Drug & supplement interaction

Cobalt + Tofacitinib

Tofacitinib brand names: Xeljanz, Xeljanz XR.

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 Cobalt and Tofacitinib 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

Cobalt and Tofacitinib

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 Tofacitinib and Cobalt 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 Cobalt at all — not against Tofacitinib, 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.

Cobalt safety at a glance

Cobalt overall Avoid Inorganic cobalt supplements have no proven benefit and can cause serious toxicity, so they are generally not recommended.
Pregnancy Avoid Cobalt supplements should be avoided during pregnancy because of toxicity concerns and a lack of safety data.
Breastfeeding Avoid Avoid cobalt supplements while breastfeeding; rely on vitamin B12 for any needed cobalt.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Tofacitinib and Cobalt? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Cobalt and Tofacitinib May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

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.

  • Headache reported in 7.3% of FDA reports for Tofacitinib Additional detail

    Cobalt

    “Exposure to cobalt may cause reversible neurologic adverse effects in some patients. Demyelinating neuropathy, cognitive decline, headaches, depression, convulsions, and forgetfulness have been reported in patients with cobalt-containing hip joint prostheses. Vertigo and impairment in memory and attention have been reported after occupational exposure to cobalt.”

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

    3 sources cited
    1. 102074. Paustenbach DJ, Galbraith DA, Finley BL. Interpreting cobalt blood concentrations in hip implant patients. Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2014;52(2):98-112. PubMed
    2. 102076. Zywiel MG, Cherian JJ, Banerjee S, et al. Systemic cobalt toxicity from total hip arthroplasties: review of a rare condition Part 2. measurement, risk factors, and step-wise approach to treatment. Bone Joint J 2016;98-B(1):14-20. PubMed
    3. 102077. Catalani S, Rizzetti MC, Padovani A, Apostoli P. Neurotoxicity of cobalt. Hum Exp Toxicol 2012;31(5):421-37. PubMed

    Tofacitinib

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

  • A skin rash Additional detail

    Cobalt

    “Orally, cobalt seems to be well-tolerated when taken for up to 90 days in small amounts. Taking cobalt orally long-term or in high doses may cause cardiomyopathy, hearing loss, and vision loss. Topically, cobalt-containing products can cause allergic contact dermatitis in some patients.”

    Cobalt · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dermatitis.

    6 sources cited
    1. 102066. Packer M. Cobalt cardiomyopathy: a critical reappraisal in light of a recent resurgence. Circ Heart Fail 2016;9(12). pii: e003604. PubMed
    2. 102068. Lim CA, Khan J, Chelva E, Khan R, Unsworth-Smith T. The effect of cobalt on the human eye. Doc Ophthalmol 2015;130(1):43-8. PubMed
    3. 102077. Catalani S, Rizzetti MC, Padovani A, Apostoli P. Neurotoxicity of cobalt. Hum Exp Toxicol 2012;31(5):421-37. PubMed
    4. 102070. Fowler JF Jr. Cobalt. Dermatitis 2016;27(1):3-8.
    5. 102071. Zajdel NJ, Smith WA, Taintor AR, Jacob SE, Olasz EB. Chemical tattoo treatment leading to systemic cobalt hypersensitivity. Skinmed 2017;15(3):221-2.
    6. 102072. Bregnbak D, Opstrup MS, Jellesen MS, Johansen JD, Thyssen JP. Allergic contact dermatitis caused by cobalt in leather - clinical cases. Contact Dermatitis 2017;76(6):366-8. PubMed

    “Topically, cobalt can cause allergic contact dermatitis. Numerous cases of allergic skin reactions have been reported after contact with cobalt in leather goods, jewelry, nail polishes, cobalt blue tattoo ink, and cement.”

    Cobalt · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dermatitis.

    5 sources cited
    1. 102069. Guarneri F, Guarneri C, Cannavò SP. Nail-art and cobalt allergy. Contact Dermatitis 2010;62(5):320-1. PubMed
    2. 102070. Fowler JF Jr. Cobalt. Dermatitis 2016;27(1):3-8.
    3. 102071. Zajdel NJ, Smith WA, Taintor AR, Jacob SE, Olasz EB. Chemical tattoo treatment leading to systemic cobalt hypersensitivity. Skinmed 2017;15(3):221-2.
    4. 102072. Bregnbak D, Opstrup MS, Jellesen MS, Johansen JD, Thyssen JP. Allergic contact dermatitis caused by cobalt in leather - clinical cases. Contact Dermatitis 2017;76(6):366-8. PubMed
    5. 102073. Simonsen AB, Friis UF, Johansen JD, Zachariae C, Sloth JJ, Thyssen JP. Occupational allergic contact dermatitis caused by cobalt in machine oil. Contact Dermatitis 2019;80(1):59-61. PubMed

    Tofacitinib

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Tofacitinib. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Cobalt but not commonly for Tofacitinib: a change in thyroid levels, memory problems, hearing loss and seizures.

