Drug & supplement interaction

Dhea + Dexchlorpheniramine

Dexchlorpheniramine brand names: Polaramine, Polaramine Repetabs.

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

Dhea has a moderate interaction with Dexchlorpheniramine. Theoretically, DHEA might increase the levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.

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

Dhea and Dexchlorpheniramine

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Dexchlorpheniramine

Dexchlorpheniramine falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES — the group Dhea interacts with.

Theoretically, DHEA might increase the levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.
Some preliminary evidence shows that DHEA may inhibit CYP3A4; however, the clinical significance of this potential interaction is not known.
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 gist: your body uses a liver enzyme called CYP3A4 to help clear dexchlorpheniramine (Polaramine) from your system. There's some early, anecdotal hints that DHEA might slow that enzyme down a bit. If that happened, your antihistamine could linger a little longer and hit a touch harder.

In real terms, that might mean more of the usual dexchlorpheniramine effects, like drowsiness, dry mouth, dizziness, or feeling foggy. I want to be straight with you, though: this is theoretical and based on weak evidence, and the actual impact in people isn't known. For most folks it's unlikely to be a big deal, but if you take both, run it by your pharmacist or doctor, especially if you notice extra sleepiness.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  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).

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

Dhea Also Interacts With Other Medications

Dhea has 767 moderate, 8 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Dexchlorpheniramine one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 767 Minor 8 No known interaction 2,055 (incl. Dexchlorpheniramine)
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.

From our Q&A

Questions About Dhea or Dexchlorpheniramine

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 Dexchlorpheniramine, 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 Dexchlorpheniramine

This page covers Dhea only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Dexchlorpheniramine page lists 198 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Grapefruit (major), Henbane (major), Lithium (major) and Scopolia (major).

By severity: 6 major · 149 moderate · 43 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Dexchlorpheniramine page

“An allergy antihistamine like dexchlorpheniramine (Polaramine) sounds mild, but its interaction list warrants genuine care, and six of the 198 entries carry a major rating. The biggest cluster, 121 ingredients, can raise or lower the drug's blood levels through the liver enzyme that breaks it down.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Dexchlorpheniramine 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. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Dexchlorpheniramine too, on top of Dhea — 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 Dhea and Dexchlorpheniramine 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%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Dexchlorpheniramine
Top half

#1,089 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 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.

Read the full Dhea monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Chlorpheniramine

What Is Chlorpheniramine Used For?

Brand names: Polaramine, Polaramine Repetabs

Chlorpheniramine is used to temporarily relieve common allergy symptoms caused by hay fever (allergic rhinitis) or other upper respiratory allergies. These include runny nose, sneezing, itchy or watery eyes, and itching of the nose or throat.

These uses are supported across multiple products — including tablets (such as Aller-chlor, Allergy, Allergy Relief, Allergy Time, Anti Allergy, and Chlorpheniramine Maleate), extended-release tablets (Allergy Relief and Chlorphen-12), the oral solution Ed Chlorped Jr, and the inhalers ClorRelief and ClorRelief KIDs.

See full Chlorpheniramine 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
767Moderate
8Minor
2,054No known interaction
767 Moderate 8 Minor 2,054 No interaction
Moderate

767 interactions

Showing 60 of 767 moderate interactions — see all 767 on the Dhea page.

Minor

8 interactions

No interaction 2,054 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Dhea against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,054 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Dhea list.

See the full Dhea interactions page
See every supplement checked against Dexchlorpheniramine, 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
Dhea monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Dexchlorpheniramine supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Dexchlorpheniramine, ranked by severity Chlorpheniramine 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 Dhea and Dexchlorpheniramine Together: Common Questions

Can you take Dhea with Dexchlorpheniramine?
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 Dhea and Dexchlorpheniramine 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 Dexchlorpheniramine 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.