Drug & supplement interaction

Fermented Wheat Germ Extract + Ketoconazole

Ketoconazole brand name: Nizoral.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Fermented Wheat Germ Extract and Ketoconazole 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

Fermented Wheat Germ Extract and Ketoconazole

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 Ketoconazole and Fermented Wheat Germ Extract in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. 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.

Fermented Wheat Germ Extract safety at a glance

Fermented Wheat Ge... overall Use caution Generally tolerated in short-term studies, but long-term safety is not well established and people with cancer should clear it with their care team.
Pregnancy Avoid There is not enough safety data, so it is best avoided during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid Safety has not been studied, so avoid while breastfeeding.

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

Still wondering about combining Ketoconazole and Fermented Wheat Germ Extract? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Ketoconazole

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Ketoconazole is filed under 8 classifications — including antifungals, cytochrome p450 2c19 (cyp2c19) inhibitors, cytochrome p450 2c9 (cyp2c9) inhibitors. Fermented Wheat Germ Extract has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — the most serious being immunosuppressants (moderate) and serotonergic drugs (moderate) — and none of Ketoconazole’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

Fermented Wheat Germ Extract Does Interact With Other Medications

Fermented Wheat Germ Extract has 303 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Ketoconazole isn’t 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 Wheat Germ Extract

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Fermented Wheat Germ Extract and Ketoconazole 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 taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do.

  • Bloating or gas / Constipation / Vomiting Additional detail

    Fermented Wheat Germ Extract

    “Orally, fermented wheat germ extract may cause diarrhea, nausea, flatulence, satiation, soft stools, and constipation. In one clinical study, diarrhea and nausea with or without vomiting were reported in 6% and 3% of patients, respectively.”

    Fermented Wheat Germ Extract · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in constipation.

    1 source cited
    1. 27703. Jakab F, Shoenfeld Y, Balogh A, et al. A medical nutriment has supportive value in the treatment of colorectal cancer. Br J Cancer 2003;89(3):465-469. PubMed

    Ketoconazole

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

  • Diarrhea / Nausea Additional detail

    Fermented Wheat Germ Extract

    “Orally, fermented wheat germ extract seems to be well tolerated.

    Most Common Adverse Effects:

    Orally: Diarrhea, nausea.”

    Fermented Wheat Germ Extract · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in diarrhea.

    Ketoconazole

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

Effects for Ketoconazole come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Fermented Wheat Germ Extract come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

From our Q&A

Questions About Fermented Wheat Germ Extract or Ketoconazole

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Fermented Wheat Germ Extract or Ketoconazole, 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 Ketoconazole

This page covers Fermented Wheat Germ Extract only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Ketoconazole page lists 182 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Grapefruit (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major) and St. John's Wort (major).

By severity: 6 major · 135 moderate · 41 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Ketoconazole page

“Ketoconazole (Nizoral) is already hard on the liver, so treat its 182 interacting supplements with genuine care, starting with the six rated major. Most of the list runs through CYP3A4, the liver enzyme ketoconazole strongly blocks, so it can raise levels of over a hundred herbal ingredients, while grapefruit pushes ketoconazole itself…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Ketoconazole interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Fermented Wheat Germ Extract and Ketoconazole 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 Wheat Germ Extract
Steady interest

#1,022 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Ketoconazole
Steady interest

#1,996 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 Fermented Wheat Germ Extract reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Fermented Wheat Germ Extract and Ketoconazole 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 .
Supplement

About Fermented Wheat Germ Extract

What is Fermented Wheat Germ Extract?

  • Cancer supportive care (as a complementary product)
  • Immune support
  • General wellness during cancer treatment
  • Antioxidant support
  • Fatigue during illness

Fermented wheat germ extract is a supplement made by fermenting wheat germ with yeast, and it is most often marketed for people going through cancer treatment. While some early research and a few small studies are interesting, the overall evidence is limited and far from conclusive, so it should never replace standard medical care. Talk with your oncologist or pharmacist before using it, since it is a supplement and not an approved treatment.

