Drug & supplement interaction

Fasting + Cladribine

Cladribine brand names: Leustatin, Mavenclad.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Fasting and Cladribine 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

Fasting and Cladribine

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 Cladribine and Fasting in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — research on Fasting alongside specific medications may be limited.

Fasting is an eating pattern rather than something you take. Ask your pharmacist or doctor before changing how you eat while on a prescribed medicine: some medicines are dosed around meals, and a change in diet can change how they work. 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.

Fasting safety at a glance

Fasting overall Use caution Often tolerated by healthy adults but can be risky for some people and medications.
Pregnancy Avoid Prolonged or strict fasting is generally discouraged during pregnancy without medical supervision.
Breastfeeding Use caution May affect hydration, energy, and possibly milk supply, so check with your provider first.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

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

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Cladribine

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Cladribine is filed under 2 classifications — immunosuppressants, oral drugs. Fasting has documented interactions with 4 drug classes — the most serious being warfarin (coumadin) (major), anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs (moderate) and antidiabetes drugs (moderate) — and none of Cladribine’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

Fasting Does Interact With Other Medications

Fasting has 2 major, 206 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Cladribine isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 2 Moderate 206 No known interaction 2,622 (incl. Cladribine)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Fasting

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Fasting and Cladribine 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 following Fasting while taking the medicine 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.

  • Bleeding or bruising Worth acting on Additional detail

    Fasting

    “Hyponatremia has occurred rarely with medically supervised water-only fasting. Transitory hypoglycemia and bleeding gums have occurred rarely with medically supervised very low-calorie fasting.

    Hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia are not more common with intermittent fasting when compared with continuous energy restriction.”

    Fasting · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in hypoglycemia.

    4 sources cited
    1. 102755. Finnell JS, Saul BC, Goldhamer AC, Myers TR. Is fasting safe? A chart review of adverse events during medically supervised, water-only fasting. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2018;18(1):67. PubMed
    2. 102753. Wilhelmi de Toledo F, Grundler F, Bergouignan A, Drinda S, Michalsen A. Safety, health improvement and well-being during a 4 to 21-day fasting period in an observational study including 1422 subjects. PLoS One. 2019;14(1):e0209353. PubMed
    3. 102736. Carter S, Clifton PM, Keogh JB. Effect of intermittent compared with continuous energy restricted diet on glycemic control in patients with Type 2 diabetes: A randomized noninferiority trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2018;1(3):e180756. PubMed
    4. 108366. He S, Wang J, Zhang J, Xu J. Intermittent versus continuous energy restriction for weight loss and metabolic improvement: A meta-analysis and systematic review. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2021;29(1):108-115. PubMed

    Cladribine

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

  • Bloating or gas / Stomach upset Additional detail

    Fasting

    “Medically supervised water-only fasting has resulted in nausea in about 32% of patients. Dyspepsia, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting have occurred less commonly. Vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, dyspepsia, bloating, bad breath, and dry mouth have also occurred rarely with medically supervised very low-calorie fasting.

    The main adverse effect of the intermittent fasting diet is hunger, which generally resolves with t…”

    Fasting · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in constipation.

    6 sources cited
    1. 102755. Finnell JS, Saul BC, Goldhamer AC, Myers TR. Is fasting safe? A chart review of adverse events during medically supervised, water-only fasting. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2018;18(1):67. PubMed
    2. 102753. Wilhelmi de Toledo F, Grundler F, Bergouignan A, Drinda S, Michalsen A. Safety, health improvement and well-being during a 4 to 21-day fasting period in an observational study including 1422 subjects. PLoS One. 2019;14(1):e0209353. PubMed
    3. 102741. Cioffi I, Evangelista A, Ponzo V, et al. Intermittent versus continuous energy restriction on weight loss and cardiometabolic outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Transl Med. 2018;16(1):371. PubMed
    4. 102748. Conley M, Le Fevre L, Haywood C, Proietto J. Is two days of intermittent energy restriction per week a feasible weight loss approach in obese males? A randomised pilot study. Nutr Diet. 2018;75(1):65-72. PubMed
    5. 108359. Li C, Xing C, Zhang J, Zhao H, Shi W, He B. Eight-hour time-restricted feeding improves endocrine and metabolic profiles in women with anovulatory polycystic ovary syndrome. J Transl Med 2021;19(1):148. PubMed
    6. 108366. He S, Wang J, Zhang J, Xu J. Intermittent versus continuous energy restriction for weight loss and metabolic improvement: A meta-analysis and systematic review. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2021;29(1):108-115. PubMed