Effects for Tofacitinib come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Cobalt come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 185,980 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Tofacitinib 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.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Tofacitinib

This page covers Cobalt only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Tofacitinib page lists 184 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 Active Hexose Correlated Compound (ahcc) (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 143 moderate · 38 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Tofacitinib page

“Supplements deserve genuine care alongside tofacitinib (Xeljanz, Xeljanz XR), a medicine that deliberately dials down the immune system to control conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis. Most of the interactions on this page run through the liver enzymes that clear the drug, meaning an herb can push its blood level…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Tofacitinib interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 120 real supplement products containing Cobalt, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Cobalt. Even though Cobalt itself has no known interaction with Tofacitinib, 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 Cobalt and Tofacitinib 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 Cobalt
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Tofacitinib
Steady interest

#1,579 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 Cobalt reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Cobalt and Tofacitinib 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 Cobalt

What is Cobalt?

  • Anemia (historically)
  • Part of vitamin B12 nutrition
  • General 'energy' tonics (unproven)
  • Athletic or performance claims (unproven and risky)

Cobalt is a trace element that the body only needs as part of vitamin B12 (cobalamin); there is no proven reason to take inorganic cobalt supplements, and doing so can be harmful. If you need cobalt for nutrition, get it through vitamin B12 from food or a B12 supplement, not from standalone cobalt products.

Cobalt is a chemical element (a trace mineral), not a plant part · Cobalt salts, supplement tablets (rare and discouraged), and as part of vitamin B12 (cobalamin)

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

Cobalt: dosing

There is no established safe or beneficial dose of inorganic cobalt as a dietary supplement, and health professionals generally do not recommend taking it.The cobalt your body actually needs is supplied through vitamin B12. For B12, follow the dose on the product label or your doctor's advice.

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

Read the full Cobalt monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Tofacitinib

What Is Tofacitinib Used For?

Brand names: Xeljanz, Xeljanz XR

  • Tofacitinib is used alone or with other medications to treat rheumatoid arthritis (condition in which the body attacks its own joints causing pain, swelling, and loss of function) in adults who are unable to take or did not respond to one or more tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor medication(s). It is also used to treat psoriatic arthritis (a condition that causes joint pain and swelling and scales on the skin) in adults who are unable to take or did not respond to or tolerate one or more TNF inhibitor medication(s). Tofacitinib is used to treat ulcerative colitis (a condition which causes swelling and sores in the lining of the colon [large intestine] and rectum) in adults who are unable to take or who did not respond to one or more TNF inhibitor medication(s). It is also used to treat polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (PJIA; a type of childhood arthritis that affects five or more joints during the first six months of the condition, causing pain, swelling, and loss of function) in children 2 years and older who are unable to take or who did not respond to one or more TNF inhibitor medication(s). Tofacitinib is in a class of medications called Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors. It works by decreasing the activity of the immune system.

See full Tofacitinib drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Cobalt

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Cobalt — 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 Cobalt 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 Cobalt list.

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

Cobalt References

The 11 references that drive our Cobalt 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. Packer M. Cobalt cardiomyopathy: a critical reappraisal in light of a recent resurgence. Circ Heart Fail 2016;9(12). pii: e003604. PubMed
  2. Adams TN, Butt YM, Batra K, Glazer CS. Cobalt related interstitial lung disease. Respir Med 2017;129:91-7. PubMed
  3. Lim CA, Khan J, Chelva E, Khan R, Unsworth-Smith T. The effect of cobalt on the human eye. Doc Ophthalmol 2015;130(1):43-8. PubMed
  4. Guarneri F, Guarneri C, Cannavò SP. Nail-art and cobalt allergy. Contact Dermatitis 2010;62(5):320-1. PubMed
  5. Fowler JF Jr. Cobalt. Dermatitis 2016;27(1):3-8.
  6. Zajdel NJ, Smith WA, Taintor AR, Jacob SE, Olasz EB. Chemical tattoo treatment leading to systemic cobalt hypersensitivity. Skinmed 2017;15(3):221-2.
  7. Bregnbak D, Opstrup MS, Jellesen MS, Johansen JD, Thyssen JP. Allergic contact dermatitis caused by cobalt in leather - clinical cases. Contact Dermatitis 2017;76(6):366-8. PubMed
  8. Simonsen AB, Friis UF, Johansen JD, Zachariae C, Sloth JJ, Thyssen JP. Occupational allergic contact dermatitis caused by cobalt in machine oil. Contact Dermatitis 2019;80(1):59-61. PubMed
  9. Paustenbach DJ, Galbraith DA, Finley BL. Interpreting cobalt blood concentrations in hip implant patients. Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2014;52(2):98-112. PubMed
  10. Zywiel MG, Cherian JJ, Banerjee S, et al. Systemic cobalt toxicity from total hip arthroplasties: review of a rare condition Part 2. measurement, risk factors, and step-wise approach to treatment. Bone Joint J 2016;98-B(1):14-20. PubMed
  11. Catalani S, Rizzetti MC, Padovani A, Apostoli P. Neurotoxicity of cobalt. Hum Exp Toxicol 2012;31(5):421-37. 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 Cobalt and Tofacitinib Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Cobalt with Tofacitinib?
We do not list a known interaction between Cobalt and Tofacitinib. 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 Cobalt and Tofacitinib have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 2 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 Tofacitinib interact with any supplements?
Yes. Tofacitinib has documented interactions with 184 supplements in our database — Cobalt is not one of them. The Tofacitinib 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

Cobalt monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Tofacitinib drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Tofacitinib supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Tofacitinib, 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 11 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Tofacitinib and Cobalt?

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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.