Drug & supplement interaction

Dhea + Clonidine

Clonidine brand name: Catapres.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Dhea and Clonidine 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

Dhea and Clonidine

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 Clonidine and Dhea 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.

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.

Dhea safety at a glance

Dhea overall Use caution As a hormone, DHEA can cause hormonal side effects and should be used only with medical guidance.
Pregnancy Possibly Unsafe When used orally. DHEA can cause higher than normal androgen levels, which might adversely affect pregnancy or a nursing infant. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Possibly Unsafe When used orally. DHEA can cause higher than normal androgen levels, which might adversely affect pregnancy or a nursing infant. Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Clonidine and Dhea? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Clonidine

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Clonidine is filed under 4 classifications — including alpha-adrenergic agonists, antihypertensive drugs, oral drugs. Dhea has documented interactions with 10 drug classes — the most serious being anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs (moderate), antidepressant drugs (moderate) and aromatase inhibitors (moderate) — and none of Clonidine’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Dhea Does Interact With Other Medications

Dhea has 768 moderate, 8 minor known drug interactions in our database — Clonidine isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Dhea

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Dhea and Clonidine 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. One of them is worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Raised blood pressure Worth acting on reported in 5.7% of FDA reports for Clonidine Additional detail

    Dhea

    “Incidences of arrhythmia, chest pain, palpitations, hypertension, and transient ischemic attacks have been reported. DHEA has also been found to decrease high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels and increase triglycerides.”

    Dhea · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in arrhythmia.

    6 sources cited
    1. 21334. Penisson-Besnier, I., Devillers, M., Porcher, R., Orlikowski, D., Doppler, V., Desnuelle, C., Ferrer, X., Bes, M. C., Bouhour, F., Tranchant, C., Lagrange, E., Vershueren, A., Uzenot, D., Cintas, P., Sole, G., Hogrel, J. Y., Laforet, P., Vial, C., Vila, A
    2. 47540. Sahelian, R. and Borken, S. Dehydroepiandrosterone and cardiac arrhythmia. Ann Intern.Med 10-1-1998;129(7):588. PubMed
    3. 21332. von Muhlen D., Laughlin, G. A., Kritz-Silverstein, D., Bergstrom, J., Bettencourt, R. Effect of dehydroepiandrosterone supplementation on bone mineral density, bone markers, and body composition in older adults: the DAWN trial. Osteoporos Int 2008;19(5):
    4. 21333. Kritz-Silverstein, D., von, Muhlen D., Laughlin, G. A., Bettencourt, R. Effects of dehydroepiandrosterone supplementation on cognitive function and quality of life: the DHEA and Well-Ness (DAWN) Trial. J Am Geriatr Soc 2008;56(7):1292-8. PubMed
    5. 21353. Jankowski, C. M., Gozansky, W. S., Schwartz, R. S., Dahl, D. J., Kittelson, J. M., Scott, S. M., Van Pelt, R. E., Kohrt, W. M. Effects of dehydroepiandrosterone replacement therapy on bone mineral density in older adults: a randomized, controlled trial. J PubMed
    6. 21354. Forsblad-d'Elia, H., Carlsten, H., Labrie, F., Konttinen, Y. T., Ohlsson, C. Low serum levels of sex steroids are associated with disease characteristics in primary Sjogren's syndrome; supplementation with dehydroepiandrosterone restores the concentration

    Clonidine

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

  • Mood changes or irritability Additional detail

    Dhea

    “DHEA-induced mania has been reported. Clinical studies have also reported anxiety, nervousness, irritability, emotional change, and depression in patients receiving DHEA.”

    Dhea · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in anxiety.