    Cladribine

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

  • Back pain / Muscle pain Additional detail

    Fasting

    “Medically supervised water-only fasting has resulted in back pain in about 25% of patients. Other pain in extremities has also occurred. Medically supervised very low-calorie fasting has resulted rarely in muscle cramps, restless legs, and back pain.

    Muscle fatigue has been reported in clinical trials of intermittent fasting.”

    Fasting · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in back pain.

    4 sources cited
    1. 102755. Finnell JS, Saul BC, Goldhamer AC, Myers TR. Is fasting safe? A chart review of adverse events during medically supervised, water-only fasting. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2018;18(1):67. PubMed
    2. 102753. Wilhelmi de Toledo F, Grundler F, Bergouignan A, Drinda S, Michalsen A. Safety, health improvement and well-being during a 4 to 21-day fasting period in an observational study including 1422 subjects. PLoS One. 2019;14(1):e0209353. PubMed
    3. 102746. Harris L, McGarty A, Hutchison L, Ells L, Hankey C. Short-term intermittent energy restriction interventions for weight management: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Obes Rev. 2018;19(1):1-13. PubMed
    4. 108364. Peos JJ, Helms ER, Fournier PA, et al. Continuous versus intermittent dieting for fat loss and fat-free mass retention in resistance-trained adults: The ICECAP trial. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2021;53(8):1685-1698. PubMed

    Cladribine

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

  • A fast or pounding heartbeat / Fever Additional detail

    Fasting

    “Dehydration resulting in headache, increased blood pressure, and fever has occurred rarely with medically supervised water-only fasting. Palpitations have occurred rarely. Medically supervised very low-calorie fasting has resulted rarely in mild transitory arrhythmia.”

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

    2 sources cited
    1. 102755. Finnell JS, Saul BC, Goldhamer AC, Myers TR. Is fasting safe? A chart review of adverse events during medically supervised, water-only fasting. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2018;18(1):67. PubMed
    2. 102753. Wilhelmi de Toledo F, Grundler F, Bergouignan A, Drinda S, Michalsen A. Safety, health improvement and well-being during a 4 to 21-day fasting period in an observational study including 1422 subjects. PLoS One. 2019;14(1):e0209353. PubMed

    Cladribine

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

  • Trouble sleeping Additional detail

    Fasting

    “Medically supervised water-only fasting has resulted in fatigue in about 50% of patients. Insomnia, lightheadedness, and headache were also fairly common. Medically supervised very low-calorie fasting has also resulted rarely in cold sensitivity, headache, dizziness, blurred vision, fatigue, and sleep disturbance.

    Headache, reduced energy, sleep disturbance, cold sensitivity, dizziness, lightheadedness, irritability,…”

    Fasting · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cluster headache.

    6 sources cited
    1. 102755. Finnell JS, Saul BC, Goldhamer AC, Myers TR. Is fasting safe? A chart review of adverse events during medically supervised, water-only fasting. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2018;18(1):67. PubMed
    2. 102753. Wilhelmi de Toledo F, Grundler F, Bergouignan A, Drinda S, Michalsen A. Safety, health improvement and well-being during a 4 to 21-day fasting period in an observational study including 1422 subjects. PLoS One. 2019;14(1):e0209353. PubMed
    3. 102737. Tinsley GM, Moore ML, Graybeal AJ, et al. Time-restricted feeding plus resistance training in active females: a randomized trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2019;110(3):628-640. PubMed
    4. 102741. Cioffi I, Evangelista A, Ponzo V, et al. Intermittent versus continuous energy restriction on weight loss and cardiometabolic outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Transl Med. 2018;16(1):371. PubMed
    5. 102742. Schübel R, Nattenmüller J, Sookthai D, et al. Effects of intermittent and continuous calorie restriction on body weight and metabolism over 50 wk: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2018;108(5):933-945. PubMed
    6. 102744. Sundfør TM, Svendsen M, Tonstad S. Effect of intermittent versus continuous energy restriction on weight loss, maintenance and cardiometabolic risk: A randomized 1-year trial. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2018;28(7):698-706. PubMed

