Drug & supplement interaction

Ascophyllum Nodosum + Menotropins

Menotropins brand names: Repronex, Menopur.

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

Ascophyllum Nodosum has a moderate interaction with Menotropins. Due to its iodine content, Ascophyllum nodosum might alter the effects of thyroid hormone.

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

Ascophyllum Nodosum and Menotropins

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

Moderate

THYROID HORMONE

Why this applies to Menotropins

Menotropins falls under THYROID HORMONE — the group Ascophyllum Nodosum interacts with.

Due to its iodine content, Ascophyllum nodosum might alter the effects of thyroid hormone.
Ascophyllum nodosum contains iodine, although the bioavailability of iodine from Ascophyllum nodosum is lower than that of potassium iodide. Iodine in high doses has been reported to cause both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, depending on the individual's past medical history. Taking Ascophyllum nodosum while using thyroid hormone could alter the effects of thyroid hormone.
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 an honest heads-up: the interaction on file was built around thyroid hormone medicines, and Menotropins (Repronex, Menopur) isn't actually one of those. Menotropins is an injectable fertility hormone made of FSH and LH that's used to stimulate the ovaries or support sperm production. It works directly on your reproductive system, not through your thyroid, so the iodine in Ascophyllum nodosum doesn't have a clear, direct way to change how Menotropins works.

That said, this seaweed packs a real iodine punch, and concentrated supplement doses can nudge thyroid levels up or down in sensitive people. Since healthy thyroid function matters for fertility, I'd still mention any seaweed supplement to the doctor running your treatment cycle. This is theoretical, so don't panic, just loop in your prescriber.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Sterling JB, Heymann WR. Potassium iodide in dermatology: a 19th century drug for the 21st century-uses, pharmacology, adverse effects, and contraindications. J Am Acad Dermatol 2000;43:691-7. PubMed
  2. Combet E, Ma ZF, Cousins F, et al. Low-level seaweed supplementation improves iodine status in iodine-insufficient women. Br J Nutr 2014;112:753-61. PubMed
  3. Simmons-Boyce JL, Purcell SL, Nelson CM, MacKinnon SL. Dietary Ascophyllum nodosum increases urinary excretion of tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates in male Sprague-dawley rats. J Nutr 2009;139:1487-94. PubMed
  4. Sorge US, Henriksen M, Bastan A, et al. Short communication: Iodine concentrations in serum, milk, and tears after feeding Ascophyllum nodosum to dairy cows-A pilot study. J Dairy Sci 2016;99:8472-6. 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

Ascophyllum Nodosum Also Interacts With Other Medications

Ascophyllum Nodosum has 21 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Menotropins one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 21 No known interaction 2,809 (incl. Menotropins)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Ascophyllum Nodosum

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Menotropins

This page covers Ascophyllum Nodosum only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Menotropins page lists 21 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Tiratricol (major), Acetyl-l-carnitine (moderate), Alpha-lipoic Acid (moderate), Ashwagandha (moderate) and Bugleweed (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 19 moderate · 1 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Menotropins page

“If you are using menotropins (Menopur, Repronex) for fertility treatment, I would hold off on every one of the 21 supplements on this page until your prescriber weighs in. All of them touch thyroid hormone activity in one direction or the other, and steady thyroid function matters when you are trying to get a cycle to succeed.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Menotropins interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Ascophyllum Nodosum as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 360 real supplement products containing Ascophyllum Nodosum, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Ascophyllum Nodosum. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Menotropins too, on top of Ascophyllum Nodosum — 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 Ascophyllum Nodosum and Menotropins 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 Ascophyllum Nodosum
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Menotropins
Top half

#1,142 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 Ascophyllum Nodosum

What is Ascophyllum Nodosum?

Ascophyllum Nodosum
  • Weight management
  • Blood sugar support
  • Thyroid support (iodine source)
  • Digestive health
  • Source of vitamins and minerals
  • Joint comfort

Ascophyllum nodosum (often sold as bladderwrack or brown seaweed) is a nutrient-rich algae that people use for weight, blood sugar, and thyroid support, but solid human evidence is limited for most of these uses. Because it naturally contains iodine and can absorb heavy metals like arsenic, it should be used cautiously, and pregnant or breastfeeding people should avoid it unless a doctor approves.

Read the full Ascophyllum Nodosum monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Ascophyllum Nodosum

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

0Major
21Moderate
0Minor
2,808No known interaction
21 Moderate 2,808 No interaction
Moderate

21 interactions

No interaction 2,808 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,808 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Ascophyllum Nodosum list.

See the full Ascophyllum Nodosum interactions page
See every supplement checked against Menotropins, 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
Ascophyllum Nodosum monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Menotropins supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Menotropins, 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 Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Ascophyllum Nodosum and Menotropins Together: Common Questions

Can you take Ascophyllum Nodosum with Menotropins?
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 Ascophyllum Nodosum and Menotropins 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 Menotropins and Ascophyllum Nodosum?

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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.