Drug & supplement interaction

Canthaxanthin + Empagliflozin

Empagliflozin brand name: Jardiance.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Canthaxanthin and Empagliflozin 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 two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Canthaxanthin and Empagliflozin

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 Empagliflozin and Canthaxanthin 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.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Canthaxanthin at all — not against Empagliflozin, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

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.

Canthaxanthin safety at a glance

Canthaxanthin overall Use caution Generally fine in small food-coloring amounts, but high-dose supplements have been linked to eye and other problems.
Pregnancy Possibly Unsafe When consumed in doses to treat and reduce photosensitivities due to reported retinal changes with use; avoid using. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Possibly Unsafe When consumed in doses to treat and reduce photosensitivities due to reported retinal changes with use; avoid using. 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 Empagliflozin and Canthaxanthin? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Canthaxanthin and Empagliflozin May Share a Side Effect

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do.

  • Nausea reported in 5.4% of FDA reports for Empagliflozin Additional detail

    Canthaxanthin

    “Orally, large amounts of canthaxanthin can cause orange-brown coloration of the skin, brick-red coloration of stools, orange discoloration of plasma, discolored body secretions, diarrhea, nausea, stomach cramps, dry and itchy skin, urticaria, welts, gold and yellow crystalline deposits around the macula of the retina, and hepatitis.”

    Canthaxanthin · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in anemia.

    6 sources cited
    1. 5632. Lober CW. Canthaxanthin- the "tanning" pill. J Am Acad Dermatol 1985;13:660. PubMed
    2. 5631. Jackson R. Quick suntan pills in Canada. J Am Acad Dermatol 1981;4:233. PubMed
    3. 5634. Rock GA, Decary F, Cole RS. Orange plasma from tanning capsules. Lancet 1981;1:1419-20. PubMed
    4. 5637. Herbert V. Canthaxanthin toxicity. Am J Clin Nutr 1991;53:573-4. DOI
    5. 5635. Bluhm R, Branch R, Johnston P, Stein R. Aplastic anemia associated with canthaxanthin ingested for 'tanning' purposes. JAMA 1990;264:1141-2. DOI
    6. 5636. Harnois C, Samson J, Malenfant M, Rousseau A. Canthaxanthin retinopathy. Anatomic and funtional reversibility. Arch Ophthalmol 1989;107:538-40. DOI

    “Orally, canthaxanthin can cause orange or brick-red discoloration of stools. Large amounts of canthaxanthin orally can cause diarrhea, nausea, and stomach cramps.”

    Canthaxanthin · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in diarrhea.

    4 sources cited
    1. 5631. Jackson R. Quick suntan pills in Canada. J Am Acad Dermatol 1981;4:233. PubMed
    2. 39713. Gupta, A. K., Haberman, H. F., Pawlowski, D., Shulman, G., and Menon, I. A. Canthaxanthin. Int.J.Dermatol. 1985;24(8):528-532.
    3. 34657. Suhonen, R. and Plosila, M. The effect of beta-carotene in combination with canthaxanthin, Ro 8-8427 (Phenoro), in treatment of polymorphous light eruptions. Dermatologica 1981;163(2):172-176. PubMed
    4. 5634. Rock GA, Decary F, Cole RS. Orange plasma from tanning capsules. Lancet 1981;1:1419-20. PubMed

    Empagliflozin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Empagliflozin, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Canthaxanthin but not commonly for Empagliflozin: stomach pain, itching, hives and liver problems.

Effects for Empagliflozin come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Canthaxanthin come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 71,563 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Empagliflozin that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Canthaxanthin in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Possibly Unsafe

When consumed in doses to treat and reduce photosensitivities due to reported retinal changes with use; avoid using.

Pregnancy And Lactation Likely Unsafe

When used orally in large amounts for artificial tanning purposes due to reported retinal changes with use; avoid using.

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Canthaxanthin or Empagliflozin

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Canthaxanthin or Empagliflozin, 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 Empagliflozin

This page covers Canthaxanthin only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Empagliflozin page lists 257 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Acai (moderate), African Wild Potato (moderate) and Agaricus Mushroom (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 216 moderate · 39 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Empagliflozin page

“Almost everything on this page can nudge blood sugar in someone taking empagliflozin (Jardiance) for type 2 diabetes, heart failure, or kidney protection, and two entries deserve genuine caution before anything else. Siberian cocklebur has caused severe low blood sugar in humans and should not be combined with any glucose-lowering medi…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Empagliflozin interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1 real supplement products containing Canthaxanthin, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Canthaxanthin. Even though Canthaxanthin itself has no known interaction with Empagliflozin, 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 Canthaxanthin and Empagliflozin 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 Canthaxanthin
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Empagliflozin
Top 25%

#511 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 Canthaxanthin reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Canthaxanthin and Empagliflozin records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 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 Canthaxanthin

What is Canthaxanthin?

  • Skin coloring or 'tanning pills'
  • Food and feed coloring (e.g., to color farmed fish/poultry)
  • Antioxidant supplement
  • Erythropoietic protoporphyria (light sensitivity, historical/medical use)

Canthaxanthin is a reddish-orange carotenoid pigment used mainly as a coloring agent and in 'tanning pills.' There is little good evidence it provides health benefits, and high doses have been linked to a serious eye problem called canthaxanthin retinopathy, so the tanning-pill use is widely discouraged.

