4 Drug and Supplement Interactions You Need to Know

As the use of medications and dietary supplements rises in the U.S., does that mean that more consumers could be at risk of negative interactions between drugs and supplements? This was the question researchers asked in a study published last year in JAMA Internal Medicine.(1)

Based on survey data, the researchers found that the use of both prescription medications and dietary supplements in older U.S. adults increased in 2005–2011. Those researchers noted a growing risk of a few drug and dietary supplement interactions in particular, including warfarin sodium and omega-3 fish oil, or warfarin sodium and garlic. For the most part, however, most of the interactions observed in the study were between different types of drugs, and not between drugs and supplements.

That seems to be the consensus-that negative interactions between drugs and supplements are rare, but that continued research is still vital to ensure patient safety.

“There’s a lot of literature suggesting that almost every herb interacts with almost every drug and is potentially dangerous,” says Stefan Gafner, PhD, chief science officer for the American Botanical Council (Austin, TX). “But that’s based on studies of isolated enzymes and cell cultures. The (clinical) occurrence of herb-drug interactions is quite low. It’s mostly a concern for healthcare professionals and government, but I’ve also seen industry members come up with new tools to predict interactions.”

Consumers should always contact their healthcare provider if they have concerns about how their nutritional supplements may interact with their prescription drugs. In the meantime, here are just a few of the lesser-known potential interactions between drugs and supplements that might not always be at top of mind, but that manufacturers and consumers should know about.


Reference:
1. Qato DM et al. “Changes in prescription and over-the-counter medication and dietary supplement use among older adults in the United States, 2005 vs 2011.” JAMA Internal Medicine, vol. 176, no. 4 (2016): 473-482

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