Banana + Levodopa, Carbidopa
Levodopa, Carbidopa brand name: Duodopa.
Banana has a moderate interaction with Levodopa, Carbidopa. Taking banana may reduce the effectiveness of levodopa.
Read the full interaction reportBanana and Levodopa, Carbidopa
Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.
LEVODOPA
A case report describes apparent wearing off in a patient with Parkinson disease after eating a banana every day. The wearing off subsided after removing dietary bananas.
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.
Here's the situation with bananas and your Sinemet-type medicine (levodopa/carbidopa). Levodopa is what's called a prodrug, meaning your body converts it into dopamine, the chemical your brain is missing in Parkinson's. To work well, levodopa needs to be absorbed properly from your gut. The concern on file is that eating bananas regularly might lower how well your medicine works, so you could notice your symptoms creeping back, things like more tremor, stiffness, or slower movement, before your next dose is due (often called "wearing off").
I want to be honest about the evidence here: this comes from a single case report, not a real study, so it's pretty weak. One banana with a meal is unlikely to cause trouble for most people. If you eat bananas daily and feel your doses aren't lasting, mention it to your pharmacist or neurologist before changing anything.
- Hotozuka S, Yasu T, Hikita E, Shirota M. Interaction Between Levodopa and Banana in a Patient With Parkinson's Disease. Am J Ther 2022;29(4):465-467. PubMed
What These Ratings Mean
Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.
Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.
Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.
Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.
- 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.
- 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.
Banana Also Interacts With Other Medications
Banana has 4 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Levodopa, Carbidopa one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.
Check Another of Your Medications Against Banana
We haven’t checked that one against Banana yet — ask our pharmacists directly.
Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Banana. Pick one to open its full report.
See Every Supplement That Interacts With Levodopa, Carbidopa
This page covers Banana only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Levodopa, Carbidopa page lists 26 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.
The most serious there right now: Branched-chain Amino Acids (bcaa) (major), Cowhage (major), Indian Snakeroot (major), Magnesium (major) and Phenylalanine (major).
By severity: 7 major · 17 moderate · 2 minor.
From our pharmacist’s overview on the Levodopa, Carbidopa page
“Cowhage is the first thing to know here. It naturally contains levodopa, sometimes 75 to 400 mg per dose, so stacking it on Levodopa, Carbidopa (Duodopa) risks levodopa excess.”
Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026
Taking Banana as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions
We hold 985 real supplement products containing Banana, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Banana. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Levodopa, Carbidopa too, on top of Banana — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:
Where Banana and Levodopa, Carbidopa 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.
#271 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days
#425 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days
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.
About Banana
What is Banana?
- Source of potassium and energy
- Digestive health and diarrhea
- Blood pressure support
- Heartburn and stomach ulcers (traditional)
- Weight management
Bananas are a nutritious, widely eaten fruit that provide potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, and quick energy, and they are part of a healthy diet. While some traditional uses (like easing diarrhea or supporting blood pressure) have plausible support, most specific health claims are not strongly proven. For most people bananas are a safe food, but those with kidney problems or a latex-fruit allergy should be cautious.
Other Drugs & Banana
Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Banana — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.
No drugs match “”.
4 interactions
No interaction 2,825 drugs checked — show the list
We also checked Banana against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.
- Apixaban ›
- Levothyroxine ›
- Amlodipine ›
- Methylphenidate ›
- Warfarin ›
- Sertraline ›
- Testosterone ›
- Losartan Potassium ›
- Metoprolol ›
- Aspirin ›
- Ivermectin ›
- Rivaroxaban ›
- Rosuvastatin ›
- Escitalopram ›
- Tadalafil ›
- Acetaminophen ›
- Clopidogrel ›
- Atorvastatin ›
- Valacyclovir ›
- Docusate ›
- Hydroxyurea ›
- Abemaciclib ›
- Ibuprofen ›
- Methamphetamine ›
- Semaglutide ›
- Sumatriptan ›
- Tirzepatide ›
- Warfarin Sodium ›
- Prednisone ›
- Propranolol ›
- Lisdexamfetamine ›
- Bupropion ›
- Metformin ›
- Acyclovir ›
- Amoxicillin ›
- Lisinopril ›
- Bendamustine ›
- Amitriptyline ›
- Doxycycline ›
- Lamotrigine ›
- Methotrexate ›
- Fluoxetine ›
- Gabapentin ›
- Pregabalin ›
- Amphetamine ›
- Acetaminophen, Codeine ›
- Isotretinoin ›
- Azithromycin ›
- Dextroamphetamine ›
- Clonazepam ›
- Omeprazole ›
- Quetiapine ›
- Methylene Blue ›
- Amlodipine Besylate ›
- Duloxetine ›
- Letrozole ›
- Buspirone ›
- Citalopram ›
- Ciprofloxacin ›
- Naproxen ›
Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,825 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Banana list.
Sources & How We Checked
Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.
- Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — Evidence-graded clinical reference for vitamins, herbs and supplements — the basis for our interaction data.
- MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine — NIH consumer drug information, used for the medication overviews.
- NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD) — Official supplement product labels.
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
Levodopa, Carbidopa Is Linked to Lower Levels of 2 Nutrients
Natural Medicines records Levodopa, Carbidopa as a medicine that can lower these. This is not an interaction with Banana — it is a separate effect of the medicine, and it is a reason some people are advised to supplement rather than to avoid one:
Read the full Levodopa, Carbidopa nutrient depletion report ›
Depletion records come from the licensed Natural Medicines database. Do not start a supplement on the strength of this page — ask your pharmacist or doctor whether it applies to you.
Taking Banana and Levodopa, Carbidopa Together: Common Questions
Can you take Banana with Levodopa, Carbidopa?
How serious is the Banana and Levodopa, Carbidopa interaction?
Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy
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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.