Drug & supplement interaction

Cauliflower + Verapamil

Verapamil brand names: Isoptin SR, Verelan, Isoptin, Calan SR, Verelan SR, and others.

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

Cauliflower has a moderate interaction with Verapamil. Preliminary clinical evidence suggests that eating cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower, daikon radish sprouts, and cabbage, can increase cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) activity by 14% to 27%.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceB
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Cauliflower and Verapamil

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Verapamil

Verapamil falls under CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES — the group Cauliflower interacts with.

Preliminary clinical evidence suggests that eating cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower, daikon radish sprouts, and cabbage, can increase cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) activity by 14% to 27%. Theoretically, cauliflower might increase the clearance and decrease the effects of drugs metabolized by CYP1A2. Some drugs metabolized by CYP1A2 include clozapine (Clozaril), cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril), fluvoxamine (Luvox), haloperidol (Haldol), imipramine (Tofranil), mexiletine (Mexitil), olanzapine (Zyprexa), pentazocine (Talwin), propranolol (Inderal), tacrine (Cognex), theophylline, zileuton (Zyflo), zolmitriptan (Zomig), and others.
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 honest picture for verapamil: the research on file looks at cruciferous veggies like cauliflower nudging up a liver enzyme called CYP1A2. The thing is, verapamil isn't mainly cleared by CYP1A2 in any meaningful way. It's broken down mostly by a different enzyme system (CYP3A4). So the interaction listed here doesn't really line up with how your body handles verapamil, and the effect is theoretical at best.

The practical takeaway? Eating cauliflower as a normal food is very unlikely to change how well your verapamil controls your blood pressure, chest pain, or heart rate. Just keep your veggie intake fairly steady rather than wildly up and down, and if you're ever unsure, your pharmacist or doctor can double-check for you.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Peterson S, Schwarz Y, Li SS, et al. CYP1A2, GSTM1, and GSTT1 polymorphisms and diet effects on CYP1A2 activity in a crossover feeding trial. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009;18(11):3118-25.

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

Cauliflower Also Interacts With Other Medications

Cauliflower has 185 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Verapamil one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 185 No known interaction 2,645 (incl. Verapamil)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Cauliflower

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Cauliflower or Verapamil

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

This page covers Cauliflower only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Verapamil page lists 295 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), American Mistletoe (major), Beer (major) and Coleus (major).

By severity: 10 major · 245 moderate · 40 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Verapamil page

“This is one of the longer interaction lists we publish, and with verapamil (Calan, Verelan) it warrants genuine care, starting with the ten major-rated entries. Verapamil lowers blood pressure and slows the heart, so most of the 295 ingredients on file either push that effect further than intended or change how much of the drug reaches…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Verapamil interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1,705 real supplement products containing Cauliflower, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Cauliflower. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Verapamil too, on top of Cauliflower — 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 Cauliflower and Verapamil 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 Cauliflower
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Verapamil
Top half

#804 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 Cauliflower

What is Cauliflower?

  • General nutrition and a low-carb vegetable
  • Source of vitamin C and fiber
  • Antioxidant support
  • Digestive and gut health
  • Part of a heart-healthy diet

Cauliflower is a nutritious cruciferous vegetable that provides vitamin C, fiber, and plant compounds called glucosinolates. As a food it is healthy and safe for most people, but there is no strong proof that cauliflower supplements treat or prevent any specific disease. Enjoy it as part of a balanced diet rather than relying on pills.

Read the full Cauliflower monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Verapamil

What Is Verapamil Used For?

Brand names: Isoptin SR, Verelan, Isoptin, Calan SR, Verelan SR, Calan, Covera HS, Verap, Veramil

Verapamil tablets and film-coated tablets are used to treat angina — including vasospastic (Prinzmetal's) angina, unstable angina, and chronic stable angina — as well as certain abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) and high blood pressure (essential hypertension). For arrhythmias, regular-release tablets are used alongside digoxin to control heart rate in atrial flutter or atrial fibrillation, and to help prevent episodes of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), a type of rapid heartbeat.

Extended-release and sustained-release oral forms (tablets and capsules) are indicated specifically for high blood pressure. Verapamil hydrochloride injection is used in hospital settings for rapid conversion of SVT to normal rhythm and for temporary control of fast heart rates in atrial flutter or atrial fibrillation.

See full Verapamil drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Cauliflower

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

0Major
185Moderate
0Minor
2,644No known interaction
185 Moderate 2,644 No interaction
Moderate

185 interactions

Showing 60 of 185 moderate interactions — see all 185 on the Cauliflower page.

No interaction 2,644 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,644 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Cauliflower list.

See the full Cauliflower interactions page
See every supplement checked against Verapamil, 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
Cauliflower monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Verapamil supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Verapamil, ranked by severity Verapamil drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication 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 Cauliflower and Verapamil Together: Common Questions

Can you take Cauliflower with Verapamil?
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 Cauliflower and Verapamil 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 Verapamil and Cauliflower?

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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.