    Cladribine

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

  • Tiredness reported in 8.5% of FDA reports for Cladribine Additional detail

    Fasting

    Recorded for Fasting in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under A fast or pounding heartbeat / Fever above.

    Cladribine

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

  • Constipation Additional detail

    Fasting

    Recorded for Fasting in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under A fast or pounding heartbeat / Fever above.

    Cladribine

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

Showing the 10 most notable of 17 shared effects — ranked by how unusual each one is, not just whether both lists mention it.

Reported for Fasting but not commonly for Cladribine: raised blood pressure, blurred vision, high blood sugar and mood changes or irritability.

Effects for Cladribine come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Fasting come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 9,555 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Cladribine 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.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Cladribine

This page covers Fasting only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Cladribine page lists 70 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Active Hexose Correlated Compound (ahcc) (moderate), Alfalfa (moderate), American Ginseng (moderate) and Andrographis (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 59 moderate · 10 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Cladribine page

“Cladribine (Leustatin, Mavenclad) treats hairy cell leukemia and relapsing multiple sclerosis by deliberately knocking down part of the immune system, so this list calls for real vigilance. Of the 70 supplements and herbs on file, 53 are immune stimulators, herbs like astragalus, ashwagandha, and ginseng that could push immunity back u…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Cladribine interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Fasting and Cladribine 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 Fasting
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Cladribine
Steady interest

#2,285 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 Fasting reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Fasting and Cladribine records this page draws on were last updated July 11, 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 .
Eating pattern

About Fasting

What is Fasting?

  • Weight loss
  • Blood sugar control
  • Heart health
  • Religious or spiritual practice
  • General wellness and longevity

Fasting means voluntarily going without food (and sometimes drink) for set periods. Some research suggests it may help with weight loss and blood sugar in certain people, but results vary and quality of evidence is mixed. It is not safe for everyone, so check with your doctor or pharmacist before starting—especially if you take medication or have a health condition.

Not applicable (a dietary practice, not a substance) · Time-restricted eating, alternate-day fasting, periodic multi-day fasts, intermittent fasting (e.g., 16:8 or 5:2), religious fasting

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

Fasting: dosing

There is no single "correct" fasting schedule, and no standardized dose. Popular approaches include daily time-restricted eating (such as a 16:8 pattern), the 5:2 plan, and alternate-day fasting. The best choice depends on your health, lifestyle, and goals.If you are new to fasting, it's wise to start gently—such as a slightly shorter eating window—and to drink plenty of water during fasting periods (unless your fast restricts fluids for religious reasons).

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

Read the full Fasting monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Cladribine

What Is Cladribine Used For?

Brand names: Leustatin, Mavenclad

Cladribine tablets (brand name Mavenclad) are used to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) in adults — specifically relapsing-remitting MS and active secondary progressive MS. Because of its significant safety profile, it is generally reserved for patients who haven't responded well to, or can't tolerate, other MS medicines. It is not recommended for clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), a first episode that may or may not lead to MS.

Cladribine injection (given intravenously) is a separate product used to treat active hairy cell leukemia — a rare blood cancer — in patients who have clinically significant anemia, low white blood cell counts, low platelets, or disease-related symptoms.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Cladribine

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (9,555 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 814 reports
Headache 681 reports
Lymphocyte count decreased 488 reports
Multiple sclerosis relapse 474 reports
Nausea 423 reports
See full Cladribine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Fasting

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

2Major
206Moderate
0Minor
2,621No known interaction
2 Major 206 Moderate 2,621 No interaction
Major

2 interactions

Moderate

206 interactions

Showing 60 of 206 moderate interactions — see all 206 on the Fasting page.

