Drug & supplement interaction

Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) + Azithromycin

Azithromycin brand names: Zithromax, Zmax, Azasite.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) and Azithromycin in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first.

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Interaction report

Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) and Azithromycin

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Azithromycin and Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) at all — not against Azithromycin, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) safety at a glance

Alpha-linolenic Ac... overall Generally safe ALA from food is considered safe for most people, and supplements are usually well tolerated.
Pregnancy Likely Safe When used orally in amounts typically found in foods. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of alpha-linolenic acid during pregn... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Likely Safe When used orally in amounts typically found in foods. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of alpha-linolenic acid during pregn... Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Azithromycin and Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala)? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

What Azithromycin’s Own FDA Label Lists

This is not an interaction — none of it involves Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala). These are the most notable effects listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Azithromycin’s own FDA label, for the medication by itself. Knowing the drug’s own list makes it easier to work out the likely cause if something new turns up while you take both. 10 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Hearing loss Worth acting on
  • Pancreatitis Worth acting on
  • Yellowing of the skin or eyes Worth acting on
  • Fainting Worth acting on
  • An irregular heartbeat Worth acting on
  • A severe skin reaction Worth acting on
  • Seizures Worth acting on
  • Chest pain Worth acting on
  • A low platelet count Worth acting on
  • Kidney problems Worth acting on

Showing the 10 most notable of 45 label-listed effects — ranked by how unusual each one is across medicines generally, with serious effects weighted up.

From the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Azithromycin. Read the label on DailyMed › Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 59,712 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Azithromycin that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala)’s licensed record lists no adverse effects our clinical vocabulary could match, so there is no Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) side to compare — that is a limit of the record, not a statement that Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) has no side effects.

Special populations

Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Likely Safe

When used orally in amounts typically found in foods. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of alpha-linolenic acid during pregnancy and lactation when used in larger, medicinal amounts; avoid using.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

Overlapping uses

What Azithromycin Is Prescribed For, and What Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Azithromycin is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) has been studied for:

  • Pneumonia studied, not established Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) for pneumonia

    It is unclear if dietary alpha-linolenic acid reduces the risk for pneumonia.

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Azithromycin on your own; if you are taking Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) or Azithromycin

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) or Azithromycin, 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 Azithromycin

This page covers Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Azithromycin page lists 92 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major), Cesium (major) and Ephedra (major).

By severity: 8 major · 71 moderate · 13 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Azithromycin page

“A five-day Z-Pak for a sinus or chest infection seems too brief to fuss over, but azithromycin (Zithromax, Zmax) deserves genuine caution around supplements, and the eight major-rated entries on this list are the ones to understand first. Most of those involve the heart.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Azithromycin interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) and Azithromycin 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 Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala)
Steady interest

#1,397 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Azithromycin
Top 5%

#58 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.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) and Azithromycin records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala)

What is Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala)?

  • Heart health
  • Source of omega-3 fats
  • General wellness
  • Inflammation
  • Plant-based omega-3 alternative to fish oil

Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is an essential plant-based omega-3 fatty acid your body cannot make, so you must get it from food. It is found in flaxseed, walnuts, and certain vegetable oils, and most people benefit from including these foods as part of a balanced diet. ALA is generally safe from food, but talk to a pharmacist or doctor before taking high-dose supplements.

Seeds, nuts, and vegetable oils (dietary source) · Flaxseed oil, capsules, softgels, flaxseed, walnuts, canola and soybean oils

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) record says about it on its own.

Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala): dosing

There is no single official supplement dose of ALA for treating health conditions.

From our Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Azithromycin

What Is Azithromycin Used For?

Brand names: Zithromax, Zmax, Azasite

  • Azithromycin is used to treat certain bacterial infections, such as bronchitis; pneumonia; sexually transmitted diseases (STD); and infections of the ears, lungs, sinuses, skin, throat, and reproductive organs. Azithromycin also is used to treat or prevent disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection [a type of lung infection that often affects people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)]. Azithromycin is in a class of medications called macrolide antibiotics. It works by stopping the growth of bacteria.

  • Antibiotics such as azithromycin will not work for colds, flu, or other viral infections. Using antibiotics when they are not needed increases your risk of getting an infection later that resists antibiotic treatment.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Azithromycin

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (59,712 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Dyspnea 4,651 reports
Nausea 3,461 reports
Pneumonia 3,225 reports
Cough 3,120 reports
Drug hypersensitivity 2,991 reports
See full Azithromycin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala)

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
2,829 No interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) list.

See the full Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) interactions page
See every supplement checked against Azithromycin, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) References

The 12 references that drive our Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Kolonel LN, Nomura AM, Cooney RV. Dietary fat and prostate cancer: current status. J Natl Cancer Inst 1999;91:414-28. PubMed
  2. Ramon JM, Bou R, Romea S, et al. Dietary fat intake and prostate cancer risk: a case-control study in Spain. Cancer Causes Control 2000;11:679-85. PubMed
  3. Crawford M, Galli C, Visioli F, et al. Role of Plant-Derived Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Human Nutrition. Ann Nutr Metab 2000;44:263-5. PubMed
  4. Connor WE. Alpha-linolenic acid in health and disease. Am J Clin Nutr 1999;69:827-8. PubMed
  5. Gibson RA, Makrides M. n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid requirements of term infants. Am J Clin Nutr 2000;71:251S-5S. PubMed
  6. De Stefani E, Deneo-Pellegrini H, Boffetta P, et al. Alpha-linolenic acid and risk of prostate cancer: a case-control study in Uruguay. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2000;9:335-8.
  7. Giovannucci E, Rimm EB, Colditz GA, et al. A prospective study of dietary fat and risk of prostate cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 1993;85:1571-9. PubMed
  8. Laaksonen DE, Laukkanen JA, Niskanen L, et al. Serum linoleic and total polyunsaturated fatty acids in relation to prostate and other cancers: a population-based cohort study. Int J Cancer 2004;111:444-50.. PubMed
  9. Leitzmann MF, Stampfer MJ, Michaud DS, et al. Dietary intake of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids and the risk of prostate cancer. Am J Clin Nutr 2004;80:204-16. PubMed
  10. Brouwer IA, Katan MB, Zock PL. Dietary alpha-linolenic acid is associated with reduced risk of fatal coronary heart disease, but increased prostate cancer risk: a meta-analysis. J Nutr 2004;134:919-22.
  11. Chavarro JE, Stampfer MJ, Li H, et al. A prospective study of polyunsaturated fatty acid levels in blood and prostate cancer risk. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2007;16:1364-70. PubMed
  12. Brouwer IA, Geleijnse JM, Klaasen VM, Smit LA, Giltay EJ, de Goede J, Heijboer AC, Kromhout D, Katan MB. Effect of alpha linolenic acid supplementation on serum prostate specific antigen (PSA): results from the alpha omega trial. PLoS One. 2013 Dec 11;8(1 PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) and Azithromycin Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) with Azithromycin?
We do not list a known interaction between Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) and Azithromycin. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Are Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) and Azithromycin used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Azithromycin is being adjusted to a target.
Does Azithromycin interact with any supplements?
Yes. Azithromycin has documented interactions with 92 supplements in our database — Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) is not one of them. The Azithromycin interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Where next

Keep Exploring

Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala) monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Azithromycin drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Azithromycin supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Azithromycin, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 12 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Azithromycin and Alpha-linolenic Acid (ala)?

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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.