Drug & supplement interaction

Folic Acid + Ciprofloxacin

Ciprofloxacin brand names: Cipro, Ciprobay, Cipro XR, Ciloxan, Cipro IV, and others.

No Known Interaction

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026

The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Folic Acid and Ciprofloxacin 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 label for Ciprofloxacin states a food rule worth keeping to, and 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

Folic Acid and Ciprofloxacin

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 Ciprofloxacin and Folic Acid 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.

Folic Acid safety at a glance

Folic Acid overall Generally safe Generally safe at recommended doses for most adults.

Pregnancy Likely Safe When used orally and appropriately. Folic acid 300-400 mcg is commonly used during pregnancy for prevention of neural tube defects. Miscarriage rates and negati... Read the full pregnancy detail

Breastfeeding Likely Safe When used orally and appropriately. Folic acid 300-400 mcg is commonly used during pregnancy for prevention of neural tube defects. Miscarriage rates and negati... Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Ciprofloxacin and Folic Acid? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›

How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Ciprofloxacin

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Ciprofloxacin is filed under 12 classifications — including quinolone antibiotics, organic anion-transporting polypeptide substrates (oatp), cytochrome p450 1a2 (cyp1a2) inhibitors. Folic Acid has documented interactions with 7 drug classes — the most serious being 5-fluorouracil (moderate), capecitabine (xeloda) (moderate) and methotrexate (trexall, others) (moderate) — and none of Ciprofloxacin’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

Folic Acid Does Interact With Other Medications

Folic Acid has 40 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Ciprofloxacin isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 40 No known interaction 2,790 (incl. Ciprofloxacin)

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Folic Acid

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Folic Acid and Ciprofloxacin 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. 9 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

Yellowing of the skin or eyes Worth acting on Additional detail
Folic Acid
“Liver dysfunction, with jaundice and very high liver enzymes, occurred in a 30-year-old pregnant patient with severe nausea and vomiting taking a folic acid supplement (Folic acid, Nature Made) 400 mcg daily.”

Folic Acid · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in nausea and vomiting.
1 source cited

91309. Matsubara S, Imai K, Murayama K, Higashizawa T. Severe liver dysfunction during nausea and vomiting of pregnancy: folic acid supplement as a suggested culprit. J Obstet Gynaecol. 2012;32(7):701-2. PubMed
Ciprofloxacin

Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Ciprofloxacin. Read the label on DailyMed ›
Wheezing Worth acting on Additional detail
Folic Acid
“Folic acid use in late pregnancy has been associated with an increased risk of persistent and childhood asthma at 3.5 years in population research. When taken pre-pregnancy or early in pregnancy, population research has not found an association with increased risk of asthma or allergies in childhood.”

Folic Acid · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in allergic rhinitis (hay fever).
4 sources cited

50380. Whitrow, M. J., Moore, V. M., Rumbold, A. R., and Davies, M. J. Effect of supplemental folic acid in pregnancy on childhood asthma: a prospective birth cohort study. Am J Epidemiol. 12-15-2009;170(12):1486-1493. PubMed

90799. Crider KS, Cordero AM, Qi YP, Mulinare J, Dowling NF, Berry RJ. Prenatal folic acid and risk of asthma in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013;98(5):1272-81. PubMed

103979. Liu J, Li Z, Ye R, Liu J, Ren A. Periconceptional folic acid supplementation and risk of parent-reported asthma in children at 4-6 years of age. ERJ Open Res. 2020;6(1):00250-2019. PubMed

50328. Haberg, S. E., London, S. J., Stigum, H., Nafstad, P., and Nystad, W. Folic acid supplements in pregnancy and early childhood respiratory health. Arch Dis.Child 2009;94(3):180-184. PubMed
Ciprofloxacin

Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Ciprofloxacin. Read the label on DailyMed ›
Confusion Worth acting on Additional detail
Folic Acid
“Orally, folic acid 15 mg daily can sometimes cause altered sleep patterns, vivid dreaming, irritability, excitability, hyperactivity, confusion, and impaired judgment (15). Large doses of folic acid can also precipitate or exacerbate neuropathy in people deficient in vitamin B12.”