    6 sources cited
    1. 5870. Kline MD, Jaggers ED. Mania onset while using dehydroepiandrosterone (letter). Am J Psychiatry 1999;156:971. PubMed
    2. 6102. Markowitz JS, Carson WH, Jackson CW. Possible dihydroepiandrosterone-induced mania. Biol Psychiatry 1999;45:241-2. PubMed
    3. 7023. Dean CE. Prasterone (DHEA) and mania. Ann Pharmacother 2000;34:1419-22. PubMed
    4. 21383. Vacheron-Trystram, M. N., Cheref, S., Gauillard, J., Plas, J. [A case report of mania precipitated by use of DHEA]. Encephale 2002;28(6 Pt 1):563-6.
    5. 2114. Van Vollenhoven RF, Engleman EG, McGurie JL. Dehydroepiandrosterone in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Arth Rheum 1995;38:1826-31. DOI
    6. 21358. Pillemer, S. R., Brennan, M. T., Sankar, V., Leakan, R. A., Smith, J. A., Grisius, M., Ligier, S., Radfar, L., Kok, M. R., Kingman, A., Fox, P. C. Pilot clinical trial of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) versus placebo for Sjogren's syndrome. Arthritis Rheum

    Clonidine

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

  • A stuffy or runny nose Additional detail

    Dhea

    “Increased cough and nasal congestion have been noted in human research. A report of acute respiratory failure was made in clinical study evaluating the use of DHEA in patients with myotonic dystrophy (type 1).”

    Dhea · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cough.

    1 source cited
    1. 21334. Penisson-Besnier, I., Devillers, M., Porcher, R., Orlikowski, D., Doppler, V., Desnuelle, C., Ferrer, X., Bes, M. C., Bouhour, F., Tranchant, C., Lagrange, E., Vershueren, A., Uzenot, D., Cintas, P., Sole, G., Hogrel, J. Y., Laforet, P., Vial, C., Vila, A

    Clonidine

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

  • A fast or pounding heartbeat Additional detail

    Dhea

    Recorded for Dhea in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Raised blood pressure above.

    Clonidine

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

  • Trouble sleeping Additional detail

    Dhea

    “In humans, dizziness, fatigue, malaise, sleep disturbances, increased dreaming, night sweats, restlessness, "painful spots," and a crawling scalp sensation have been reported. There is a case of seizure associated with DHEA use in a 30 year-old female with fragile X syndrome and no history of convulsive disorder who used DHEA to try to improve ovarian production.”

    Dhea · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in epilepsy.

    1 source cited
    1. 47344. Karp, G., Bentov, Y., Masalha, R., and Ifergane, G. Onset of late posttraumatic seizure after dehydroepiandrosterone treatment. Fertil.Steril. 2009;91(3):931-932. PubMed

    Clonidine

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

  • Tiredness reported in 6.2% of FDA reports for Clonidine Additional detail

    Dhea

    “Incidences of asthenia, arthralgia, and myalgia, including calf cramps, have been reported.”

    Dhea · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in myalgia.

    Clonidine

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

  • Dizziness Additional detail

    Dhea

    Recorded for Dhea in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Trouble sleeping above.

    Clonidine

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

  • Headache reported in 6.0% of FDA reports for Clonidine Additional detail

    Dhea

    Recorded for Dhea in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Mood changes or irritability above.

    Clonidine

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

  • Nausea reported in 6.1% of FDA reports for Clonidine Additional detail

    Dhea

    “Gastrointestinal disturbances such as nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal discomfort have been noted in human research.”

    Dhea · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in diarrhea.

    Clonidine

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

  • A skin rash Additional detail

    Dhea

    “Acne has been the most commonly reported adverse effect in human research, particularly in females. However, it is generally mild and may be treated by reducing the dose. Incidences of contact dermatitis, acneiform dermatitis, greasy hair and skin, keratosis, skin rash, erythema, scalp itching, and skin spots have also been reported.”

    Dhea · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in acne.

