Food and medication

Herbal supplements and medication

Some herbal and high-dose supplements thin the blood, change blood sugar or change how your body clears medicines.

3 medicines on our checker are affected. Tap a medicine for every food and drink that matters with it.

Take care herbal supplements with these medicines

  • Clopidogrel · Grepid, Plavix

    Some herbal remedies and supplements can affect your blood. Ginkgo is a particular concern.

    Where this comes from
    “There might be a problem with taking some herbal remedies and supplements with clopidogrel, especially ones that can affect your blood (for example, ginkgo).”
    Information from the NHS website
  • DOACs · apixaban, eliquis, rivaroxaban

    Some supplements add to bleeding risk. Tell your prescriber before starting one.

  • Warfarin · coumarin, vitamin k antagonist

    Several herbal and high-dose supplements change bleeding risk. Tell your anticoagulant clinic before starting one.

Foods and drinks that count as herbal supplements

  • Ginkgo biloba
  • Ginseng
  • Garlic supplements
  • Turmeric supplements
  • High-dose fish oil
  • Echinacea
  • Valerian
  • Milk thistle
  • Evening primrose oil
  • Ginger supplements
  • Kava
  • Green tea extract
  • Vitamin E supplements
  • Saw palmetto
  • Black cohosh
  • Ashwagandha
  • CBD oil
  • Dong quai
  • Feverfew
  • Coenzyme Q10
  • Glucosamine

Common questions

Which medicines does herbal supplements affect?
3 medicines on our checker: Clopidogrel (take care), DOACs (take care), Warfarin (take care).
Which foods count as herbal supplements?
Ginkgo biloba, Ginseng, Garlic supplements, Turmeric supplements, High-dose fish oil, Echinacea, Valerian, Milk thistle, Evening primrose oil, Ginger supplements, Kava, Green tea extract, Vitamin E supplements, Saw palmetto, Black cohosh, Ashwagandha, CBD oil, Dong quai, Feverfew, Coenzyme Q10, Glucosamine.

General information from NHS medicine pages and drug labels, not medical advice. Always follow your prescriber, pharmacist or the leaflet with your medicine. How we check.