Folic Acid · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in anemia.
3 sources cited

15. McEvoy GK, ed. AHFS Drug Information. Bethesda, MD: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 1998.

6243. Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, and Choline (2000). Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2000. Available at: http://b

13068. Morris MC, Evans DA, Bienias JL, et al. Dietary folate and vitamin B12 intake and cognitive decline among community-dwelling older persons. Arch Neurol 2005;62:641-5. PubMed
Ciprofloxacin

Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Ciprofloxacin. Read the label on DailyMed ›
Seizures Worth acting on Additional detail
Folic Acid
“Orally, folic acid 15 mg daily can sometimes cause exacerbation of seizure frequency and psychotic behavior (15).”

Folic Acid · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in epilepsy.
1 source cited

15. McEvoy GK, ed. AHFS Drug Information. Bethesda, MD: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 1998.
Ciprofloxacin

Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Ciprofloxacin. Read the label on DailyMed ›
Anemia Worth acting on Additional detail

Folic Acid

Recorded for Folic Acid in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Confusion above.

Ciprofloxacin

Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Ciprofloxacin. Read the label on DailyMed ›
A severe allergic reaction / Liver problems / An allergic reaction Worth acting on Additional detail

Folic Acid

Recorded for Folic Acid in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Wheezing above.

Ciprofloxacin

Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Ciprofloxacin. Read the label on DailyMed ›
A higher chance of infection Worth acting on Additional detail

Folic Acid

Recorded for Folic Acid in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Wheezing above.

Ciprofloxacin

Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Ciprofloxacin. Read the label on DailyMed ›
Mood changes or irritability Additional detail

Folic Acid

Recorded for Folic Acid in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Wheezing above.

Ciprofloxacin

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

Showing the 10 most notable of 16 shared effects — ranked by how unusual each one is, not just whether both lists mention it.

Reported for Folic Acid but not commonly for Ciprofloxacin: a change in taste and bloating or gas.

Effects for Ciprofloxacin come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Folic Acid 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.

Special populations

Folic Acid in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Likely Safe

When used orally and appropriately. Folic acid 300-400 mcg is commonly used during pregnancy for prevention of neural tube defects. Miscarriage rates and negative impacts on fetal growth have not been shown to increase with peri-conception supplemental folic acid intakes of 4 mg per day. However, other research shows that taking more than 5 mg per day during pregnancy may reduce development of cognitive, emotional, and motor skills in infants. Also, the tolerable upper intake level (UL) of folic acid for pregnant or lactating women is 800 mcg daily for those 14-18 years of age and 1000 mcg daily for those 19 years and older.

Pregnancy And Lactation Possibly Safe

When L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate (L-5-MTHF), the reduced form of folate, is used orally and appropriately, short-term. L-5-MTHF has been used with apparent safety at a dose of 416 mcg daily for 16 weeks during lactation. Compared to folic acid, this form seems to further increase the folate concentration of red blood cells, but not breast milk.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

Worth knowing

No Interaction — But Ciprofloxacin May Lower Your Folic Acid Levels

These two do not interact. The relationship runs the other way: the licensed record lists Ciprofloxacin as associated with lower Folic Acid levels — rated “Insignificant Depletion”.

Theoretically, antibiotics might reduce folate absorption; however, this is not likely to be clinically significant. Antibiotic therapy can disrupt the normal gastrointestinal (GI) flora, interfering with enterohepatic recirculation (reabsorption) of folic acid. The normal GI flora also synthesizes and consumes folic acid, which may also be disrupted by antibiotics. Folic acid synthesized by GI bacteria can be absorbed in the large intestine, but the amount synthesized and absorbed is variable. For instance, it can depend on dietary fiber intake and gastric pH; hypochlorhydria causes bacterial overgrowth and increased folate synthesis. In most people it's unlikely that a course of antibiotics will reduce folic acid levels significantly, and therefore supplements are unnecessary. For information on foods that are rich in folate, see our chart.

