Drug & supplement interaction

Dulse + Desiccated Thyroid Extract

Desiccated Thyroid Extract brand names: Westhroid, WP Thyroid.

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

Dulse has a moderate interaction with Desiccated Thyroid Extract. Theoretically, due to its iodine content, dulse might alter the effects of thyroid hormone.

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

Dulse and Desiccated Thyroid Extract

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

Moderate

THYROID HORMONE

Why this applies to Desiccated Thyroid Extract

Desiccated Thyroid Extract falls under THYROID HORMONE — the group Dulse interacts with.

Theoretically, due to its iodine content, dulse might alter the effects of thyroid hormone.
Dulse is rich in iodine. Iodine in high doses has been reported to cause both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, depending on the individual's past medical history. Although dulse has been associated with a statistically significant increase in thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in clinical research, clinically significant increases have not been documented.
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 thing with desiccated thyroid extract (like Westhroid or WP Thyroid): you take it to keep your thyroid levels steady. Dulse is a seaweed that's naturally loaded with iodine, and iodine is one of the building blocks your body uses for thyroid hormone. So adding a concentrated dulse supplement on top of your medication can nudge your thyroid balance in either direction, and that's tricky to predict from person to person.

To be honest, this concern is mostly theoretical, based on how iodine behaves rather than strong real-world cases. Eating dulse occasionally as a food is unlikely to be a problem. But high-dose supplements could throw things off, leaving you feeling jittery and racing-hearted (too much) or sluggish and tired (too little). Please check with your pharmacist or doctor before adding it.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Allsopp P, Crowe W, Bahar B, et al. The effect of consuming Palmaria palmata-enriched bread on inflammatory markers, antioxidant status, lipid profile and thyroid function in a randomised placebo-controlled intervention trial in healthy adults. Eur J Nutr PubMed
  2. Takase T, Nakamura A, Miyoshi H, et al. Effects of Palmaria palmata on lipid metabolism and glycemic control in participants with hypercholesterolemia in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Phytother Res. 2020.

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

Dulse Also Interacts With Other Medications

Dulse has 22 moderate, 62 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Desiccated Thyroid Extract one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 22 Minor 62 No known interaction 2,746 (incl. Desiccated Thyroid Extract)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Dulse

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Desiccated Thyroid Extract

This page covers Dulse only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Desiccated Thyroid Extract page lists 38 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Tiratricol (major), Acetyl-l-carnitine (moderate), Alpha-lipoic Acid (moderate) and Ascophyllum Nodosum (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 26 moderate · 10 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Desiccated Thyroid Extract page

“Activated charcoal is the first thing I would flag for anyone taking desiccated thyroid extract (Westhroid, WP Thyroid). It binds the medication in the gut and can sharply cut absorption, and it shares the major rating with tiratricol, itself a thyroid hormone that stacks on top of your prescribed dose.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Desiccated Thyroid Extract interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 546 real supplement products containing Dulse, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Dulse. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Desiccated Thyroid Extract too, on top of Dulse — 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 Dulse and Desiccated Thyroid Extract 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 Dulse
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Desiccated Thyroid Extract
Top 25%

#588 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 Dulse

What is Dulse?

Dulse
  • Nutritional supplement (iodine, minerals)
  • Source of plant protein
  • General wellness
  • Anti-inflammatory support
  • Thyroid/iodine support

Dulse is a red seaweed eaten as a food in many coastal cultures and is a natural source of iodine, potassium, protein, and antioxidant compounds. As a food it is generally considered safe for most people, but concentrated supplements can deliver large amounts of iodine and potassium, so use caution. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using it medicinally, especially if you have thyroid or kidney problems.

Read the full Dulse monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Dulse

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

0Major
22Moderate
62Minor
2,745No known interaction
22 Moderate 62 Minor 2,745 No interaction
Moderate

22 interactions

Minor

62 interactions

Showing 60 of 62 minor interactions — see all 62 on the Dulse page.

No interaction 2,745 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,745 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Dulse list.

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

Can you take Dulse with Desiccated Thyroid Extract?
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 Dulse and Desiccated Thyroid Extract 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 Desiccated Thyroid Extract and Dulse?

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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.