Drug & supplement interaction

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) + Cilostazol

Cilostazol brand name: Pletal.

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

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) has a moderate interaction with Cilostazol. Theoretically, CLA may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
Know someone taking this? Share
Facebook Post Reddit Email
On this page
Interaction report

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) and Cilostazol

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

Moderate

ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS

Why this applies to Cilostazol

Cilostazol falls under ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS — the group Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) interacts with.

Theoretically, CLA may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Some clinical evidence suggests that intake of CLA reduces platelet aggregation by approximately 10%. The clinical significance of this effect is unclear.
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 simple version. Cilostazol (Pletal) is an antiplatelet medicine, which means it already makes your platelets a little less sticky to help blood move through narrowed leg vessels. CLA has been shown in some studies to nudge platelet clumping down by roughly 10%, so the worry is that stacking the two could add up and slightly raise your chance of bleeding or bruising.

To be fair, this concern is mostly theoretical and based on how these things work, not strong human studies, so I wouldn't panic. Still, keep an eye out for easy bruising, nosebleeds, bleeding gums, or cuts that are slow to stop. Before you add a CLA supplement, just run it by your pharmacist or doctor so they can check your full medication list with you.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Sofi, F., Buccioni, A., Cesari, F., Gori, A. M., Minieri, S., Mannini, L., Casini, A., Gensini, G. F., Abbate, R., and Antongiovanni, M. Effects of a dairy product (pecorino cheese) naturally rich in cis-9, trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid on lipid, inf

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

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) Also Interacts With Other Medications

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) has 288 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Cilostazol one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 288 No known interaction 2,542 (incl. Cilostazol)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla)

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla). Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) or Cilostazol

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) or Cilostazol, 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 Cilostazol

This page covers Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Cilostazol page lists 286 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Danshen (major), Grapefruit (major), Piracetam (major) and St. John's Wort (major).

By severity: 5 major · 240 moderate · 41 minor.

Open the Cilostazol interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) and Cilostazol 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 Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla)
Steady interest

#1,415 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Cilostazol
Steady interest

#1,518 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 Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla)

What is Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla)?

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla)
  • Weight loss
  • Improving body composition
  • Sports and muscle support
  • Reducing inflammation
  • General wellness

CLA is a fatty acid found naturally in meat and dairy, and supplements are usually made from safflower oil. While it is popular for fat loss and body composition, research results are mixed and any real-world effect appears small at best. It is likely safe for short-term use in most healthy adults, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before starting it.

Read the full Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Cilostazol

What Is Cilostazol Used For?

Brand name: Pletal

Cilostazol tablets are approved to reduce the symptoms of intermittent claudication (cramping leg pain that comes on during walking due to reduced blood flow in the arteries). The goal is to help you walk farther before pain forces you to stop.

See full Cilostazol drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla)

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
288Moderate
0Minor
2,541No known interaction
288 Moderate 2,541 No interaction
Moderate

288 interactions

Showing 60 of 288 moderate interactions — see all 288 on the Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) page.

No interaction 2,541 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,541 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) list.

See the full Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) interactions page
See every supplement checked against Cilostazol, 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
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Cilostazol supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Cilostazol, ranked by severity Cilostazol 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 Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) and Cilostazol Together: Common Questions

Can you take Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) with Cilostazol?
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 Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) and Cilostazol 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 Cilostazol and Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla)?

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.