7 Medications That Don’t Mix Well with Herbal Tea

Natural teas have been used for hundreds of years throughout the globe for his or her medicinal or immune-supporting properties. Since they’re made out of crops, it’s simple to imagine they’re innocent. However there’s a harmful draw back we don’t hear about fairly often. “Lots of people do not take into consideration natural teas as one thing that they should fear about interacting with remedy,” says Ginger Hultin, D.C.N., RDN, CSO. “However, many nutritional vitamins, minerals and natural merchandise have average to generally extreme interactions with medicines.” As a result of many natural teas have similar properties to medications, their negative effects can compound, she provides. 

That’s not the one approach mixing natural teas with remedy could spell hassle, says Melissa Groves Azzaro, RDN, LD. “Some natural teas can work together with medicines as a result of they’re metabolized by the identical pathways within the liver. Because of this, natural teas can enhance the consequences of your remedy or make it much less efficient.” And these seemingly wholesome teas can work together with over-the-counter and prescription medicines. So, should you’re consuming them and taking OTC meds, your pharmacist could not even remember that you just’re in danger for these interactions. 

Which medicines do you have to keep away from should you drink natural tea? To seek out out, we requested well being specialists. Right here’s what they advised us.

1. Antidepressants

Some natural treatments are used to enhance temper and despair, particularly St. John’s wort. Nonetheless, should you’re taking antidepressants, you’ll need to keep away from any teas containing St. John’s wort. Analysis has discovered that combining this herb with antidepressants referred to as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) could trigger a situation referred to as serotonin syndrome. On the gentle finish, this could result in nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. On the excessive, it could trigger extra extreme signs, like fast heartbeat, hypertension, uncontrollable muscle actions, agitation and hallucinations. , 

Antidepressants aren’t the one medicines that don’t combine properly with St. John’s wort, says Hultin. “St. John’s wort is an natural complement that has a lot of interactions with medicines,” she explains. “Due to the big record of medicines that work together with St. John’s wort, you must use a whole lot of warning earlier than incorporating it into your weight loss plan by way of tea or dietary supplements and ensure you’re checking along with your medical workforce about it in your security.”

2. Omeprazole

In case you’re one of many thousands and thousands of Individuals with frequent heartburn or GERD (aka gastroesophageal reflux illness), omeprazole could also be a staple in your medication cupboard. This remedy, additionally offered beneath the identify model Prilosec, could not work almost as properly if you mix it with sure natural teas, particularly ginkgo biloba. That’s as a result of this common herb could intrude with omeprazole’s metabolism. The consequence? Your remedy turns into much less efficient, and your heartburn doesn’t budge. 

3. Blood Thinners & Ibuprofen

“When taking blood-thinning remedy, you must use warning with sure teas,” says Hultin. That doesn’t simply embody prescription blood thinners, like warfarin. It additionally applies to ibuprofen.

In response to the Nationwide Institutes of Well being, ginkgo biloba, cat’s claw and chamomile could all enhance the chance of bleeding in folks taking blood thinners, like warfarin. , ,  Analysis has additionally discovered that ginseng could enhance bleeding threat.  

There have even been studies of deadly cerebral hemorrhage amongst wholesome males who mixed ginkgo with ibuprofen. “It is a class of remedy that you must watch out with relating to teas and different dietary supplements you is perhaps taking, even seemingly ‘protected’ choices,” says Hultin.

4. Metformin

Metformin is likely one of the mostly prescribed blood sugar-lowering medications for folks with kind 2 diabetes. In case you’re taking it, make sure that to avoid goldenseal tea, says Azzaro. Analysis has proven that goldenseal (often known as yellow root or golden root) could lower metformin ranges within the blood by as a lot as 25%. That would make your metformin significantly much less efficient.

On the other finish of the spectrum, ginseng has been proven to lower blood sugar. So, consuming ginseng tea with metformin might result in hypoglycemia, which might even have harmful penalties.

5. Statins

Grapefruit tea is refreshing and scrumptious. Nonetheless, grapefruit can work together with a protracted record of medicines, particularly cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins. For example, analysis has discovered that grapefruit can increase blood ranges of atorvastatin. This will likely result in liver injury and probably even a severe situation referred to as rhabdomyolysis that accelerates muscle breakdown. 

That’s not all. Mixing atorvastatin with St. John’s wort–containing natural teas could have the other impact, reducing atorvastatin’s effectiveness and blunting its cholesterol-lowering motion.  

6. Cyclosporine

Cyclosporine is a medicine used after an organ transplant to forestall organ rejection. It is usually used to deal with sure autoimmune illnesses, resembling rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. In case you’re taking cyclosporine, undoubtedly discuss to your well being care supplier earlier than consuming any type of natural tea, as this remedy has harmful interactions with a number of medication, says Hultin. For example, grapefruit, chamomile and berberine could enhance cyclosporine ranges within the blood. Conversely,  St. John’s wort could block cyclosporine’s effectiveness.

7. Benzodiazepines

Some folks sip valerian tea to alleviate stress, anxiety or depression. However combining it with anti-anxiety medicines, like benzodiazepines resembling diazepam (Valium), alprazolam (Xanax) or clonazepam (Klonopin) could be dangerously sedating. So, select one or the opposite, however not each. 

Potential Dangers of Natural Tea and Medicine Interactions

“Natural teas could decrease blood stress or blood sugar, and many individuals are on medicines that even have these mechanisms,” says Hultin. “It’s necessary to run any natural product or tea by your pharmacist, physician or dietitian to verify for security first.” 

When you do, you could discover you could nonetheless take pleasure in these teas—with a number of caveats. “If an natural tea has a average interplay, it doesn’t imply don’t use, it simply means use with warning,” says Azzaro. “This implies if somebody on diabetes medicines repeatedly makes use of a tea that will decrease blood sugar, we don’t essentially have them cease utilizing the tea. Now we have them monitor their blood sugar and alter the dose of medicines as wanted,” she says

When you get the inexperienced gentle out of your well being care supplier, Azzaro recommends solely buying natural teas from trusted sources. Whereas the web vendor promoting them at a reduction could appear enticing, there’s no assure precisely what’s of their tea.

Our Knowledgeable Take

Natural teas could provide a refreshing solution to chill out and unwind. However they aren’t a one-sip-fits-all type of beverage. Many natural teas can have dangerous interactions with lots of medications, particularly antidepressants, omeprazole, blood thinners, metformin, statins, cyclosporine and benzodiazepines. These medication could not safely combine with natural teas containing St. John’s wort, ginkgo biloba, grapefruit, valerian, ginseng and others. “Though natural teas are pure, that doesn’t imply they’re protected or applicable for everybody,” says Azzaro. “Many herbs comprise bioactive substances that may work together with medicines, so it’s all the time greatest to verify along with your physician whether or not a selected natural tea is best for you or not.”