FOLIC ACID — Insignificant Depletion

See every medication linked to lower Folic Acid levels · See the full Ciprofloxacin nutrient report

Disclaimer: This checker finds which nutrients might be depleted by prescription or over-the-counter medications. Each nutrient depletion issue is rated based on clinical significance. Use your own professional judgment prior to making clinical decisions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

How to take them

Some Ciprofloxacin Products Have a Food Rule — Folic Acid Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Ciprofloxacin says to take it with food. If you take Folic Acid on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Ciprofloxacin with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Ciprofloxacin products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

With Dairy Products Concomitant administration of CIPRO with dairy products (like milk or yogurt) or calcium-fortified juices alone should be avoided since decreased absorption is possible; however, CIPRO may be taken with a meal that contains these products.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Ciprofloxacin — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

Overlapping uses

What Ciprofloxacin Is Prescribed For, and What Folic Acid Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Ciprofloxacin is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Folic Acid is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Ciprofloxacin is prescribed for: Ciprofloxacin belongs to a class of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones. It's prescribed to treat bacterial infections in many parts of the body — including the urinary tract, skin, lungs, bones, joints, and digestive system. It's also used to protect against or treat anthrax and plague after exposure. Because ciprofloxacin carries real risks, it's reserved for milder conditions like sinus infections, simple bladder infections, and flare-ups of chronic bronchitis only when there are no safer alternatives available.

Folic Acid has been studied for:

Diarrhea studied, not established Folic Acid has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Possibly Ineffective Read what the research shows

Folic Acid for diarrhea

Oral folic acid does not seem to reduce the risk of diarrhea, and might even increase the incidence of diarrhea in children.

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Ciprofloxacin on your own; if you are taking Folic Acid for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Folic Acid or Ciprofloxacin

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

This page covers Folic Acid only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Ciprofloxacin page lists 163 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Apple (major), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major) and Grapefruit (major).

By severity: 8 major · 133 moderate · 22 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Ciprofloxacin page

“A glass of apple or grapefruit juice can sharply cut how much ciprofloxacin (Cipro) your body absorbs, because these juices block a transporter the antibiotic needs to reach the bloodstream. That is one of eight major-rated risks among the 163 supplement and herbal ingredients on file, and I treat this list as a genuine warning rather…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Ciprofloxacin interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 92 real supplement products containing Folic Acid, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Folic Acid. Even though Folic Acid itself has no known interaction with Ciprofloxacin, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Folic Acid and Ciprofloxacin 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 Folic Acid

Top 25%

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

29 days ago today

Medication Ciprofloxacin

Top 5%

#57 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 Folic Acid reference on this page ↓
Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Folic Acid and Ciprofloxacin records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 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 Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS.

Supplement

About Folic Acid

What is Folic Acid?

Preventing neural tube birth defects
Treating or preventing folate deficiency
Supporting pregnancy health
Certain types of anemia
Heart and blood vessel health

Folic acid is the man-made form of vitamin B9 and is one of the most well-studied supplements, especially for preventing serious birth defects when taken before and during early pregnancy. It is widely available, inexpensive, and generally safe at recommended doses, but you should still check with your pharmacist or doctor about the right amount for you.

Synthetic vitamin (not a plant part); natural folate is found in many foods · Tablets, capsules, softgels, multivitamins, prenatal vitamins, fortified foods

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

Folic Acid: dosing

People being treated for a deficiency may need higher amounts under medical supervision. Do not guess at high doses on your own — check with a healthcare professional, especially if you have anemia or are over 50.

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

Read the full Folic Acid monograph & all interactions

Medication

About Ciprofloxacin

What Is Ciprofloxacin Used For?

Brand names: Cipro, Ciprobay, Cipro XR, Ciloxan, Cipro IV, Otiprio

Ciprofloxacin belongs to a class of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones. It's prescribed to treat bacterial infections in many parts of the body — including the urinary tract, skin, lungs, bones, joints, and digestive system. It's also used to protect against or treat anthrax and plague after exposure.

Because ciprofloxacin carries real risks, it's reserved for milder conditions like sinus infections, simple bladder infections, and flare-ups of chronic bronchitis only when there are no safer alternatives available.

