Coconut Oil + Gemcitabine
Gemcitabine brand name: Gemzar.
We found no known interaction between Coconut Oil and Gemcitabine 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.
Coconut Oil and Gemcitabine
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 Gemcitabine and Coconut Oil 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 Coconut Oil at all — not against Gemcitabine, 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.
Coconut Oil safety at a glance
Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.
What Gemcitabine Is Prescribed For, and What Coconut Oil Has Been Studied For
These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Gemcitabine is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Coconut Oil is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.
Gemcitabine is prescribed for: Gemcitabine Injection (available as Avgemsi, Gemcitabine, and Infugem) is used to treat several types of cancer. It is given in combination with carboplatin for advanced ovarian cancer that has returned at least 6 months after platinum-based treatment, and in combination with paclitaxel as a first-line treatment for metastatic breast cancer after prior chemotherapy with an anthracycline (a specific class of chemo drug). It is also given in combination with cisplatin for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that cannot be removed surgically or has spread. For pancreatic cancer that is locally advanced or has spread, it is used as a single agent — including in patients who have already been treated with fluorouracil.
Coconut Oil has been studied for:
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Breast cancer studied, not established Coconut Oil has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows
Coconut Oil for breast cancer
It is unclear if oral coconut oil is beneficial in patients with breast cancer.
Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Gemcitabine on your own; if you are taking Coconut Oil for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.
See Every Supplement That Interacts With Gemcitabine
This page covers Coconut Oil only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Gemcitabine page lists 39 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.
The most serious there right now: Beer (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Wine (major), Ashwagandha (moderate) and Black Cohosh (moderate).
By severity: 3 major · 35 moderate · 1 minor.
Taking Coconut Oil as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions
We hold 408 real supplement products containing Coconut Oil, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Coconut Oil. Even though Coconut Oil itself has no known interaction with Gemcitabine, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:
Where Coconut Oil and Gemcitabine 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.
#920 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days
#2,203 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days
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 Coconut Oil reference on this page ↓
- Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Coconut Oil and Gemcitabine records this page draws on were last updated July 11, 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.
About Coconut Oil
What is Coconut Oil?
- Cooking and food preparation
- Skin moisturizer
- Hair conditioning
- Oral health (oil pulling)
- Weight management
- Heart health (popularly claimed)
Coconut oil is a popular fat used in cooking, skin care, and hair care, and many people believe it has special health benefits. The evidence for most health claims is limited or mixed, and because coconut oil is very high in saturated fat, eating large amounts may raise LDL ('bad') cholesterol. Use it in moderation and talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using it for a specific health condition.
Cocos nucifera · Arecaceae · Oil extracted from the dried or fresh meat (kernel) of the coconut · Cooking oil (virgin and refined), capsules, skin and hair products, MCT oil derived from coconut
An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Coconut Oil is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Coconut Oil record says about it on its own.
Coconut Oil: dosing
There is no official or standardized dose of coconut oil for any health condition. It is most often used simply as a cooking oil or food ingredient.Because it is high in saturated fat and calories, it is best used in moderation as part of a balanced diet. If you are using a coconut oil supplement or MCT product, follow the directions on the product label.For skin or hair use, a small amount applied to the area is typical.
From our Coconut Oil monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.
About Gemcitabine Injection
What Is Gemcitabine Injection Used For?
Brand name: Gemzar
Gemcitabine Injection (available as Avgemsi, Gemcitabine, and Infugem) is used to treat several types of cancer. It is given in combination with carboplatin for advanced ovarian cancer that has returned at least 6 months after platinum-based treatment, and in combination with paclitaxel as a first-line treatment for metastatic breast cancer after prior chemotherapy with an anthracycline (a specific class of chemo drug).
It is also given in combination with cisplatin for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that cannot be removed surgically or has spread. For pancreatic cancer that is locally advanced or has spread, it is used as a single agent — including in patients who have already been treated with fluorouracil.
Most-Reported Side Effects for Gemcitabine
From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (53,020 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.
Other Drugs & Coconut Oil
Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Coconut Oil — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.
No drugs match “”.
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list
We also checked Coconut Oil against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.
- Apixaban ›
- Levothyroxine ›
- Amlodipine ›
- Methylphenidate ›
- Warfarin ›
- Sertraline ›
- Testosterone ›
- Losartan Potassium ›
- Ivermectin ›
- Abemaciclib ›
- Aspirin ›
- Metoprolol ›
- Acetaminophen ›
- Rosuvastatin ›
- Rivaroxaban ›
- Escitalopram ›
- Clopidogrel ›
- Atorvastatin ›
- Tadalafil ›
- Docusate ›
- Tirzepatide ›
- Ibuprofen ›
- Methamphetamine ›
- Hydroxyurea ›
- Warfarin Sodium ›
- Valacyclovir ›
- Sumatriptan ›
- Semaglutide ›
- Prednisone ›
- Lisdexamfetamine ›
- Propranolol ›
- Metformin ›
- Amitriptyline ›
- Amoxicillin ›
- Lisinopril ›
- Isotretinoin ›
- Methotrexate ›
- Amlodipine Besylate ›
- Bendamustine ›
- Bupropion ›
- Amphetamine ›
- Fluoxetine ›
- Doxycycline ›
- Acyclovir ›
- Azithromycin ›
- Lamotrigine ›
- Pregabalin ›
- Dextroamphetamine ›
- Gabapentin ›
- Acetaminophen, Codeine ›
- Quetiapine ›
- Clonazepam ›
- Levothyroxine, Liothyronine ›
- Naproxen ›
- Omeprazole ›
- Letrozole ›
- Methylene Blue ›
- Duloxetine ›
- Buspirone ›
- Citalopram ›
Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Coconut Oil list.
