Drug & supplement interaction

Algal Oil + Naproxen

Naproxen brand names: Naprosyn, Naprelan, Anaprox, Anaprox DS, Naproxyn, and others.

Minor Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Minor

Algal Oil has a minor interaction with Naproxen. Theoretically, algal oil may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.

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

Algal Oil and Naproxen

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

Minor

ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS

Why this applies to Naproxen

Naproxen falls under ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS — the group Algal Oil interacts with.

Theoretically, algal oil may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
The risk of interaction is highest for algal oil containing high amounts (> 2 grams daily) of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), or EPA and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). High doses of EPA or oils containing EPA and DHA can reduce platelet aggregation in humans. However, most algal oil contains very little EPA and larger amounts of DHA. While some conflicting evidence exist, most research shows that DHA alone does not affect blood clotting.
Severity Minor Likelihood Unlikely Evidence D

Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans..

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

Here's the simple version: naproxen is an NSAID, and like other pain relievers in its family it can make your blood a little slower to clot and can irritate the stomach. Algal oil, with its omega-3 fats, may also gently nudge your platelets (the cells that help form clots) toward sticking together less. Stack the two and there's a theoretical chance of slightly easier bruising or bleeding.

The good news: this is a minor, unlikely concern. Most algal oil is mostly DHA, which research suggests doesn't really affect clotting. The bleeding worry mainly comes up with high EPA doses (over about 2 grams daily). For everyday use, this combo is usually fine, but if you notice unusual bruising, nosebleeds, or dark stools, check in with your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Leaf A. On the reanalysis of the GISSI-Prevenzione. Circulation 2002;105:1874-5. PubMed
  2. Connor WE. n-3 Fatty acids from fish and fish oil: panacea or nostrum? Am J Clin Nutr 2001;74;415-6. PubMed
  3. Calder PC. N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, inflammation and immunity: pouring oil on troubled waters or another fishy tale? Nutr Res 2001;21:309-41. DOI
  4. Terano T, Hirai A, Hamazaki T, et al. Effect of oral administration of highly purified eicosapentaenoic acid on platelet function, blood viscosity and red cell deformability in healthy human subjects. Atherosclerosis 1983;46:321-31.. PubMed
  5. Leng GC, Smith FB, Fowkes FG, et al. Relationship between plasma essential fatty acids and smoking, serum lipids, blood pressure and haemostatic and rheological factors. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 1994;51:101-8. PubMed
  6. Nelson GJ, Schmidt PS, Bartolini GL, et al. The effect of dietary docosahexaenoic acid on platelet function, platelet fatty acid composition, and blood coagulation in humans. Lipids 1997;32:1129-36. PubMed
  7. Svaneborg N, Kristensen SD, Hansen LM, et al. The acute and short-time effect of supplementation with the combination of n-3 fatty acids and acetylsalicylic acid on platelet function and plasma lipids. Thromb Res 2002;105:311-6. PubMed
  8. von Houwelingen R, Nordøy A, van der Beek E, et al. Effect of a moderate fish intake on blood pressure, bleeding time, hematology, and clinical chemistry in healthy males. Am J Clin Nutr. 1987 Sep;46(3):424-36. PubMed
  9. Goodnight SH Jr, Harris WS, Connor WE. The effects of dietary omega 3 fatty acids on platelet composition and function in man: a prospective, controlled study. Blood. 1981 Nov;58(5):880-5. DOI
  10. Woodman, R. J., Mori, T. A., Burke, V., Puddey, I. B., Barden, A., Watts, G. F., and Beilin, L. J. Effects of purified eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid on platelet, fibrinolytic and vascular function in hypertensive type 2 diabetic patients PubMed
  11. Zucker, M. L., Bilyeu, D. S., Helmkamp, G. M., Harris, W. S., and Dujovne, C. A. Effects of dietary fish oil on platelet function and plasma lipids in hyperlipoproteinemic and normal subjects. Atherosclerosis 1988;73(1):13-22. PubMed

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

Algal Oil Also Interacts With Other Medications

Algal Oil has 258 moderate, 116 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Naproxen one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 258 Minor 116 No known interaction 2,456 (incl. Naproxen)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Algal Oil

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Algal Oil. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About Algal Oil or Naproxen

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Algal Oil or Naproxen, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Naproxen

This page covers Algal Oil only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Naproxen page lists 311 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), Danshen (major) and Piracetam (major).

By severity: 7 major · 260 moderate · 44 minor.

Open the Naproxen interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Algal Oil as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 188 real supplement products containing Algal Oil, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Algal Oil. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Naproxen too, on top of Algal Oil — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Algal Oil and Naproxen 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 Algal Oil
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Naproxen
Top 5%

#35 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 Algal Oil

What is Algal Oil?

Algal Oil
  • Vegan/vegetarian source of omega-3s (DHA and EPA)
  • Heart and triglyceride health
  • Brain and eye support
  • Pregnancy and infant nutrition
  • General anti-inflammatory support

Algal oil is a plant-based source of the omega-3 fats DHA and (in some products) EPA, making it a popular alternative to fish oil for vegetarians, vegans, and people who dislike fish. There is reasonable evidence that omega-3s can lower triglycerides and support heart and brain health, though more research is needed for many specific uses. It is generally well tolerated, but check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, especially if you take blood thinners or are pregnant.

Read the full Algal Oil monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Naproxen

What Is Naproxen Used For?

Brand names: Naprosyn, Naprelan, Anaprox, Anaprox DS, Naproxyn, Navalbine, Naproxen, Naprosyn EC, Napro-Na, Aleve, Arthroxen, Synflex, EC-Naprosyn

Naproxen tablets, naproxen sodium tablets, and naproxen oral suspension are used to relieve the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis. They are also used for tendonitis, bursitis, and acute gout, and for managing pain and primary dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps).

Naproxen Sodium Controlled-Release Tablets are indicated for the same conditions plus the relief of mild to moderate pain. Several over-the-counter naproxen sodium products are indicated for the temporary relief of minor aches and pains from headache, backache, muscular aches, toothache, menstrual cramps, minor arthritis pain, and the common cold, and to temporarily reduce fever.

See full Naproxen drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Algal Oil

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Algal Oil — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
258Moderate
116Minor
2,455No known interaction
258 Moderate 116 Minor 2,455 No interaction
Moderate

258 interactions

Showing 60 of 258 moderate interactions — see all 258 on the Algal Oil page.

Minor

116 interactions

Showing 60 of 116 minor interactions — see all 116 on the Algal Oil page.

No interaction 2,455 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Algal Oil against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,455 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Algal Oil list.

See the full Algal Oil interactions page
See every supplement checked against Naproxen, ranked by severity
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

Keep exploring
Algal Oil monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Naproxen supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Naproxen, ranked by severity Naproxen drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Algal Oil and Naproxen Together: Common Questions

Can you take Algal Oil with Naproxen?
There is only a minor interaction, which is usually not serious. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Algal Oil and Naproxen interaction?
We rate it Minor. This interaction is generally not clinically significant, but it remains worth noting and discussing with your pharmacist.

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

Still Have a Question About Naproxen and Algal Oil?

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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.