Drug & supplement interaction

Bitter Almond + Naloxegol

Naloxegol brand name: Movantik.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Bitter Almond and Naloxegol 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. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the label for Naloxegol states a food rule worth keeping to.

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Interaction report

Bitter Almond and Naloxegol

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 Naloxegol and Bitter Almond 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.

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.

Bitter Almond safety at a glance

Bitter Almond overall Avoid Bitter almond can release cyanide in the body and is considered unsafe to consume.
Pregnancy Avoid It may be poisonous and could harm the pregnancy; do not use.
Breastfeeding Likely Unsafe When used orally. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of bitter almond when used topically. 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 Naloxegol and Bitter Almond? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Naloxegol

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Naloxegol is filed under 2 classifications — cytochrome p450 3a4 (cyp3a4) substrates, oral drugs. Bitter Almond has documented interactions with 1 drug class — the most serious being cns depressants (moderate) — and none of Naloxegol’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

Bitter Almond Does Interact With Other Medications

Bitter Almond has 248 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Naloxegol isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Bitter Almond

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

What to actually watch for

What Bitter Almond Itself Has Been Linked To

This is not an interaction — nothing below involves Naloxegol. It is the side-effect record for Bitter Almond on its own, from the licensed Natural Medicines monograph. If something new turns up after you add Bitter Almond, this list is the first place to look. 2 entries are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • A severe allergic reaction Worth acting on Additional detail

    “Orally, bitter almond and its oil can be toxic due to its amygdalin content.

    Most Common Adverse Effects:

    Oral: Central nervous system depression with respiratory failure.

    Serious Adverse Effects (Rare):

    All routes of administration: Allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis.”

    Bitter Almond · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in depression.

  • An allergic reaction Worth acting on Additional detail

    “Tree nuts, which includes bitter almond, can cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Due to the prevalence of this allergy in the general population, tree nuts are classified as a major food allergen in the United States.”

    Bitter Almond · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in allergic rhinitis (hay fever).

    1 source cited
    1. 105410. Food and Drug Administration. Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA); Public Law 108-282, Title II. Accessed on May 19, 2021. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/food/food-allergensgluten-free-guidance-documents-regulatory-infor

Everything above comes from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record for Bitter Almond — expand a row for the licensed statement it rests on. We read the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Naloxegol’s FDA label too, and the two lists don’t meaningfully overlap — which is why no Naloxegol column appears here.

Special populations

Bitter Almond in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Lactation Likely Unsafe

When used orally. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of bitter almond when used topically.

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

How to take them

Some Naloxegol Products Have a Food Rule — Bitter Almond Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Naloxegol says to take it on an empty stomach. Most supplements — Bitter Almond included — are taken with a meal, so the easy mistake is swallowing both together at breakfast. Where that rule applies, keep Naloxegol on its own and move Bitter Almond to a meal later in the day.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Naloxegol products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

(2.1) Take on an empty stomach at least 1 hour prior to the first meal of the day or 2 hours after the meal.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Naloxegol — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. See the Naloxegol drug page ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Naloxegol

This page covers Bitter Almond only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Naloxegol page lists 138 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Grapefruit (major), St. John's Wort (major), Acacia Rigidula (moderate) and Adrafinil (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 94 moderate · 41 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Naloxegol page

“Naloxegol (Movantik) relieves the constipation that opioids cause, and this is a list that deserves real care before you add anything from it. Nearly all of the trouble traces to a single enzyme, CYP3A4, which the body relies on to clear naloxegol.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Naloxegol interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Bitter Almond as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 2 real supplement products containing Bitter Almond, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Bitter Almond. Even though Bitter Almond itself has no known interaction with Naloxegol, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Bitter Almond and Naloxegol 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 Bitter Almond
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Naloxegol
Top 25%

#648 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 Bitter Almond reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Bitter Almond and Naloxegol 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 .
Supplement

About Bitter Almond

What is Bitter Almond?

Bitter Almond
  • Cough suppressant
  • Muscle spasms (antispasmodic)
  • Itching and skin conditions
  • Flavoring agent
  • Sedative or 'narcotic' effects

Bitter almond is a variety of almond that contains amygdalin, a compound the body converts into cyanide, making it potentially poisonous. Because of this serious toxicity risk, bitter almond should not be eaten or used internally, and there is no reliable proof it treats any health condition. If you want almond's nutrition, choose ordinary sweet almonds instead.

Prunus dulcis var. amara · Rosaceae · Seeds (kernels) and the essential oil pressed from them · Essential oil, distilled water, flavoring extract

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

Bitter Almond: dosing

There is no safe, established dose of bitter almond or untreated bitter almond oil for taking by mouth, because of the cyanide poisoning risk.If you have a product that lists bitter almond as a flavoring, it should be cyanide-free and used only as directed on the label. Never try to dose raw bitter almonds or untreated oil yourself.

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

Read the full Bitter Almond monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Naloxegol

What Is Naloxegol Used For?

Brand name: Movantik

Movantik (naloxegol) is used to treat opioid-induced constipation (OIC) — constipation caused by opioid pain medications — in adults who have chronic non-cancer pain. It is also approved for adults with chronic pain related to prior cancer or its treatment, as long as they don't need frequent (roughly weekly) increases in their opioid dose.

It is not indicated for constipation from other causes, and it is not approved for use in children.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Naloxegol

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (3,902 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Diarrhea 380 reports
Constipation 375 reports
Nausea 329 reports
Abdominal pain 258 reports
Abdominal pain upper 228 reports
See full Naloxegol drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Bitter Almond

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

0Major
248Moderate
0Minor
2,581No known interaction
Moderate

248 interactions

Showing 60 of 248 moderate interactions — see all 248 on the Bitter Almond page.

No interaction 2,581 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Bitter Almond References

The 3 references that drive our Bitter Almond 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. Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics. 2nd ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1996.
  2. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
  3. Food and Drug Administration. Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA); Public Law 108-282, Title II. Accessed on May 19, 2021. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/food/food-allergensgluten-free-guidance-documents-regulatory-infor

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 Bitter Almond and Naloxegol Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Bitter Almond with Naloxegol?
We do not list a known interaction between Bitter Almond and Naloxegol. 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.
Should I take Bitter Almond and Naloxegol at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Naloxegol says to take it on an empty stomach, and supplements are usually taken with a meal — so taking them together at breakfast is the easy mistake. Where that applies, keep Naloxegol on its own and move Bitter Almond to a meal later in the day. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient, so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
How was the Bitter Almond and Naloxegol combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Naloxegol is filed under 2 classifications, and Bitter Almond has documented interactions with 1 drug class — none of Naloxegol'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 Bitter Almond interact with any other medications?
Yes. Bitter Almond has 248 documented drug interactions in our database — Naloxegol 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 Naloxegol interact with any supplements?
Yes. Naloxegol has documented interactions with 138 supplements in our database — Bitter Almond is not one of them. The Naloxegol interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Still Have a Question About Naloxegol and Bitter Almond?

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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.