No interaction 2,621 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,621 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Fasting list.

See the full Fasting interactions page
See every supplement checked against Cladribine, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Fasting References

The 23 references that drive our Fasting 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. Carter S, Clifton PM, Keogh JB. Effect of intermittent compared with continuous energy restricted diet on glycemic control in patients with Type 2 diabetes: A randomized noninferiority trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2018;1(3):e180756. PubMed
  2. Tinsley GM, Moore ML, Graybeal AJ, et al. Time-restricted feeding plus resistance training in active females: a randomized trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2019;110(3):628-640. PubMed
  3. Cioffi I, Evangelista A, Ponzo V, et al. Intermittent versus continuous energy restriction on weight loss and cardiometabolic outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Transl Med. 2018;16(1):371. PubMed
  4. Schübel R, Nattenmüller J, Sookthai D, et al. Effects of intermittent and continuous calorie restriction on body weight and metabolism over 50 wk: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2018;108(5):933-945. PubMed
  5. Sundfør TM, Svendsen M, Tonstad S. Effect of intermittent versus continuous energy restriction on weight loss, maintenance and cardiometabolic risk: A randomized 1-year trial. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2018;28(7):698-706. PubMed
  6. Harris L, Hamilton S, Azevedo LB, et al. Intermittent fasting interventions for treatment of overweight and obesity in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JBI Database System Rev Implement Rep. 2018;16(2):507-547. PubMed
  7. Harris L, McGarty A, Hutchison L, Ells L, Hankey C. Short-term intermittent energy restriction interventions for weight management: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Obes Rev. 2018;19(1):1-13. PubMed
  8. Conley M, Le Fevre L, Haywood C, Proietto J. Is two days of intermittent energy restriction per week a feasible weight loss approach in obese males? A randomised pilot study. Nutr Diet. 2018;75(1):65-72. PubMed
  9. Chowdhury A, Khan H, Lasker SS, Chowdhury TA. Fasting outcomes in people with diabetes and chronic kidney disease in East London during Ramadan 2018: The East London diabetes in Ramadan survey. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2019;152:166-170. PubMed
  10. Wilhelmi de Toledo F, Grundler F, Bergouignan A, Drinda S, Michalsen A. Safety, health improvement and well-being during a 4 to 21-day fasting period in an observational study including 1422 subjects. PLoS One. 2019;14(1):e0209353. PubMed
  11. Finnell JS, Saul BC, Goldhamer AC, Myers TR. Is fasting safe? A chart review of adverse events during medically supervised, water-only fasting. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2018;18(1):67. PubMed
  12. Katada Y, Nakagawa S, Nishimura A, et al. Effects of fasting on warfarin sensitivity index in patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2019;75(4):561-568. PubMed
  13. Lai YF, Cheen MHH, Lim SH, et al. The effects of fasting in Muslim patients taking warfarin. J Thromb Haemost. 2014;12(3):349-54. PubMed
  14. Grajower MM, Horne BD. Clinical management of intermittent fasting in patients with diabetes mellitus. Nutrients. 2019;11(4):873. PubMed
  15. Ibrahim M, Davies MJ, Ahmad E, et al. Recommendations for management of diabetes during Ramadan: update 2020, applying the principles of the ADA/EASD consensus. BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care. 2020;8(1):e001248. 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

Following Fasting While Taking Cladribine: Common Questions

Is it safe to follow Fasting while taking Cladribine?
We do not list a known interaction between Fasting and Cladribine. 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 Fasting and Cladribine 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 Fasting and Cladribine combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Cladribine is filed under 2 classifications, and Fasting has documented interactions with 4 drug classes — none of Cladribine'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 Fasting interact with any other medications?
Yes. Fasting has 208 documented drug interactions in our database — Cladribine 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 Cladribine interact with any supplements?
Yes. Cladribine has documented interactions with 70 supplements in our database — Fasting is not one of them. The Cladribine interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Where next

Keep Exploring

Fasting monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Cladribine drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Cladribine supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Cladribine, 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 References The 23 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Cladribine and Fasting?

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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.