Drug & supplement interaction

Atkins Diet + 6-Mercaptopurine

6-Mercaptopurine brand name: Purinethol.

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 Atkins Diet and 6-Mercaptopurine 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

Atkins Diet and 6-Mercaptopurine

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 6-Mercaptopurine and Atkins Diet in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — research on Atkins Diet alongside specific medications may be limited.

Atkins Diet is an eating pattern rather than something you take. Ask your pharmacist or doctor before changing how you eat while on a prescribed medicine: some medicines are dosed around meals, and a change in diet can change how they work. 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.

Atkins Diet safety at a glance

Atkins Diet overall Use caution Generally safe for healthy adults short-term, but restrictive and not right for everyone.
Pregnancy Avoid Very low-carb diets are not recommended during pregnancy without medical supervision.
Breastfeeding Use caution Strict carb restriction may not provide enough energy or nutrients while nursing; check with your doctor.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining 6-Mercaptopurine and Atkins Diet? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for 6-Mercaptopurine

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. 6-Mercaptopurine is filed under 3 classifications — immunosuppressants, hepatotoxic drugs, oral drugs. Atkins Diet has documented interactions with 1 drug class — the most serious being antidiabetes drugs (minor) — and none of 6-Mercaptopurine’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Atkins Diet Does Interact With Other Medications

Atkins Diet has 86 minor known drug interactions in our database — 6-Mercaptopurine isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Minor 86 No known interaction 2,744 (incl. 6-Mercaptopurine)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Atkins Diet

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

What to actually watch for

What 6-Mercaptopurine’s Own FDA Label Lists

This is not an interaction — none of it involves Atkins Diet. These are the most notable effects listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of 6-Mercaptopurine’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 follow Atkins Diet and take the medicine. 9 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Low blood sugar Worth acting on
  • A low white blood cell count Worth acting on mentioned in 11.0% of FDA reports for 6-Mercaptopurine
  • Pancreatitis Worth acting on
  • A low platelet count Worth acting on
  • Anemia Worth acting on
  • Raised blood pressure Worth acting on
  • Hives Worth acting on
  • Liver problems Worth acting on
  • A higher chance of infection Worth acting on
  • Fever mentioned in 17.9% of FDA reports for 6-Mercaptopurine

Showing the 10 most notable of 18 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 6-Mercaptopurine. Read the label on DailyMed › Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 17,242 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for 6-Mercaptopurine that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Atkins Diet’s licensed record lists no adverse effects our clinical vocabulary could match, so there is no Atkins Diet side to compare — that is a limit of the record, not a statement that Atkins Diet has no side effects.

From our Q&A

Questions About Atkins Diet or 6-Mercaptopurine

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Atkins Diet or 6-Mercaptopurine, 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 6-Mercaptopurine

This page covers Atkins Diet only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the 6-Mercaptopurine page lists 106 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Wine (major) and Active Hexose Correlated Compound (ahcc) (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 92 moderate · 10 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the 6-Mercaptopurine page

“6-Mercaptopurine (Purinethol) works by dialing down your immune system, whether for leukemia or inflammatory bowel disease, and that makes this a list to check with real care. The four major-rated entries come first.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the 6-Mercaptopurine interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Atkins Diet and 6-Mercaptopurine 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 Atkins Diet
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication 6-Mercaptopurine
Steady interest

#1,424 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 Atkins Diet reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Atkins Diet and 6-Mercaptopurine records this page draws on were last updated July 11, 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 .
Eating pattern

About Atkins Diet

What is Atkins Diet?

  • Weight loss
  • Blood sugar control
  • Reducing carbohydrate intake
  • Improving certain cholesterol markers
  • Appetite control

The Atkins Diet is a low-carbohydrate eating plan that can help some people lose weight and improve blood sugar in the short term. Long-term results often match other diets, and the plan is restrictive and may not suit everyone. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before starting, especially if you have diabetes, kidney, or heart concerns.

Not applicable (this is a diet, not an herb) · A low-carbohydrate, higher-protein and higher-fat eating plan with structured phases

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Atkins Diet is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Atkins Diet record says about it on its own.

Atkins Diet: dosing

There is no pill or standardized "dose" for the Atkins Diet. Instead, it follows structured phases that start with strict carbohydrate limits and gradually allow more carbs as you reach your goals.The right carbohydrate target varies from person to person. It is best to follow the official program guidance and, ideally, work with a doctor, pharmacist, or registered dietitian to make sure the plan fits your health needs. Drinking enough water and getting enough fiber can help reduce side effects.

From our Atkins Diet monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Atkins Diet monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Mercaptopurine

What Is Mercaptopurine Used For?

Brand name: Purinethol

Mercaptopurine — available as a tablet and as an oral suspension — is used to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a type of blood cancer. It is given as part of a combination chemotherapy maintenance regimen, meaning it works alongside other cancer medicines to keep leukemia in remission.

Both the tablet form and the oral suspension form carry this indication for adult and pediatric patients. The oral suspension is particularly useful for patients who cannot swallow tablets.

See full Mercaptopurine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Atkins Diet

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

0Major
0Moderate
86Minor
2,743No known interaction
86 Minor 2,743 No interaction
Minor

86 interactions

Showing 60 of 86 minor interactions — see all 86 on the Atkins Diet page.

No interaction 2,743 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,743 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Atkins Diet list.

See the full Atkins Diet interactions page
See every supplement checked against 6-Mercaptopurine, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Atkins Diet References

The 1 references that drive our Atkins Diet 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. Kirkpatrick CF, Bolick JP, Kris-Etherton PM, et al. Review of current evidence and clinical recommendations on the effects of low-carbohydrate and very-low-carbohydrate (including ketogenic) diets for the management of body weight and other cardiometaboli

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

Following Atkins Diet While Taking 6-Mercaptopurine: Common Questions

Is it safe to follow Atkins Diet while taking 6-Mercaptopurine?
We do not list a known interaction between Atkins Diet and 6-Mercaptopurine. 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.
How was the Atkins Diet and 6-Mercaptopurine combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. 6-Mercaptopurine is filed under 3 classifications, and Atkins Diet has documented interactions with 1 drug class — none of 6-Mercaptopurine's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Atkins Diet interact with any other medications?
Yes. Atkins Diet has 86 documented drug interactions in our database — 6-Mercaptopurine is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does 6-Mercaptopurine interact with any supplements?
Yes. 6-Mercaptopurine has documented interactions with 106 supplements in our database — Atkins Diet is not one of them. The 6-Mercaptopurine 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

Atkins Diet monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Mercaptopurine drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication 6-Mercaptopurine supplement interactions Every supplement checked against 6-Mercaptopurine, 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 1 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About 6-Mercaptopurine and Atkins Diet?

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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.