Drug & supplement interaction

Flaxseed + Atenolol

Atenolol brand names: Tenormin, Atenix.

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

Flaxseed has a moderate interaction with Atenolol. Theoretically, flaxseed might have additive effects when used with antihypertensive drugs and increase the risk of hypotension.

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

Flaxseed and Atenolol

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

Moderate

ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS

Why this applies to Atenolol

Atenolol falls under ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS — the group Flaxseed interacts with.

Theoretically, flaxseed might have additive effects when used with antihypertensive drugs and increase the risk of hypotension.
Clinical research shows that daily flaxseed consumption, especially for longer than 12 weeks, modestly reduces blood pressure.
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 simple version: both flaxseed and atenolol can nudge your blood pressure in the same direction, downward. Atenolol already slows your heart rate and relaxes your blood vessels, so adding flaxseed on top could, in theory, lower your numbers a little more than you expect. If your pressure drops too far, you might feel lightheaded, dizzy when standing up, tired, or unusually weak.

I want to be honest about the strength of this one. It's mostly a theoretical concern, and any blood-pressure effect from flaxseed tends to be modest and shows up with daily use over several weeks, not from sprinkling some on your oatmeal. You don't need to panic, but if you take flaxseed regularly, mention it to your pharmacist or doctor and keep an eye on your readings.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Cornish SM, Chilibeck PD, Paus-Jennsen L, et al. A randomized controlled trial of the effects of flaxseed lignan complex on metabolic syndrome composite score and bone mineral in older adults. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2009;34:89-98. PubMed
  2. Rodriguez-Leyva D, Weighell W, Edel AL, LaVallee R, Dibrov E, Pinneker R, Maddaford TG, Ramjiawan B, Aliani M, Guzman R, Pierce GN. Potent antihypertensive action of dietary flaxseed in hypertensive patients. Hypertension. 2013 Dec;62(6):1081-9. PubMed
  3. Ursoniu S, Sahebkar A, Andrica F, Serban C, Banach M; Lipid and Blood Pressure Meta-analysis Collaboration Group. Effects of flaxseed supplements on blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled clinical trial. Clin Nutr. 2016 Jun;3 PubMed
  4. Mohammadi-Sartang M, Sohrabi Z, Barati-Bodaji R, Raeisi-Dehkordi H, Mazloom Z. Flaxseed supplementation on glucose control and insulin sensitivity: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 25 randomized, placebo-controlled trials. Nutr Rev. 2018 Feb 1;76( PubMed
  5. Li L, Li H, Gao Y, Vafaei S, Zhang X, Yang M. Effect of flaxseed supplementation on blood pressure: a systematic review, and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Food Funct 2023;14(2):675-690. 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

Flaxseed Also Interacts With Other Medications

Flaxseed has 596 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Atenolol one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 596 No known interaction 2,234 (incl. Atenolol)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Flaxseed

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Flaxseed or Atenolol

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

This page covers Flaxseed only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Atenolol page lists 143 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), Indian Snakeroot (major) and Tyramine (major).

By severity: 5 major · 118 moderate · 20 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Atenolol page

“Atenolol lowers blood pressure and slows the heart, so I want you to treat this list with real care. Of the 143 supplements and herbs on file, 119 push on your blood pressure one way or another, either dropping it further alongside atenolol, as fish oil can, or working against it, as tyramine does.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Atenolol interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 236 real supplement products containing Flaxseed, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Flaxseed. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Atenolol too, on top of Flaxseed — 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 Flaxseed and Atenolol 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 Flaxseed
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Atenolol
Top 25%

#680 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 Flaxseed

What is Flaxseed?

Flaxseed
  • Constipation and digestive health
  • High cholesterol
  • Heart health
  • Menopausal symptoms
  • Blood sugar support

Flaxseed is a nutritious food rich in fiber, omega-3 fats (ALA), and plant compounds called lignans. It is most reliably helpful for constipation and may modestly lower cholesterol, but evidence for many other uses is mixed or limited. It is generally safe as a food, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using it as a supplement, especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Read the full Flaxseed monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Atenolol

What Is Atenolol Used For?

Brand names: Tenormin, Atenix

Atenolol tablets are used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) and angina pectoris (chest pain caused by narrowed coronary arteries). Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of stroke and heart attack. Long-term use helps manage chronic chest pain.

Atenolol is also used in hemodynamically stable patients with a definite or suspected acute heart attack (myocardial infarction) to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death. Treatment is started as soon as the patient's condition allows, typically in a hospital setting.

See full Atenolol drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Flaxseed

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

0Major
596Moderate
0Minor
2,233No known interaction
596 Moderate 2,233 No interaction
Moderate

596 interactions

Showing 60 of 596 moderate interactions — see all 596 on the Flaxseed page.

No interaction 2,233 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,233 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Flaxseed list.

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

Can you take Flaxseed with Atenolol?
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 Flaxseed and Atenolol 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 Atenolol and Flaxseed?

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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.