    6 sources cited
    1. 2113. Van Vollenhoven RF, Morabito LM, Engleman EG, et al. Treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus with dehydroepiandrosterone: 50 patients treated up to 12 months. J Rheumatol 1998;25:285-9.
    2. 2114. Van Vollenhoven RF, Engleman EG, McGurie JL. Dehydroepiandrosterone in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Arth Rheum 1995;38:1826-31. DOI
    3. 4242. Labrie F, Diamond P, Cusan L, et al. Effect of 12 month dehydroepiandrosterone replacement therapy on bone, vagina, and endometrium in postmenopausal women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1997;82:3498-505. PubMed
    4. 7614. Hunt PJ, Gurnell EM, Huppert FA, et al. Improvement in mood and fatigue after dehydroepiandrosterone replacement in Addison's disease in a randomized, double blind trial. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2000;85:4650-6.. PubMed
    5. 7559. Himmel PB, Seligman TM. A Pilot Study Employing Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in the Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. [Abstract]. J Clin Rheumatol 1999:5:56-9. PubMed
    6. 12561. Petri MA, Mease PJ, Merrill JT, et al. Effects of prasterone on disease activity and symptoms in women with active systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis Rheum 2004;50:2858-68. PubMed

    Clonidine

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

Reported for Dhea but not commonly for Clonidine: stomach upset, breast tenderness, anxiety or restlessness and sweating.

Effects for Clonidine come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Dhea come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 57,112 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Clonidine 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.

Special populations

Dhea in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Possibly Unsafe

When used orally. DHEA can cause higher than normal androgen levels, which might adversely affect pregnancy or a nursing infant.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

From our Q&A

Questions About Dhea or Clonidine

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

This page covers Dhea only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Clonidine page lists 138 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), Tyramine (major) and Adrafinil (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 113 moderate · 21 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Clonidine page

“American hellebore is the ingredient I would want a clonidine (Catapres) patient to know about first. Its alkaloids lower blood pressure even in small doses and slow the heart, both things clonidine already does, so the combination can drop someone dangerously low.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Clonidine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 945 real supplement products containing Dhea, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Dhea. Even though Dhea itself has no known interaction with Clonidine, 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 Dhea and Clonidine 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 Dhea
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Clonidine
Top half

#959 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 Dhea reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Dhea and Clonidine 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 Dhea

What is Dhea?

Dhea
  • Anti-aging and low DHEA levels
  • Mood and depression
  • Vaginal dryness and sexual health
  • Fertility support
  • Muscle mass and athletic performance
  • Adrenal insufficiency

DHEA is a natural hormone that the body makes and that declines with age, and it is sold as a supplement claiming many benefits. The evidence is mixed and limited for most uses, and because it acts as a hormone it can cause real side effects. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you have a hormone-sensitive condition.

DHEA is a hormone made by the body; supplements are made synthetically, often from compounds found in wild yam or soy · Capsules, tablets, sublingual drops, topical creams, vaginal inserts (prasterone)

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

Dhea: dosing

There is no single standard dose of DHEA, and the right amount depends on the reason for use, the person, and the product. Doses used in research vary widely.If you and your healthcare provider decide DHEA is appropriate, follow the directions on the product label and use the lowest amount that meets your needs. The prescription vaginal product (prasterone) has its own specific dosing set by a doctor.Because DHEA is a hormone, it is wise to have a pharmacist or doctor guide your dose rather than self-prescribing. Do not assume a higher dose is safer or more effective.

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

Read the full Dhea monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Clonidine

What Is Clonidine Used For?

Brand name: Catapres

Clonidine is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). Several products — including Clonidine Hydrochloride tablets, Javadin oral solution, Nexiclon XR extended-release tablets, and Catapres-TTS skin patches — are approved for this use, either alone or combined with other blood pressure medicines.

