Drug & supplement interaction

1,4-dmaa + Acetaminophen, Dextromethorphan, Pseudoephedrine

Acetaminophen, Dextromethorphan, Pseudoephedrine brand names: Alka-Seltzer PLUS Flu Liquid Gels, Tylenol Flu Daytime Ex Strength, Non Aspirin Cold Caps, Tylenol Cold, Tylenol Flu Ex Strength.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

1,4-dmaa has a moderate interaction with Acetaminophen, Dextromethorphan, Pseudoephedrine. 1,4-DMAA is thought to have stimulant and vasoconstrictive effects, which have been demonstrated in animal studies.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

1,4-dmaa and Acetaminophen, Dextromethorphan, Pseudoephedrine

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

STIMULANT DRUGS

Why this applies to Acetaminophen, Dextromethorphan, Pseudoephedrine

Acetaminophen, Dextromethorphan, Pseudoephedrine falls under STIMULANT DRUGS — the group 1,4-dmaa interacts with.

1,4-DMAA is thought to have stimulant and vasoconstrictive effects, which have been demonstrated in animal studies. Theoretically, taking 1,4-DMAA with stimulant drugs might increase the risk of adverse cardiovascular effects. Some stimulant drugs include amphetamine, caffeine, diethylpropion (Tenuate), methylphenidate, phentermine (Ionamin), pseudoephedrine (Sudafed, others), and many others.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the thing to focus on in this combo cold and flu product: the pseudoephedrine piece. Pseudoephedrine is itself a decongestant that mildly bumps up heart rate and blood pressure by tightening blood vessels. 1,4-DMAA works in a very similar adrenaline-like way. Stack the two together and those effects can add up, which is why pairing them could raise your risk of a racing or pounding heart, jitteriness, headache, and higher blood pressure.

I'll be honest, this concern comes from how these stimulants behave (and from animal data), not from solid human studies, so it's more theoretical than proven. That said, I'd steer clear of 1,4-DMAA entirely since the FDA considers it unsafe. Please check with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them.

References
  1. Cohen PA, Travis JC, Keizers PHJ, Deuster P, Venhuis BJ. Four experimental stimulants found in sports and weight loss supplements: 2-amino-6-methylheptane (octodrine), 1,4-dimethylamylamine (1,4-DMAA), 1,3-dimethylamylamine (1,3-DMAA) and 1,3-dimethylbuty

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

1,4-dmaa Also Interacts With Other Medications

1,4-dmaa has 171 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Acetaminophen, Dextromethorphan, Pseudoephedrine one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against 1,4-dmaa

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against 1,4-dmaa. Pick one to open its full report.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Acetaminophen, Dextromethorphan, Pseudoephedrine

This page covers 1,4-dmaa only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Acetaminophen, Dextromethorphan, Pseudoephedrine page lists 262 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major), Ephedra (major) and Grapefruit (major).

By severity: 12 major · 207 moderate · 43 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Acetaminophen, Dextromethorphan, Pseudoephedrine page

“Ephedra is the ingredient to notice first here. Pseudoephedrine, the decongestant in Tylenol Flu, Alka-Seltzer PLUS Flu, and other acetaminophen, dextromethorphan, and pseudoephedrine combinations, is itself a stimulant, and 44 entries push the same direction, raising the odds of high blood pressure and a racing heart.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Acetaminophen, Dextromethorphan, Pseudoephedrine interaction page

How much people look this up

Where 1,4-dmaa and Acetaminophen, Dextromethorphan, Pseudoephedrine Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement 1,4-dmaa
Steady interest

#771 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Acetaminophen, Dextromethorphan, Pseudoephedrine
Top 25%

#371 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About 1,4-dmaa

What is 1,4-dmaa?

  • Energy and stimulation
  • Weight loss
  • Athletic performance
  • Focus and concentration

1,4-DMAA is a synthetic stimulant that the U.S. FDA has determined is not a legal dietary ingredient and considers unsafe in supplements. It has been linked to serious heart and blood pressure problems, and we recommend avoiding it entirely.

Read the full 1,4-dmaa monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & 1,4-dmaa

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against 1,4-dmaa — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
171Moderate
0Minor
2,658No known interaction
Moderate

171 interactions

Showing 60 of 171 moderate interactions — see all 171 on the 1,4-dmaa page.

No interaction 2,658 drugs checked — show the list
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking 1,4-dmaa and Acetaminophen, Dextromethorphan, Pseudoephedrine Together: Common Questions

Can you take 1,4-dmaa with Acetaminophen, Dextromethorphan, Pseudoephedrine?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the 1,4-dmaa and Acetaminophen, Dextromethorphan, Pseudoephedrine interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.