Drug & supplement interaction

Chromium + Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate

Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate brand name: Fiorinal w/ Codeine.

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

Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate falls into 2 drug categories that Chromium can interact with; the most serious is rated minor. NSAIDs might increase chromium levels in the body.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMinor
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Chromium and Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Chromium interacts with whole categories of medication. Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Chromium in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Minor).

Minor

NONSTEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS (NSAIDs)

1 of 2

Why this applies to Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate

Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate falls under NONSTEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS (NSAIDs) — the group Chromium interacts with.

NSAIDs might increase chromium levels in the body.
Drugs that are prostaglandin inhibitors, such as NSAIDs, seem to increase chromium absorption and retention.
Severity Minor Likelihood Possible Evidence D

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 thing to know about this combo: Fiorinal with Codeine contains aspirin, and aspirin is an NSAID-type pain reliever (it blocks prostaglandins). On paper, that property may help your body absorb and hold onto a bit more chromium. So the direction here is that the aspirin could nudge your chromium levels up, not the other way around. Your codeine, butalbital, and caffeine aren't really part of this picture.

The good news is this is rated as a minor, theoretical interaction, meaning it's based on how the drug works rather than real reports of people getting into trouble. For most folks it won't cause noticeable problems. Still, if you take chromium regularly, it's worth a quick mention to your pharmacist or doctor, especially if you also manage diabetes, since chromium can affect blood sugar.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2002.
Minor

ASPIRIN

2 of 2
Theoretically, aspirin might increase chromium absorption.
Animal research suggests that aspirin may increase chromium absorption and chromium levels in the blood.
Severity Minor Likelihood Possible Evidence D

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 good news first: this is a very minor interaction, and it actually runs the other direction from what most people worry about. The aspirin part of Fiorinal with Codeine may slightly nudge up how much chromium your body absorbs, so it's the chromium level that could rise a little, not the strength of your pain medicine. The codeine, butalbital, and caffeine in this combo aren't really part of this picture.

Honestly, this is based only on animal and lab studies, so it's more of a theoretical maybe than something you'll feel. I wouldn't lose sleep over it. If you take chromium for blood sugar, just keep an eye out for any low-sugar signs like shakiness or dizziness, and check with your pharmacist or doctor before adding the supplement.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Davis ML, Seaborn CD, and Stoecker BJ. Effects of over-the-counter drugs on chromium retention and urinary excretion in rats. Nutrition Research 1995;15(2):201-210.

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

Chromium Also Interacts With Other Medications

Chromium has 89 moderate, 88 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 89 Minor 88 No known interaction 2,653 (incl. Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Chromium

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate

This page covers Chromium only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate page lists 398 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: 1,4-butanediol (major), Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major) and Danshen (major).

By severity: 17 major · 334 moderate · 47 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate page

“Fiorinal with Codeine packs four active drugs into one capsule, and I would treat its supplement list with genuine wariness rather than a quick skim. The aspirin component is why roughly half of the 398 ingredients on file raise bleeding risk, while the codeine and butalbital explain a second large cluster that deepens sedation, someti…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 16,728 real supplement products containing Chromium, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Chromium. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate too, on top of Chromium — 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 Chromium and Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate 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 Chromium
Top 5%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate
Steady interest

#1,863 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 Chromium

What is Chromium?

Chromium
  • Blood sugar support in type 2 diabetes
  • Weight loss and appetite control
  • Insulin sensitivity
  • Cholesterol and lipid support
  • General nutritional supplement

Chromium is an essential trace mineral involved in how the body handles sugar and fat. Some studies suggest it may modestly help blood sugar control in certain people with type 2 diabetes, but results are mixed and the effect on weight loss is small and uncertain. For most healthy people who eat a varied diet, supplements are not needed; check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting.

Read the full Chromium monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Chromium

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

0Major
89Moderate
88Minor
2,652No known interaction
89 Moderate 88 Minor 2,652 No interaction
Moderate

89 interactions

Showing 60 of 89 moderate interactions — see all 89 on the Chromium page.

Minor

88 interactions

Showing 60 of 88 minor interactions — see all 88 on the Chromium page.

No interaction 2,652 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,652 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Chromium list.

See the full Chromium interactions page
See every supplement checked against Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate, 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
Chromium monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate, 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 Chromium and Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate Together: Common Questions

Can you take Chromium with Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate?
There is only a minor interaction, which is usually not serious. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Chromium and Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate?
Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate belongs to more than one drug category, and Chromium interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Chromium and Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate interaction?
We rate it Minor. This interaction is generally not clinically significant, but it remains worth noting and discussing with your pharmacist.

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

Still Have a Question About Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate and Chromium?

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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.