Drug & supplement interaction

Fermented Milk + Denosumab

Denosumab brand names: Prolia, XGEVA.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Fermented Milk has a moderate interaction with Denosumab. Theoretically, fermented milk might decrease the effects of immunosuppressants.

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

Fermented Milk and Denosumab

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

Moderate

IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS

Why this applies to Denosumab

Denosumab falls under IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS — the group Fermented Milk interacts with.

Theoretically, fermented milk might decrease the effects of immunosuppressants.
Clinical research suggests that fermented milk has immunostimulant effects.
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: denosumab (Prolia or XGEVA) calms down the cells that break down bone, which is why it's grouped with medications that quiet the immune system. The thought on file is that fermented milk, like yogurt or kefir, may gently stimulate the immune system thanks to its live cultures. In theory, that could nudge against the medication's action.

I want to be honest with you, though: this is a theoretical concern based on how things work in the lab, not on real reports of denosumab failing. Denosumab isn't a prodrug, and food amounts of fermented milk are very unlikely to change your bone treatment. The calcium and protein can actually be helpful for your bones. If you eat a lot of probiotic products or take concentrated supplements, just mention it to your pharmacist or doctor.

References
  1. Turchet, P., Laurenzano, M., Auboiron, S., and Antoine, J. M. Effect of fermented milk containing the probiotic Lactobacillus casei DN-114001 on winter infections in free-living elderly subjects: a randomised, controlled pilot study. J Nutr Health Aging 2
  2. Fukushima, Y., Miyaguchi, S., Yamano, T., Kaburagi, T., Iino, H., Ushida, K., and Sato, K. Improvement of nutritional status and incidence of infection in hospitalised, enterally fed elderly by feeding of fermented milk containing probiotic Lactobacillus
  3. Cobo Sanz, J. M., Mateos, J. A., and Munoz Conejo A. [Effect of Lactobacillus casei on the incidence of infectious conditions in children]. Nutr Hosp 2006;21(4):547-551.
  4. Tormo Carnicer R., Infante Pina D., Rosello Mayans E., and Bartolome Comas R. [Intake of fermented milk containing Lactobacillus casei DN-114 001 and its effect on gut flora]. An Pediatr (Barc) 2006;65(5):448-453.
  5. Rio, M. E., Zago Beatriz L., Garcia, H., and Winter, L. [The nutritional status change the effectiveness of a dietary supplement of lactic bacteria on the emerging of respiratory tract diseases in children]. Arch Latinoam Nutr 2002;52(1):29-34.

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

Fermented Milk Also Interacts With Other Medications

Fermented Milk has 473 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Denosumab one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Fermented Milk

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Denosumab

This page covers Fermented Milk only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Denosumab page lists 55 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 53 moderate · 2 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Denosumab page

“The typical person on denosumab (Prolia, XGEVA) is protecting bone, from osteoporosis or from cancer that has spread there, and many also reach for echinacea, ashwagandha, or ginseng to prop up their immune system. That overlap is the whole list.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Denosumab interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Fermented Milk and Denosumab 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 Fermented Milk
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Denosumab
Steady interest

#1,467 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 Fermented Milk

What is Fermented Milk?

  • Digestive health
  • Supporting gut bacteria (probiotics)
  • Lactose-related digestive discomfort
  • General nutrition (protein, calcium)
  • Immune support
  • Diarrhea prevention

Fermented milk is a food made by culturing milk with helpful bacteria or yeast, and it provides protein, calcium, and probiotics. It is generally safe for most people and may help digestion and gut health, though benefits depend on the product and strains used. People with milk allergy or weakened immune systems should be cautious.

Read the full Fermented Milk monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Denosumab Injection

What Is Denosumab Injection Used For?

Brand names: Prolia, XGEVA

Jubbonti (denosumab) injection is used to treat osteoporosis in postmenopausal women and men at high risk for fracture, including those who have already had a fracture or who have not responded to other osteoporosis medicines. It is also used to treat osteoporosis caused by long-term steroid (glucocorticoid) use in men and women.

Jubbonti is additionally used to increase bone mass in men receiving androgen deprivation therapy (a hormone-lowering treatment) for nonmetastatic prostate cancer, and in women receiving aromatase inhibitor therapy for breast cancer — both of which can weaken bones over time.

See full Denosumab Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Fermented Milk

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

0Major
473Moderate
0Minor
2,356No known interaction
Moderate

473 interactions

Showing 60 of 473 moderate interactions — see all 473 on the Fermented Milk page.

No interaction 2,356 drugs checked — show the list
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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Fermented Milk and Denosumab Together: Common Questions

Can you take Fermented Milk with Denosumab?
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 Fermented Milk and Denosumab 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

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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.