See full Ciprofloxacin drug information

Keep checking

Other Drugs & Folic Acid

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

0Major

40Moderate

0Minor

2,789No known interaction

40 Moderate 2,789 No interaction

Moderate

40 interactions

No interaction 2,789 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,789 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Folic Acid list.

See the full Folic Acid interactions page

See every supplement checked against Ciprofloxacin, ranked by severity

Evidence & sources

Folic Acid References

The 56 references that drive our Folic Acid 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.

McEvoy GK, ed. AHFS Drug Information. Bethesda, MD: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 1998.
Duhra P. Treatment of gastrointestinal symptoms associated with methotrexate therapy for psoriasis. J Am Acad Dermatol 1993;28:466-9. PubMed
Morgan SL, Baggott JE, Vaughn WH, et al. Supplementation with folic acid during methotrexate therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Ann Intern Med 1994;121:833-41. PubMed
Froscher W, Maier V, Laage M, et al. Folate deficiency, anticonvulsant drugs, and psychiatric morbidity. Clin Neuropharmacol 1995;18:165-82. PubMed
Lewis DP, Van Dyke DC, Willhite LA, et al. Phenytoin-folic acid interaction. Ann Pharmacother 1995;29:726-35. PubMed
Berg MJ, Stumbo PJ, Chenard CA, et al. Folic acid improves phenytoin pharmacokinetics. J Am Diet Assoc 1995;95:352-6. PubMed
Berg MJ, Fincham RW, Ebert BE, et al. Phenytoin pharmacokinetics: Before and after folic acid administration. Epilepsia 1992;33:712-20. PubMed
Shafer RB, Nuttall FQ. Calcium and folic acid absorption in patients taking anticonvulsant drugs. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1975;41:1125-9. PubMed
Leeb BF, Witzmann G, Ogris E, et al. Folic acid and cyanocobalamin levels in serum and erythrocytes during low-dose methotrexate therapy of rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis patients. Clin Exp Rheumatol 1995;13:459-63.
Morgan SL, Baggott JE, Lee JY, Alarcón GS. Folic acid supplementation prevents deficient blood folate levels and hyperhomocysteinemia during longterm, low dose methotrexate therapy for rheumatoid arthritis: implications for cardiovascular disease preventi
Dijkmans BA. Folate supplementation and methotrexate. Br J Rheumatol 1995;34:1172-4. PubMed
Segal S, Kaminski S. Drug-nutrient interactions. American Druggist 1996 Jul;42-8.
Lambie DG, Johnson RH. Drugs and folate metabolism. Drugs 1985;30:145-55. PubMed
Amer College of Rheumatology ad hoc committee on clinical guidelines. Guidelines for monitoring drug therapy in rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum 1996;39:723-31. DOI
Suitor CW, Bailey LB. Dietary folate equivalents: interpretation and application. J Am Diet Assoc 2000;100:88-94. PubMed
Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, and Choline (2000). Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2000. Available at: http://b
Sandoval M, Charbonnet RM, Okuhama NN, et al. Cat's claw inhibits TNFalpha production and scavenges free radicals: role in cytoprotection. Free Radic Biol Med 2000;29:71-78.
Antony AC. Megaloblastic Anemias. In: Hoffman R, Benz Jr EJ, Shattil SJ, et al. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 3rd ed. New York, NY: Churchill Livingstone 2000: 451-79.
Reynolds EH. Neurological aspects of folate and vitamin B12 metabolism. Clin Haematol 1976;5:661-96. DOI
Reynolds EH. Folate metabolism and anticonvulsant therapy. Proc R Soc Med 1974;67:68.
Ortiz Z, Shea B, Suarez Almazor M, et al. Folic acid and folinic acid for reducing side effects in patients receiving methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis (Cochrane Review). Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2000;2:CD000951. PubMed
Van Delden C, Hirschel B. Folinic acid supplements to pyrimethamine-sulfadiazine for Toxoplasma encephalitis are associated with better outcome (letter). J Infect Dis 1996;173:1294-5. PubMed
Schroder H, Clausen N, Ostergard E, Pressler T. Folic acid supplements in vitamin tablets: a determinant of hematological drug tolerance in maintenance therapy of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Ped Hematol Oncol 1986;3:241-7. PubMed
Lange H, Suryapranata H, De Luca G, et al. Folate therapy and in-stent restenosis after coronary stenting. N Engl J Med 2004;350:2673-81. PubMed
Morris MC, Evans DA, Bienias JL, et al. Dietary folate and vitamin B12 intake and cognitive decline among community-dwelling older persons. Arch Neurol 2005;62:641-5. PubMed
Bonaa KH, Njolstad I, Ueland PM, et al. NORVIT: Homocysteine lowering and cardiovascular events after acute myocardial infarction. N Enlg J Med 2006;354:1578-88. PubMed
