Drug & supplement interaction

Algal Oil + Timolol

Timolol brand names: Blocadren, Timol, Timoptic.

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

Algal Oil has a moderate interaction with Timolol. Theoretically, taking algal oil with antihypertensive drugs might increase the risk of hypotension.

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

Algal Oil and Timolol

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

Moderate

ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS

Why this applies to Timolol

Timolol falls under ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS — the group Algal Oil interacts with.

Theoretically, taking algal oil with antihypertensive drugs might increase the risk of hypotension.
Algal oil usually contains docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and/or eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). There is evidence that fish oil, which also contains DHA and EPA, can modestly lower blood pressure and might have additive effects in patients treated with antihypertensive drugs.
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 gist: timolol is a beta blocker that already lowers your blood pressure and slows your heart rate. The omega-3 fats in algal oil (DHA and EPA) can nudge blood pressure down a little on their own, so taking both together might add up and push your numbers lower than expected.

I want to be honest about how solid this is. This is a theoretical concern based on how these things work, not something proven to cause problems in real patients. If it did happen, you might notice signs of low blood pressure like feeling dizzy, lightheaded, or unusually tired, especially when standing up quickly. Most people tolerate this combo just fine. Still, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor before adding algal oil, and keep an eye on your blood pressure readings at home.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Prisco D, Paniccia R, Bandinelli B, et al. Effect of medium-term supplementation with a moderate dose of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on blood pressure in mild hypertensive patients. Thromb Res 1998;1:105-12.
  2. Toft I, Bonaa KH, Ingebretsen OC, et al. Effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on glucose homeostasis and blood pressure in essential hypertension. A randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med 1995;123:911-8.
  3. Sacks FM, Hebert P, Appel LJ, et al. Short report: the effect of fish oil on blood pressure and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels in phase I of the trials of hypertension prevention. J Hypertens 1994;12:209-13.
  4. Vandongen R, Mori TA, Burke V, et al. Effects on blood pressure of omega 3 fats in subjects at increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Hypertension 1993;22:371-9. PubMed
  5. Mori, T. A., Bao, D. Q., Burke, V., Puddey, I. B., and Beilin, L. J. Docosahexaenoic acid but not eicosapentaenoic acid lowers ambulatory blood pressure and heart rate in humans. Hypertension 1999;34(2):253-260. PubMed
  6. Nestel, P., Shige, H., Pomeroy, S., Cehun, M., Abbey, M., and Raederstorff, D. The n-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid increase systemic arterial compliance in humans. Am.J.Clin.Nutr. 2002;76(2):326-330. PubMed
  7. 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
  8. Theobald, H. E., Goodall, A. H., Sattar, N., Talbot, D. C., Chowienczyk, P. J., and Sanders, T. A. Low-dose docosahexaenoic acid lowers diastolic blood pressure in middle-aged men and women. J Nutr 2007;137(4):973-978.

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 257 moderate, 117 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Timolol one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 257 Minor 117 No known interaction 2,456 (incl. Timolol)
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 Timolol

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 Timolol, 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 Timolol

This page covers Algal Oil only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Timolol page lists 183 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), American Mistletoe (major), Indian Snakeroot (major) and Tyramine (major).

By severity: 5 major · 151 moderate · 27 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Timolol page

“The supplement list for timolol (Blocadren, Timoptic) calls for genuine care, starting with its five major-rated entries. Timolol is a beta-blocker that slows the heart and lowers blood pressure, and even the eye-drop form absorbs enough to matter.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Timolol 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 Timolol 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 Timolol 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 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Timolol
Steady interest

#1,639 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 Timolol

What Is Timolol Used For?

Brand names: Blocadren, Timol, Timoptic

Timolol is available in ophthalmic (eye) forms and as an oral tablet, and each form has its own approved uses. Ophthalmic formulations — including Betimol, Istalol, Timolol GFS, Timolol hemihydrate, Timolol Maleate eye drops, and Timolol Maleate Ophthalmic Gel Forming Solution — are used to lower elevated intraocular pressure (pressure inside the eye) in people with ocular hypertension or open-angle glaucoma.

Timolol Maleate tablets are used orally for three separate conditions: treating high blood pressure (alone or combined with other blood pressure medicines), reducing the risk of death and repeat heart attack in people who have survived a heart attack and are clinically stable, and preventing migraine headaches.

See full Timolol 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
257Moderate
117Minor
2,455No known interaction
257 Moderate 117 Minor 2,455 No interaction
Moderate

257 interactions

Showing 60 of 257 moderate interactions — see all 257 on the Algal Oil page.

Minor

117 interactions

Showing 60 of 117 minor interactions — see all 117 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 Timolol, 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 Timolol supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Timolol, ranked by severity Timolol 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 Timolol Together: Common Questions

Can you take Algal Oil with Timolol?
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 Algal Oil and Timolol 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

Still Have a Question About Timolol 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.