Drug & supplement interaction

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) + Verapamil

Verapamil brand names: Isoptin SR, Verelan, Isoptin, Calan SR, Verelan SR, and others.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) has a moderate interaction with Verapamil. Theoretically, taking CLA with antihypertensive drugs might increase the risk of hypotension.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceA
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) and Verapamil

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

Moderate

ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS

Why this applies to Verapamil

Verapamil falls under ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS — the group Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) interacts with.

Theoretically, taking CLA with antihypertensive drugs might increase the risk of hypotension.
Animal research suggests that a particular form of CLA reduces systolic blood pressure. Also, some clinical research shows that CLA enhances the blood pressure-lowering effects of ramipril, an antihypertensive drug.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence A

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: CLA may gently push your blood pressure down on its own, and verapamil is already working to lower it. Put them together and those effects can add up, so your pressure could dip a little lower than expected. That might show up as feeling lightheaded, dizzy when you stand up, unusually tired, or even a slower heartbeat, since verapamil already slows the heart.

I'll be honest about the evidence. Most of this comes from animal work plus one study where CLA boosted the effect of a different blood pressure drug (ramipril), not verapamil specifically, so for you this is more theoretical than certain. You don't need to panic, but it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor before starting CLA, and keep an eye on your readings if you do.

References
  1. Nagao, K., Inoue, N., Wang, Y. M., Hirata, J., Shimada, Y., Nagao, T., Matsui, T., and Yanagita, T. The 10trans,12cis isomer of conjugated linoleic acid suppresses the development of hypertension in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima fatty rats. Biochem.Biophys PubMed
  2. Zhao, W. S., Zhai, J. J., Wang, Y. H., Xie, P. S., Yin, X. J., Li, L. X., and Cheng, K. L. Conjugated linoleic acid supplementation enhances antihypertensive effect of ramipril in Chinese patients with obesity-related hypertension. Am.J Hypertens. 2009;2 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

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) Also Interacts With Other Medications

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) has 288 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Verapamil 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 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 Verapamil

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 Verapamil, 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 Verapamil

This page covers Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Verapamil page lists 295 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), Beer (major) and Coleus (major).

By severity: 10 major · 245 moderate · 40 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Verapamil page

“This is one of the longer interaction lists we publish, and with verapamil (Calan, Verelan) it warrants genuine care, starting with the ten major-rated entries. Verapamil lowers blood pressure and slows the heart, so most of the 295 ingredients on file either push that effect further than intended or change how much of the drug reaches…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Verapamil interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) and Verapamil 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

#1,426 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Verapamil
Top 25%

#665 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 Verapamil

What Is Verapamil Used For?

Brand names: Isoptin SR, Verelan, Isoptin, Calan SR, Verelan SR, Calan, Covera HS, Verap, Veramil

Verapamil tablets and film-coated tablets are used to treat angina — including vasospastic (Prinzmetal's) angina, unstable angina, and chronic stable angina — as well as certain abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) and high blood pressure (essential hypertension). For arrhythmias, regular-release tablets are used alongside digoxin to control heart rate in atrial flutter or atrial fibrillation, and to help prevent episodes of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), a type of rapid heartbeat.

Extended-release and sustained-release oral forms (tablets and capsules) are indicated specifically for high blood pressure. Verapamil hydrochloride injection is used in hospital settings for rapid conversion of SVT to normal rhythm and for temporary control of fast heart rates in atrial flutter or atrial fibrillation.

See full Verapamil 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
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
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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) and Verapamil Together: Common Questions

Can you take Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) with Verapamil?
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 Verapamil 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

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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.