Drug & supplement interaction

Docosahexaenoic Acid (dha) + Naproxen

Naproxen brand names: Naprosyn, Naprelan, Anaprox, Anaprox DS, Naproxyn, and others.

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

Docosahexaenoic Acid (dha) has a moderate interaction with Naproxen. Theoretically, DHA may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.

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

Docosahexaenoic Acid (dha) and Naproxen

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

Moderate

ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS

Why this applies to Naproxen

Naproxen falls under ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS — the group Docosahexaenoic Acid (dha) interacts with.

Theoretically, DHA may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Although some clinical evidence suggests that DHA might reduce collagen-stimulated platelet aggregation and thromboxane release, most clinical evidence suggests that DHA alone does not affect blood clotting. However, theoretically, when given in combination with EPA as fish oil, concomitant use with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs (including aspirin) might increase risk of bleeding.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Unlikely Evidence B

Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the simple version: naproxen already nudges up your bleeding risk a little because it affects how your platelets stick together and can irritate the stomach lining. DHA, on its own, doesn't seem to thin the blood much in most studies. But when you stack a fish oil supplement on top of naproxen, there's a theoretical chance the two together could make bleeding or bruising a bit more likely.

In real life this is rated unlikely, and the evidence is limited. Still, keep an eye out for easy bruising, nosebleeds, dark or bloody stools, or stomach pain. If you notice any of that, or you take other blood thinners, check in with your pharmacist or doctor before changing anything.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Leng GC, Smith FB, Fowkes FG, et al. Relationship between plasma essential fatty acids and smoking, serum lipids, blood pressure and haemostatic and rheological factors. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 1994;51:101-8. PubMed
  2. Nelson GJ, Schmidt PS, Bartolini GL, et al. The effect of dietary docosahexaenoic acid on platelet function, platelet fatty acid composition, and blood coagulation in humans. Lipids 1997;32:1129-36. PubMed
  3. Woodman, R. J., Mori, T. A., Burke, V., Puddey, I. B., Barden, A., Watts, G. F., and Beilin, L. J. Effects of purified eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid on platelet, fibrinolytic and vascular function in hypertensive type 2 diabetic patients 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

Docosahexaenoic Acid (dha) Also Interacts With Other Medications

Docosahexaenoic Acid (dha) has 374 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Naproxen one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 374 No known interaction 2,456 (incl. Naproxen)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Docosahexaenoic Acid (dha)

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Docosahexaenoic Acid (dha) or Naproxen

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

This page covers Docosahexaenoic Acid (dha) only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Naproxen page lists 311 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major), Danshen (major) and Piracetam (major).

By severity: 7 major · 260 moderate · 44 minor.

Open the Naproxen interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Docosahexaenoic Acid (dha) and Naproxen 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 Docosahexaenoic Acid (dha)
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Naproxen
Top 5%

#48 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 Docosahexaenoic Acid (dha)

What is Docosahexaenoic Acid (dha)?

Docosahexaenoic Acid (dha)
  • Brain and cognitive health
  • Eye and vision health
  • Fetal and infant development
  • Heart and triglyceride support
  • General omega-3 supplementation

DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid found in fatty fish and algae that is a building block for the brain, nervous system, and eyes. It is widely used and generally well tolerated, with the strongest support for fetal/infant development and lowering triglycerides; evidence for many other uses is mixed. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, especially if you are pregnant, have a bleeding risk, or take blood thinners.

Read the full Docosahexaenoic Acid (dha) monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Naproxen

What Is Naproxen Used For?

Brand names: Naprosyn, Naprelan, Anaprox, Anaprox DS, Naproxyn, Navalbine, Naproxen, Naprosyn EC, Napro-Na, Aleve, Arthroxen, Synflex, EC-Naprosyn

Naproxen tablets, naproxen sodium tablets, and naproxen oral suspension are used to relieve the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis. They are also used for tendonitis, bursitis, and acute gout, and for managing pain and primary dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps).

Naproxen Sodium Controlled-Release Tablets are indicated for the same conditions plus the relief of mild to moderate pain. Several over-the-counter naproxen sodium products are indicated for the temporary relief of minor aches and pains from headache, backache, muscular aches, toothache, menstrual cramps, minor arthritis pain, and the common cold, and to temporarily reduce fever.

See full Naproxen drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Docosahexaenoic Acid (dha)

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

0Major
374Moderate
0Minor
2,455No known interaction
374 Moderate 2,455 No interaction
Moderate

374 interactions

Showing 60 of 374 moderate interactions — see all 374 on the Docosahexaenoic Acid (dha) page.

No interaction 2,455 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,455 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Docosahexaenoic Acid (dha) list.

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

Can you take Docosahexaenoic Acid (dha) with Naproxen?
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 Docosahexaenoic Acid (dha) and Naproxen 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 Naproxen and Docosahexaenoic Acid (dha)?

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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.