caffeine-containing drinks like coffee, or Red Bull and others can steal magnesium like a teenager raiding the refrigerator.
ARBs themselves are not considered the biggest magnesium-depleting medications compared to diuretics or acid blockers. However, when ARBs alter kidney hormone signaling — particularly involving aldosterone — mineral balance can shift in some individuals.
The larger concern is when losartan is combined with a thiazide diuretic such as hydrochlorothiazide.
That’s where magnesium losses become much more clinically relevant.
Low magnesium may contribute to:
- Muscle cramps (especially at night. If your cramps seem unusual or persistent, read my article: 4 Signs Your Leg Cramps Could Be Something More Serious)
- Eye twitching (Read: Common Causes of Eye Twitching—and What to Do About Them)
- Poor sleep (Read: 8 Surprising Reasons that Alcohol Causes Insomnia)
- Constipation (Read: 7 Impressive Natural Remedies for Constipation)
- Heart palpitations
- Anxiety or nervousness (Read: 8 Solutions for Anxiety: Cure the Worry!)
- Fatigue
And ironically, magnesium is one of the most important minerals for healthy cardiovascular function. Sadly, millions of people take the wrong type of magnesium supplement and it never leaves their gut! No lie – check this ARTICLE out to see if the brand you take is getting absorbed by your body and going to your heart, brain, bones, and nervous system.
As a pharmacist, I always found it fascinating that many people take medications for heart health while unknowingly becoming depleted in nutrients the heart also relies upon. For pennies a day, you can restore what the drug mugger stole. For more on that click on the link to get my “Outsmarting Drug Muggers” ebook. It will (hopefully) turn your life around. 
CoQ10 and Cellular Energy
There’s also growing discussion around mitochondrial energy production and cardiovascular medications.
While the evidence is strongest with statin drugs lowering CoQ10, some integrative practitioners also support CoQ10 replenishment in people taking long-term cardiovascular medications in general — especially when fatigue or muscle weakness develops.
Low CoQ10 might feel like:
- low stamina
- exercise intolerance
- muscle fatigue
- sluggish recovery
- mental fatigue
I personally prefer ubiquinol, the active form of CoQ10, particularly in older adults where absorption may matter more. Here’s the BIG LIST of drugs that smash levels of CoQ10, check it out when you have a minute.
⚠️ A Very Important Potassium Warning
Now here’s where things get tricky. Unlike some blood pressure medications that lower potassium, ARBs including losartan can actually increase potassium levels.
That means blindly taking potassium supplements — or even aggressively using salt substitutes which are made of potassium — may become dangerous for some of you. Drinking high-potassium electrolyte drinks can cause similar issues.
Too much potassium (called hyperkalemia) can cause:
- weakness
- tingling
- heart rhythm disturbances
- nausea
- fatigue
This is why lab monitoring is critical, and knowing your body really matters. More supplements are not always better.
The “Hyzaar Effect”
If you take Hyzaar, which is a combo drug (containing losartan and HCTZ), you have to think about the two medications working together instead of just one. Hydrochlorothiazide (or HCTZ) is a diuretic, so as it filters minerals out, you might say it’s a huge drug mugger! It’s associated with depletion of:
- magnesium
- potassium
- zinc
- sodium
- folate (that’s a B vitamin that you really need!)
Low folate will spike your homocysteine levels, which has been associated with cardiovascular risk. Low folate also contributes to depression. That’s one reason I often encourage people to discuss a high-quality B-complex with methylfolate, especially if they’re taking long-term diuretics.
I generally prefer methylated forms over synthetic folic acid because they’re already in a form the body can readily recognize and use. While not everyone needs methylated vitamins, many people seem to do better with them.
In the interest of full disclosure, I formulated Mito B Complex after years of looking at B-vitamin formulas and thinking, “Why are they leaving out the good stuff?” I wanted active forms, meaningful potencies, and ingredients I’d feel comfortable recommending to my own family.
One thing to know: Mito B Complex contains genuine niacin (vitamin B3), not the “no-flush” version. As a result, some people experience a temporary niacin flush—a harmless sensation of warmth, redness, or tingling that can last anywhere from a few minutes to about half an hour. Not everyone gets it, but when they do, it’s simply a sign that the niacin is active and increasing blood flow near the skin’s surface.
If you’re curious, click HERE to view the complete ingredient panel and compare it to whatever B-complex is currently sitting in your cabinet.
What I Tell Patients
Please don’t stop your medication. I mean that sincerely.
But do become more nutrient-aware. That means:
- Eating zinc-rich foods like pumpkin seeds, oysters, chickpeas, beef, and cashews
- Prioritizing magnesium-rich foods like leafy greens, avocado, almonds, and beans
- Discussing periodic lab testing with your practitioner
- Paying attention to new symptoms instead of dismissing them
And if you supplement magnesium, skip the cheap magnesium oxide whenever possible. It’s poorly absorbed and often causes GI upset. I generally prefer glycinate for calming support and gentleness.
Why I Wrote Drug Muggers
Years ago, I realized patients were developing “new conditions” that were sometimes side effects or nutrient deficiencies masquerading as disease.
A medication gets prescribed.
Then a nutrient drops.
Then symptoms appear.
A new diagnosis is awarded you.
Then another medication gets added.😏
That cycle happens every single day in America.
That realization is what inspired me to write Drug Muggers and it’s my best-selling book.
Because people deserve to understand not only what their medication does… but also what it may quietly drain from you over time.
Knowledge is empowering. It shouldn’t be frightening to have a side effect solution, especially if you take a drug like losartan that depletes zinc, and other nutrients needed for good health.
Because when you restore what your body needs, you might feel dramatically better. Zinc is just one piece of the story when it comes to losartan.
To see the full nutrient depletion profile for losartan (including potential interactions, nutrient concerns, and practical ways to replenish what your body needs) visit drugmuggers.com and search your medications for free.
Related Articles
Find Out Which 6 Medications Cause Hearing Loss and Tinnitus
Corn Silk: 5 Key Benefits for Cystitis and Bladder Health
High Blood Pressure: 10 Major Causes and 4 Hidden Triggers (Explained by a Pharmacist)
Left Ventricular Hypertrophy of the Heart: 10 Critical Symptoms to Watch For
7 Holistic Approaches to Managing Raynaud’s Phenomenon
10 Ways to Treat Sudden Low Blood Pressure
Suzy Cohen, RPh, has been a licensed pharmacist for over 30 years, blending conventional medicine with natural approaches to help people feel better and live healthier. She is the founder of Script Essentials, a supplement company known for targeted, custom-formulated products, some with patented innovations.
With a special focus on thyroid health, functional medicine, and drug-induced nutrient depletion (what she calls “drug muggers”), Suzy is the author of several books including Thyroid Healthy, Drug Muggers, and Diabetes Without Drugs. She also writes a nationally syndicated health column and shares practical, easy-to-understand guidance with readers around the world.