Triticum aestivum · Poaceae · Wheat germ (fermented with baker's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae) · Powder (to mix in water or juice), capsules, tablets

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

Fermented Wheat Germ Extract: dosing

There is no official, standardized dose for fermented wheat germ extract that applies to everyone. Do not assume that taking more will work better, and do not use it as a replacement for prescribed therapy.

From our Fermented Wheat Germ Extract monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Fermented Wheat Germ Extract monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Ketoconazole

What Is Ketoconazole Used For?

Brand name: Nizoral

Ketoconazole 2% shampoo and foam are used to treat tinea versicolor (also called pityriasis versicolor) — a fungal infection caused by Pityrosporum orbiculare (also known as Malassezia furfur), a yeast that naturally lives on the skin.

This infection creates light or dark patches, most often on the trunk, neck, arms, and upper thighs. Even after the fungus is cleared, those skin patches may take months to return to their normal color — that's normal, and depends on your skin type and sun exposure. Tinea versicolor can also come back, since the fungus lives on healthy skin even when there's no active infection.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Ketoconazole

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (0 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Pruritus 984 reports
Fatigue 975 reports
Nausea 873 reports
Rash 858 reports
Diarrhea 814 reports
See full Ketoconazole drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Fermented Wheat Germ Extract

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

0Major
303Moderate
0Minor
2,526No known interaction
Moderate

303 interactions

Showing 60 of 303 moderate interactions — see all 303 on the Fermented Wheat Germ Extract page.

No interaction 2,526 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Fermented Wheat Germ Extract References

The 7 references that drive our Fermented Wheat Germ Extract 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. Jakab F, Shoenfeld Y, Balogh A, et al. A medical nutriment has supportive value in the treatment of colorectal cancer. Br J Cancer 2003;89(3):465-469. PubMed
  2. Hidvegi M, Raso E, Tomoskozi Farkas R, Lapis K, Szende B. Effect of MSC on the immune response of mice. Immunopharmacology 1999;41(3):183-186. PubMed
  3. Sukkar SG, Rossi E. Oxidative stress and nutritional prevention in autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Autoimmun Rev 2004;3(3):199-206. PubMed
  4. Ehrenfeld M, Blank M, Shoenfeld Y, Hidvegi M. AVEMAR (a new benzoquinone-containing natural product) administration interferes with the Th2 response in experimental SLE and promotes amelioration of the disease. Lupus 2001;10(9):622-627. PubMed
  5. Gidali J, Hidvégi M, Fehér I, et al. The effect of Avemar treatment on the regeneration of leukocytes, thrombocytes and reticulocytes in sublethally irradiated or cyclophosphamide treated mice. First Congress of the Hungarian Society of Clinical Oncology,
  6. Vucskits, AV, Hullar, I, Bersenyi, A, Andrasofszky, E, Kulcsar, M, Szabo, J. Effect of fulvic and humic acids on performance, immune response and thyroid function in rats. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2010;94(6):721-728. PubMed
  7. Hu Z, Zhao P, Liao A, et al. Fermented Wheat Germ Alleviates Depression-like Behavior in Rats with Chronic and Unpredictable Mild Stress. Foods 2023;12(5):920. 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

Taking Fermented Wheat Germ Extract and Ketoconazole Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Fermented Wheat Germ Extract with Ketoconazole?
We do not list a known interaction between Fermented Wheat Germ Extract and Ketoconazole. 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 Fermented Wheat Germ Extract and Ketoconazole have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 5 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 Fermented Wheat Germ Extract and Ketoconazole combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Ketoconazole is filed under 8 classifications, and Fermented Wheat Germ Extract has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — none of Ketoconazole'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 Fermented Wheat Germ Extract interact with any other medications?
Yes. Fermented Wheat Germ Extract has 303 documented drug interactions in our database — Ketoconazole 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 Ketoconazole interact with any supplements?
Yes. Ketoconazole has documented interactions with 182 supplements in our database — Fermented Wheat Germ Extract is not one of them. The Ketoconazole interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Still Have a Question About Ketoconazole and Fermented Wheat Germ Extract?

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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.