Drug & supplement interaction

Dulse + Irbesartan

Irbesartan brand names: Avapro, Aprovel.

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

Dulse has a minor interaction with Irbesartan. Theoretically, dulse might increase the risk of hyperkalemia when taken with ARBs.

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

Dulse and Irbesartan

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

Minor

ANGIOTENSIN RECEPTOR BLOCKERS (ARBs)

Why this applies to Irbesartan

Irbesartan falls under ANGIOTENSIN RECEPTOR BLOCKERS (ARBs) — the group Dulse interacts with.

Theoretically, dulse might increase the risk of hyperkalemia when taken with ARBs.
Dulse is rich in potassium. ARBs block the actions of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and reduce potassium excretion. Concomitant use of these drugs with moderate dietary potassium intake (about 3775-5200 mg daily) does not increase serum potassium levels. However, using these drugs while consuming dulse in quantities that provide higher amounts of potassium daily might increase the risk of hyperkalemia. Additionally, in vitro research suggests that dulse protein hydrolysates inhibit the activity of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE). However, these effects have not been demonstrated in humans.
Severity Minor 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 practical picture with irbesartan (Avapro) and dulse. Irbesartan is a blood pressure pill that works by relaxing your vessels, and one of its normal effects is to nudge your potassium levels up a bit by helping your body hold onto potassium. Dulse, a seaweed, is naturally rich in potassium. So in theory, pairing them could push your potassium a little higher than expected.

The good news is this is a theoretical, minor concern based on how the two work, not on hard human studies. Eating dulse as a normal food is very unlikely to cause trouble. The bigger question is concentrated dulse supplements, which can deliver a lot of potassium (and iodine). High potassium can occasionally cause symptoms like muscle weakness or an irregular heartbeat. If you have kidney issues, just check with your pharmacist or doctor before using dulse supplements.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Malta D, Arcand J, Ravindran A, Floras V, Allard JP, Newton GE. Adequate intake of potassium does not cause hyperkalemia in hypertensive individuals taking medications that antagonize the renin angiotensin aldosterone system. Am J Clin Nutr 2016 Oct;104(4 PubMed
  2. McGrath BM, Harmon JP, Bishop G. Palmaria palmata (Dulse) as an unusual maritime aetiology of hyperkalemia in a patient with chronic renal failure: a case report. J Med Case Rep. 2010;4:301. PubMed
  3. Furuta T, Miyabe Y, Yasui H, Kinoshita Y, Kishimura H. Angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitory peptides derived from phycobiliproteins of dulse Palmaria palmata. Mar Drugs. 2016;14(2):32. 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

Dulse Also Interacts With Other Medications

Dulse has 23 moderate, 61 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Irbesartan one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 23 Minor 61 No known interaction 2,746 (incl. Irbesartan)
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.

From our Q&A

Questions About Dulse or Irbesartan

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

This page covers Dulse only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Irbesartan page lists 182 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 · 145 moderate · 33 minor.

Open the Irbesartan 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 Irbesartan 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 Irbesartan 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%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Irbesartan
Top half

#1,411 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
Medication

About Irbesartan

What Is Irbesartan Used For?

Brand names: Avapro, Aprovel

Irbesartan tablets — sold as the brand Avapro and as generic irbesartan — are used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). Bringing blood pressure down lowers the risk of serious events like stroke and heart attack. It can be used alone or alongside other blood pressure medicines.

Irbesartan tablets (including Avapro) are also used to treat diabetic nephropathy — kidney disease caused by diabetes — in people who have type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and signs of kidney damage. In this group, it helps slow how quickly the kidney disease gets worse.

See full Irbesartan drug information
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
23Moderate
61Minor
2,745No known interaction
23 Moderate 61 Minor 2,745 No interaction
Moderate

23 interactions

Minor

61 interactions

Showing 60 of 61 minor interactions — see all 61 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 Irbesartan, 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 Irbesartan supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Irbesartan, ranked by severity Irbesartan 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 Dulse and Irbesartan Together: Common Questions

Can you take Dulse with Irbesartan?
There is only a minor interaction, which is usually not serious. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Dulse and Irbesartan interaction?
We rate it Minor. This interaction is generally not clinically significant, but it remains worth noting and discussing with your pharmacist.

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

Still Have a Question About Irbesartan 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.