Carotenoid pigment (synthetic or from sources like the mushroom Cantharellus cinnabarinus, certain algae, and crustaceans) · Oral tablets and capsules, often marketed as 'tanning pills'; also used as a food coloring additive

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

Canthaxanthin: dosing

There is no established, recommended supplement dose of canthaxanthin for any health condition, and the high doses once used for skin coloring are not considered safe. Given the known risks at high doses, most people are better off avoiding supplemental canthaxanthin entirely.

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

Read the full Canthaxanthin monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Empagliflozin

What Is Empagliflozin Used For?

Brand name: Jardiance

Jardiance (empagliflozin) tablets are approved for several important uses in adults. It reduces the risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalization in adults with heart failure. It also slows the progression of chronic kidney disease by reducing the risk of serious kidney decline, end-stage kidney disease, cardiovascular death, and hospitalization. In adults with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease, Jardiance reduces the risk of cardiovascular death.

Jardiance is also used — alongside diet and exercise — to improve blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes in adults and children aged 10 and older. It is not recommended for blood sugar control in type 1 diabetes (it may raise the risk of a dangerous condition called diabetic ketoacidosis) or in type 2 diabetes patients with severely reduced kidney function.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Empagliflozin

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (71,563 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Diabetic ketoacidosis 4,153 reports
Nausea 3,866 reports
Blood glucose increased 3,534 reports
Diarrhea 3,424 reports
Weight decreased 3,137 reports
See full Empagliflozin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Canthaxanthin

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

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
2,829 No interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Canthaxanthin list.

See the full Canthaxanthin interactions page
See every supplement checked against Empagliflozin, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Canthaxanthin References

The 21 references that drive our Canthaxanthin 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. Mathews-Roth MM. Carotenoids in erythropoietic protoporphyria and other photosensitivity diseases. Ann N Y Acad Sci, 1993; 691:127-38. PubMed
  2. Jackson R. Quick suntan pills in Canada. J Am Acad Dermatol 1981;4:233. PubMed
  3. Lober CW. Canthaxanthin- the "tanning" pill. J Am Acad Dermatol 1985;13:660. PubMed
  4. Rock GA, Decary F, Cole RS. Orange plasma from tanning capsules. Lancet 1981;1:1419-20. PubMed
  5. Bluhm R, Branch R, Johnston P, Stein R. Aplastic anemia associated with canthaxanthin ingested for 'tanning' purposes. JAMA 1990;264:1141-2. DOI
  6. Harnois C, Samson J, Malenfant M, Rousseau A. Canthaxanthin retinopathy. Anatomic and funtional reversibility. Arch Ophthalmol 1989;107:538-40. DOI
  7. Herbert V. Canthaxanthin toxicity. Am J Clin Nutr 1991;53:573-4. DOI
  8. White GL Jr, Beesley R, Thiese SM, Murdock RT. Retinal crystals and oral tanning agents. Am Fam Physician 1988;37:125-6.
  9. Chang TS, Aylward W, Clarkson JG, Gass JD. Asymmetric canthaxanthin retinopathy. Am J Ophthalmol 1995;119:801-2. PubMed
  10. Leyon H, Ros AM, Nyberg S, Algvere P. Reversibility of canthaxanthin deposits within the retina. Acta Ophthalmol (Copenh) 1990;68:607-11. PubMed
  11. Espaillat A, Aiello LP, Arrigg PG, et al. Canthaxanthine retinopathy. Arch Ophthalmol 1999;117:412-3.. PubMed
  12. Anon. Porphyria information for patients and their families. University of Cape Town / Medical Research Council - Liver Research Center 2000. Available at: http://web.uct.ac.za/depts/porphyria/
  13. Thomsen, K., Schmidt, H., and Fischer, A. Beta-carotene in erythropoietic protoporphyria: 5 years' experience. Dermatologica 1979;159(1):82-86. PubMed
  14. Haeger-Aronsen, B., Krook, G., and Abdulla, M. Oral carotenoids for photohypersensitivity in patients with erythrohepatic protoporphyria, polymorphous light eruptions and lupus erythematodes discoides. Int.J.Dermatol. 1979;18(1):73-82. PubMed
  15. Suhonen, R. and Plosila, M. The effect of beta-carotene in combination with canthaxanthin, Ro 8-8427 (Phenoro), in treatment of polymorphous light eruptions. Dermatologica 1981;163(2):172-176. PubMed

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 Canthaxanthin and Empagliflozin Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Canthaxanthin with Empagliflozin?
We do not list a known interaction between Canthaxanthin and Empagliflozin. 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.
Do Canthaxanthin and Empagliflozin have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to one of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Does Empagliflozin interact with any supplements?
Yes. Empagliflozin has documented interactions with 257 supplements in our database — Canthaxanthin is not one of them. The Empagliflozin 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

Canthaxanthin monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Empagliflozin drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Empagliflozin supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Empagliflozin, 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 21 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Empagliflozin and Canthaxanthin?

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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.