Extended-release formulations — including Onyda XR oral suspension and clonidine hydrochloride extended-release tablets (such as Kapvay) — are approved to treat ADHD in children and teenagers ages 6 to 17, either on their own or alongside stimulant medications. Separately, clonidine injection products (Duraclon and others) are used alongside opioid pain medicines to treat severe cancer pain that opioids alone cannot control adequately.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Clonidine

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (57,112 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 3,519 reports
Nausea 3,475 reports
Headache 3,432 reports
Hypertension 3,275 reports
Dyspnea 2,748 reports
See full Clonidine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Dhea

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

0Major
768Moderate
8Minor
2,053No known interaction
Moderate

768 interactions

Showing 60 of 768 moderate interactions — see all 768 on the Dhea page.

Minor

8 interactions

No interaction 2,053 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Dhea References

The 98 references that drive our Dhea 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. Frye RF, Kroboth PD, Folan MM, et al. Effect of DHEA on CYP3A-mediated metabolism of triazolam. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2000;67:109 (abstract PI-82).
  2. Kuritzky L. DHEA: Science or wishful thinking? Hosp Pract 1998;33:85-6. PubMed
  3. Van Vollenhoven RF, Morabito LM, Engleman EG, et al. Treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus with dehydroepiandrosterone: 50 patients treated up to 12 months. J Rheumatol 1998;25:285-9.
  4. Van Vollenhoven RF, Engleman EG, McGurie JL. Dehydroepiandrosterone in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Arth Rheum 1995;38:1826-31. DOI
  5. Ebeling P, Koivisto VA. Physiological importance of dehydroepiandrosterone. Lancet 1994;343:1479-81. PubMed
  6. Yen SS, Morales AJ, Khorram O. Replacement of DHEA in aging men and women. Potential remedial effects. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1995;774:128-42. PubMed
  7. Labrie F, Diamond P, Cusan L, et al. Effect of 12 month dehydroepiandrosterone replacement therapy on bone, vagina, and endometrium in postmenopausal women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1997;82:3498-505. PubMed
  8. Casson PR, Faquin LC, Stentz FB. Replacement of dehydroepiandrosterone enhances T-lymphocyte insulin binding in postmenopausal women. (abstract) Fertil Steril 1995;63:1027-31. DOI
  9. Morales AJ, Haubrich RH, Hwang JY, et al. The effect of six months treatment with a 100 mg daily dose of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on circulating sex steroids, body composition and muscle strength in age-advanced men and women. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf)1 PubMed
  10. Arlt W, Justl H, Callies F, et al. Oral dehydroepiandrosterone for adrenal androgen replacement: pharmacokinetics and peripheral conversion to androgens and estrogens in young healthy females after dexamethasone suppression. [Abstract] J Clin Endocrinol PubMed
  11. Kline MD, Jaggers ED. Mania onset while using dehydroepiandrosterone (letter). Am J Psychiatry 1999;156:971. PubMed
  12. Callies F, Arlt W, Siekmann L, et al. Influence of oral dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on urinary steroid metabolites in males and females. Steroids 2000;65:98-102. PubMed
  13. Markowitz JS, Carson WH, Jackson CW. Possible dihydroepiandrosterone-induced mania. Biol Psychiatry 1999;45:241-2. PubMed
  14. Stoll BA. Dietary supplements of dehydroepiandrosterone in relation to breast cancer risk. Eur J Clin Nutr 1999;53:771-5. PubMed
  15. Dean CE. Prasterone (DHEA) and mania. Ann Pharmacother 2000;34:1419-22. 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 Dhea and Clonidine Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Dhea with Clonidine?
We do not list a known interaction between Dhea and Clonidine. 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 Dhea and Clonidine have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 10 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.
How was the Dhea and Clonidine combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Clonidine is filed under 4 classifications, and Dhea has documented interactions with 10 drug classes — none of Clonidine's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Dhea interact with any other medications?
Yes. Dhea has 776 documented drug interactions in our database — Clonidine is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Clonidine interact with any supplements?
Yes. Clonidine has documented interactions with 138 supplements in our database — Dhea is not one of them. The Clonidine interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Clonidine and Dhea?

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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.