Coconut Oil References
The 20 references that drive our Coconut Oil 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.
- Teuber SS, Peterson WR. Systemic allergic reaction to coconut (Cocos nucifera) in 2 subjects with hypersensitivity to tree nut and demonstration of cross-reactivity to legumin-like seed storage proteins: new coconut and walnut food allergens. J Allergy Cl PubMed
- Tella R, Gaig P, Lombardero M, et al. A case of coconut allergy. Allergy 2003;58:825-6. PubMed
- Reiser R, Probstfield JL, Silvers A, et al. Plasma lipid and lipoprotein response of humans to beef fat, coconut oil and safflower oil. Am J Clin Nutr 1985;42:190-7. PubMed
- Mumcuoglu KY, Miller J, Zamir C, et al. The in vivo pediculicidal efficacy of a natural remedy. Isr Med Assoc J 2002;4:790-3.
- Kumar PD. The role of coconut and coconut oil in coronary heart disease in Kerala, south India. Trop Doct 1997;27:215-7. PubMed
- Fries JH, Fries MW. Coconut: a review of its uses as they relate to the allergic individual. Ann Allergy 1983;51:472-81.
- Cox C, Sutherland W, Mann J, et al. Effects of dietary coconut oil, butter and safflower oil on plasma lipids, lipoproteins and lathosterol levels. Eur J Clin Nutr 1998;52:650-4. PubMed
- Feranil AB, Duazo PL, Kuzawa CW, Adair LS. Coconut oil is associated with a beneficial lipid profile in pre-menopausal women in the Philippines. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2011;20:190-5.
- Cox C, Mann J, Sutherland W, et al Effects of coconut oil, butter, and safflower oil on lipids and lipoproteins in persons with moderately elevated cholesterol levels. J Lipid Res 1995;36:1787-95. DOI
- Voon PT, Ng TK, Lee VK, Nesaretnam K. Diets high in palmitic acid (16:0), lauric and myristic acids (12:0 + 14:0), or oleic acid (18:1) do not alter postprandial or fasting plasma homocysteine and inflammatory markers in healthy Malaysian adults. Am J Cli PubMed
- Anagnostou K. Coconut Allergy Revisited. Children (Basel). 2017;4(10). pii: E85. PubMed
- Michavila Gomez A, Amat Bou M, Gonzalez Cortés MV, Segura Navas L, Moreno Palanques MA, Bartolomé B. Coconut anaphylaxis: Case report and review. Allergol Immunopathol (Madr). 2015;43(2):219-20. PubMed
- Vijayakumar M, Vasudevan DM, Sundaram KR, et al. A randomized study of coconut oil versus sunflower oil on cardiovascular risk factors in patients with stable coronary heart disease. Indian Heart J. 2016 Jul-Aug;68(4):498-506. PubMed
- Khaw KT, Sharp SJ, Finikarides L, et al. Randomised trial of coconut oil, olive oil or butter on blood lipids and other cardiovascular risk factors in healthy men and women. BMJ Open. 2018;8(3):e020167. PubMed
- Neelakantan N, Seah JYH, van Dam RM. The effect of coconut oil consumption on cardiovascular risk factors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials. Circulation. 2020;141(10):803-814. PubMed
- Teng M, Zhao YJ, Khoo AL, Yeo TC, Yong QW, Lim BP. Impact of coconut oil consumption on cardiovascular health: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Rev. 2020;78(3):249-259. PubMed
- Jayawardena R, Swarnamali H, Lanerolle P, Ranasinghe P. Effect of coconut oil on cardio-metabolic risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis of interventional studies. Diabetes Metab Syndr 2020;14(6):2007-20. PubMed
- Nikooei P, Hosseinzadeh-Attar MJ, Asghari S, Norouzy A, Yaseri M, Vasheghani-Farahani A. Effects of virgin coconut oil consumption on metabolic syndrome components and asymmetric dimethylarginine: a randomized controlled clinical trial. Nutr Metab Cardiov PubMed
- Angeles-Agdeppa I, Nacis JS, Capanzana MV, Dayrit FM, Tanda KV. Virgin coconut oil is effective in lowering C-reactive protein levels among suspect and probable cases of COVID-19. J Funct Foods 2021;83:104557. PubMed
- Alejandria MM, Dalmacio LMM, Climacosa FMM, et al. Virgin Coconut Oil as Adjunctive Therapy for Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients in a Tertiary Referral Hospital: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Acta Med Philipp 2024;58(8):31-41.
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.
Taking Coconut Oil and Gemcitabine Together: Common Questions
Is it safe to take Coconut Oil with Gemcitabine?
Do Coconut Oil and Gemcitabine have any of the same side effects?
Are Coconut Oil and Gemcitabine used for the same thing?
Does Gemcitabine interact with any supplements?
Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy
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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.