Drug & supplement interaction

Coffee + Furosemide

Furosemide brand name: Lasix.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Coffee has a moderate interaction with Furosemide. Theoretically, concomitant use might increase the risk of hypokalemia.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
Know someone taking this? Share
Interaction report

Coffee and Furosemide

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

Moderate

DIURETIC DRUGS

Why this applies to Furosemide

Furosemide falls under DIURETIC DRUGS — the group Coffee interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use might increase the risk of hypokalemia.
Coffee contains caffeine. Caffeine, especially in excessive amounts, can reduce potassium levels due to stimulation of the sodium-potassium pump. Diuretics can also cause lower potassium levels.
Severity Moderate 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 if you're on furosemide (Lasix) and enjoy your coffee. Furosemide already pulls potassium out of your body through your urine, and that's one of the main things we watch for with this water pill. Caffeine, especially in large amounts, may also nudge potassium a little lower by pushing it into your cells. So in theory, the two together could add up and leave your potassium running low.

I want to be honest though, this is a theoretical concern based on how these work, not strong real-world proof. A normal cup or two of coffee is very unlikely to be a problem. The bigger risk comes from heavy daily caffeine. Low potassium can show up as muscle cramps, weakness, or an irregular heartbeat, so if you notice those, or you drink a lot of coffee, mention it to your pharmacist or doctor.

References
  1. Norager, C. B., Jensen, M. B., Weimann, A., and Madsen, M. R. Metabolic effects of caffeine ingestion and physical work in 75-year old citizens. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 2006;65(2):223-228. PubMed
  2. Simmonds, M. J., Minahan, C. L., and Sabapathy, S. Caffeine improves supramaximal cycling but not the rate of anaerobic energy release. Eur.J Appl Physiol 2010;109(2):287-295. PubMed
  3. Rigato, I., Blarasin, L., and Kette, F. Severe hypokalemia in 2 young bicycle riders due to massive caffeine intake. Clin J Sport Med. 2010;20(2):128-130. PubMed
  4. Ernest, D., Chia, M., and Corallo, C. E. Profound hypokalaemia due to Nurofen Plus and Red Bull misuse. Crit Care Resusc. 2010;12(2):109-110. DOI
  5. Clausen, T. Hormonal and pharmacological modification of plasma potassium homeostasis. Fundam.Clin Pharmacol 2010;24(5):595-605. PubMed

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

Coffee Also Interacts With Other Medications

Coffee has 8 major, 466 moderate, 116 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Furosemide one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Coffee

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Coffee or Furosemide

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

This page covers Coffee only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Furosemide page lists 227 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), Asarabacca (major) and Lithium (major).

By severity: 9 major · 193 moderate · 25 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Furosemide page

“Yellow dock is where I would start with furosemide (Lasix). This water pill already flushes potassium, and heavy yellow dock use can compound that loss, one of nine major-rated interactions on a list of 227 that deserves genuine care.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Furosemide interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 716 real supplement products containing Coffee, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Coffee. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Furosemide too, on top of Coffee — 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 Coffee and Furosemide 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 Coffee
Top 5%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Furosemide
Steady interest

#1,514 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 Coffee

What is Coffee?

  • Alertness and reducing fatigue
  • Mental focus and concentration
  • Athletic performance
  • Headache relief
  • Weight management

Coffee is a widely consumed beverage made from roasted coffee beans, valued mainly for its caffeine, which boosts alertness and energy. For most healthy adults, moderate coffee intake is generally safe and may have some health benefits, but too much can cause jitteriness, poor sleep, and a faster heartbeat. People who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or sensitive to caffeine should limit their intake and check with a doctor or pharmacist.

Read the full Coffee monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Furosemide

What Is Furosemide Used For?

Brand name: Lasix

Furosemide tablets and oral solution are used in adults and children to treat edema (fluid buildup) caused by congestive heart failure, cirrhosis of the liver, and kidney disease, including nephrotic syndrome. In adults, oral furosemide is also used to treat high blood pressure, alone or alongside other blood pressure medications.

Furosemide injection is reserved for patients who cannot take oral medicine or for emergency situations such as acute pulmonary edema (sudden dangerous fluid in the lungs). Furoscix (subcutaneous injection) is specifically indicated for edema in adults with chronic heart failure or chronic kidney disease, including nephrotic syndrome, and in pediatric patients weighing at least 43 kg. Lasix Onyu (subcutaneous injection) is indicated for edema in adults with chronic heart failure only.

See full Furosemide drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Coffee

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

8Major
466Moderate
116Minor
2,239No known interaction
Major

8 interactions

Moderate

466 interactions

Showing 60 of 466 moderate interactions — see all 466 on the Coffee page.

Minor

116 interactions

Showing 60 of 116 minor interactions — see all 116 on the Coffee page.

No interaction 2,239 drugs checked — show the list
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
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Coffee and Furosemide Together: Common Questions

Can you take Coffee with Furosemide?
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 Coffee and Furosemide 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 Furosemide and Coffee?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.