Drug & supplement interaction

Broccoli + Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestrel

Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestrel brand names: Ovral, Lo/Ovral, Cryselle, Low-Ogestrel, Ogestrel 0.5/50.

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

Broccoli has a moderate interaction with Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestrel. Theoretically, broccoli might reduce the levels and effects of drugs metabolized by CYP1A2.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceB
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
Know someone taking this? Share
Facebook Post Reddit Email
On this page
Interaction report

Broccoli and Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestrel

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestrel

Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestrel falls under CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES — the group Broccoli interacts with.

Theoretically, broccoli might reduce the levels and effects of drugs metabolized by CYP1A2.
Pharmacokinetic research in humans shows that eating 500 grams of fresh broccoli daily for 6-12 days can increase CYP1A2 activity by 10% to 200%. Induction of CYP1A2 activity by broccoli is attributed to its glucosinolate constituents.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence B

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 the gist for your birth control pill, which contains ethinyl estradiol and norgestrel. One of the liver enzymes that helps break down the estrogen part is called CYP1A2. Eating large amounts of broccoli (the studies used about 500 grams of fresh broccoli daily for a week or more) can speed up that enzyme a bit. In theory, that could clear the hormones a little faster and slightly lower their levels in your body.

Now, please don't worry. This is mostly theoretical, the evidence is weak, and normal amounts of broccoli at dinner are very unlikely to make your pill stop working. Concentrated broccoli extract supplements are the bigger unknown. If you want reassurance, just check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting any broccoli supplement.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Hakooz, N. and Hamdan, I. Effects of dietary broccoli on human in vivo caffeine metabolism: a pilot study on a group of Jordanian volunteers. Curr Drug Metab 2007;8(1):9-15. PubMed
  2. Kall MA, Vang O, Clausen J. Effects of dietary broccoli on human drug metabolising activity. Cancer Lett. 1997;114(1-2):169-70. 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

Broccoli Also Interacts With Other Medications

Broccoli has 186 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestrel one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 186 No known interaction 2,644 (incl. Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestrel)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Broccoli

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestrel

This page covers Broccoli only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestrel page lists 239 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Grapefruit (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major) and St. John's Wort (major).

By severity: 6 major · 195 moderate · 38 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestrel page

“With a birth control pill like ethinyl estradiol and norgestrel (Ovral, Lo/Ovral, Cryselle, Low-Ogestrel), a supplement interaction can mean an unplanned pregnancy rather than just a side effect, so the six major-rated entries among the 239 on this page deserve real attention before the rest. St.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestrel interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 5,155 real supplement products containing Broccoli, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Broccoli. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestrel too, on top of Broccoli — 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 Broccoli and Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestrel 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 Broccoli
Top 5%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestrel
Top half

#868 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 Broccoli

What is Broccoli?

  • General nutrition and antioxidant support
  • Heart and digestive health
  • Detoxification support
  • Cancer risk reduction (popular interest)
  • Blood sugar support

Broccoli is a nutritious cruciferous vegetable rich in fiber, vitamins, and plant compounds like sulforaphane that have drawn scientific interest for health benefits. Eating broccoli as food is safe and healthy for most people, but concentrated supplements and extracts are less studied and benefits are not firmly proven. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using broccoli supplements, especially in high doses.

Read the full Broccoli monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Broccoli

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

0Major
186Moderate
0Minor
2,643No known interaction
186 Moderate 2,643 No interaction
Moderate

186 interactions

Showing 60 of 186 moderate interactions — see all 186 on the Broccoli page.

No interaction 2,643 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,643 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Broccoli list.

See the full Broccoli interactions page
See every supplement checked against Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestrel, 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
Broccoli monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestrel supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestrel, 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 Broccoli and Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestrel Together: Common Questions

Can you take Broccoli with Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestrel?
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 Broccoli and Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestrel 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 Ethinyl Estradiol, Norgestrel and Broccoli?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.