Lawson KA, Wright ME, Subar A, et al. Multivitamin use and risk of prostate cancer in the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study. J Natl Cancer Inst 2007;99:754-64. PubMed
Figueiredo JC, Grau MV, Haile RW, et al. Folic acid and risk of prostate cancer: Results from a randomized clinical trial. J Natl Cancer Inst 2009;101:432-5. PubMed
Clippe C, Freyer G, Milano G, Trillet-Lenoir V. Lethal toxicity of capecitabine due to abusive folic acid prescription. Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol) 2003;15:299-300. PubMed
Bedford Laboratories. Leucovorin calcium [package insert]. Bedford, OH. September 2008. Available at: http://www.bedfordlabs.com/BedfordLabsWeb/products/inserts/LCV-P02.pdf.
Ebbing M, Bonaa KH, Nygard O, et al. Cancer incidence and mortality after treatment with folic acid and vitamin B12. JAMA 2009;302:2119-26.
Haberg, S. E., London, S. J., Stigum, H., Nafstad, P., and Nystad, W. Folic acid supplements in pregnancy and early childhood respiratory health. Arch Dis.Child 2009;94(3):180-184. PubMed
Whitrow, M. J., Moore, V. M., Rumbold, A. R., and Davies, M. J. Effect of supplemental folic acid in pregnancy on childhood asthma: a prospective birth cohort study. Am J Epidemiol. 12-15-2009;170(12):1486-1493. PubMed
Collin, S. M., Metcalfe, C., Refsum, H., Lewis, S. J., Zuccolo, L., Smith, G. D., Chen, L., Harris, R., Davis, M., Marsden, G., Johnston, C., Lane, J. A., Ebbing, M., Bonaa, K. H., Nygard, O., Ueland, P. M., Grau, M. V., Baron, J. A., Donovan, J. L., Nea
Baggott, J. E., Oster, R. A., and Tamura, T. Meta-analysis of cancer risk in folic acid supplementation trials. Cancer Epidemiol. 2012;36(1):78-81. PubMed
Fonseca VA, Lavery LA, Thethi TK, et al. Metanx in type 2 diabetes with peripheral neuropathy: A randomized trial. Am J Med 2013;126(2):141-9. PubMed
Hankey GJ, Eikelboom JW, Yi Q, et al. Treatment with B vitamins and incidence of cancer in patients with previous stroke or transient ischemic attack: Results of a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Stroke 2012;43(6):1572-7. PubMed
Taneja S, Strand TA, Kumar T, et al. Folic acid and vitamin B-12 supplementation and common infections in 6-30-mo-old children in India: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr 2013;98(3):731-7. PubMed
van Wijngaarden JP, Swart KM, Enneman AW, et al. Effect of daily vitamin B-12 and folic acid supplementation on fracture incidence in elderly individuals with an elevated plasma homocysteine concentration: B-PROOF, a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin
Qin X, Fan F, Cui Y, Chen F, Chen Y, Cheng X, Li Y, Wang B, Xu X, Xu X, Huo Y, Wang X. Folic acid supplementation with and without vitamin B6 and revascularization risk: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Clin Nutr. 2014;33(4):603-12. PubMed
Crider KS, Cordero AM, Qi YP, Mulinare J, Dowling NF, Berry RJ. Prenatal folic acid and risk of asthma in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013;98(5):1272-81. PubMed
Matsubara S, Imai K, Murayama K, Higashizawa T. Severe liver dysfunction during nausea and vomiting of pregnancy: folic acid supplement as a suggested culprit. J Obstet Gynaecol. 2012;32(7):701-2. PubMed
Qin X, Cui Y, Shen L, Sun N, Zhang Y, Li J, Xu X, Wang B, Xu X, Huo Y, Wang X. Folic acid supplementation and cancer risk: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Int J Cancer. 2013 1;133(5):1033-41. PubMed
Tio M, Andrici J, Cox MR, Eslick GD. Folate intake and the risk of prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis. 2014;17(3):213-9. PubMed
Tomaszewski JJ, Richman EL, Sadetsky N, O'Keefe DS, Carroll PR, Davies BJ, Chan JM. Impact of folate intake on prostate cancer recurrence following definitive therapy: data from CaPSURE. J Urol. 2014;191(4):971-6. PubMed
Valera-Gran D, García de la Hera M, Navarrete-Muñoz EM, Fernandez-Somoano A, Tardón A, Julvez J, Forns J, Lertxundi N, Ibarluzea JM, Murcia M, Rebagliato M, Vioque J; Infancia y Medio Ambiente (INMA) Project. Folic acid supplements during pregnancy and ch
Van Der Woude DA, De Vries J, Van Wijk EM, Verzijl JM, Pijnenborg JM. A randomized controlled trial examining the addition of folic acid to iron supplementation in the treatment of postpartum anemia. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2014;126(2):101-5. PubMed
Vila-Nova C, Wehby GL, Queirós FC, Chakraborty H, Félix TM, Goco N, Moore J, Gewehr EV, Lins L, Affonso CM, Murray JC. Periconceptional use of folic acid and risk of miscarriage - findings of the Oral Cleft Prevention Program in Brazil. J Perinat Med. 201 PubMed
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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.

Related: nutrient depletion

Ciprofloxacin Is Linked to Lower Levels of 11 Nutrients

Natural Medicines records Ciprofloxacin as a medicine that can lower these. This is not an interaction with Folic Acid — it is a separate effect of the medicine, and it is a reason some people are advised to supplement rather than to avoid one:

Read the full Ciprofloxacin nutrient depletion report ›

Folic Acid is itself a nutrient we track — see which medications may deplete FOLIC ACID.

Depletion records come from the licensed Natural Medicines database. Do not start a supplement on the strength of this page — ask your pharmacist or doctor whether it applies to you.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Folic Acid and Ciprofloxacin Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Folic Acid with Ciprofloxacin?

We do not list a known interaction between Folic Acid and Ciprofloxacin. 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 Folic Acid and Ciprofloxacin 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.

Should I take Folic Acid and Ciprofloxacin at the same time of day?

At least one FDA label for a product containing Ciprofloxacin says to take it with food. If you take Folic Acid on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Ciprofloxacin with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Ciprofloxacin products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.

Can Ciprofloxacin lower my Folic Acid levels?

Natural Medicines records Ciprofloxacin as a medicine that can deplete Folic Acid. That is the opposite direction to an interaction — it is a reason some people are told to take a supplement, not a reason to avoid one. Do not start one on the strength of this page; ask your pharmacist or doctor whether it applies to you.

Are Folic Acid and Ciprofloxacin used for the same thing?

They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Folic Acid in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Ciprofloxacin is being adjusted to a target.

How was the Folic Acid and Ciprofloxacin combination checked?

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Ciprofloxacin is filed under 12 classifications, and Folic Acid has documented interactions with 7 drug classes — none of Ciprofloxacin'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 Folic Acid interact with any other medications?

Yes. Folic Acid has 40 documented drug interactions in our database — Ciprofloxacin 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 Ciprofloxacin interact with any supplements?

Yes. Ciprofloxacin has documented interactions with 163 supplements in our database — Folic Acid is not one of them. The Ciprofloxacin 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

Folic Acid monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Ciprofloxacin drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Ciprofloxacin supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Ciprofloxacin, 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 56 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

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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.