Drug & supplement interaction

Glyconutrients + Thalidomide

Thalidomide brand name: Thalomid.

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

Glyconutrients has a moderate interaction with Thalidomide. Evidence from in vitro research suggests that glyconutrients stimulate certain immune responses.

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

Glyconutrients and Thalidomide

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

Moderate

IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS

Why this applies to Thalidomide

Thalidomide falls under IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS — the group Glyconutrients interacts with.

Evidence from in vitro research suggests that glyconutrients stimulate certain immune responses. Theoretically, glyconutrients might interfere with immunosuppressive therapy. Immunosuppressant drugs include azathioprine (Imuran), basiliximab (Simulect), cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), daclizumab (Zenapax), muromonab-CD3 (OKT3, Orthoclone OKT3), mycophenolate (CellCept), tacrolimus (FK506, Prograf), sirolimus (Rapamune), prednisone (Deltasone, Orasone), corticosteroids (glucocorticoids), and others.
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 thinking on this pairing. In test tube studies, glyconutrients seem to nudge certain parts of the immune system into action. Thalidomide is a little unusual because it works by adjusting your immune response, not by simply shutting it down like a classic transplant drug. So the worry is that a supplement that revs up immune activity could, in theory, tug against what thalidomide is trying to do.

I want to be honest with you though: this is theoretical only, based on lab data, not on real patients. We don't have evidence it actually weakens thalidomide in people. Thalidomide is a serious medication used for multiple myeloma and leprosy reactions, so don't add any new supplement on your own. Just run it by your oncologist or pharmacist first so they can keep an eye on things.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Lefkowitz DL, Stuart R, Gnade BT, Roberts E, Lefkowitz SS. Effects of a glyconutrient on macrophage functions. Int J Immunopharmacol 2000;22(4):299-308. PubMed
  2. See DM, Cimoch P, Chou S, Chang J, Tilles J. The in vitro immunomodulatory effects of glyconutrients on peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. Integr Physiol Behav Sci 1998;33(3):280-287. PubMed
  3. Haji, Faraji M. and Haji, Tarkhani A. The effect of sour tea (Hibiscus sabdariffa) on essential hypertension. J.Ethnopharmacol. 1999;65(3):231-236. 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

Glyconutrients Also Interacts With Other Medications

Glyconutrients has 120 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Thalidomide one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 120 No known interaction 2,710 (incl. Thalidomide)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Glyconutrients

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Thalidomide

This page covers Glyconutrients only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Thalidomide 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 Thalidomide page

“Thalidomide (Thalomid) works in part by quieting the immune system, which is exactly why most of the supplements on this page concern me. The large majority are herbs and extracts marketed as immune boosters, astragalus being one familiar example, and their theoretical effect is to push back against what thalidomide is trying to accomp…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Thalidomide interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Glyconutrients and Thalidomide 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 Glyconutrients
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Thalidomide
Top half

#863 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 Glyconutrients

What is Glyconutrients?

  • General immune support
  • Overall wellness and energy
  • Cognitive or memory support
  • Inflammation
  • Digestive health

Glyconutrients are supplements containing certain sugar molecules (monosaccharides) that marketers claim are essential for cell communication and health. The science behind most health claims is weak and largely promotional, and your body already makes these sugars from a normal diet. They are generally low-risk, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using them, and don't rely on them to treat any disease.

Read the full Glyconutrients monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Thalidomide

What Is Thalidomide Used For?

Brand name: Thalomid

Thalomid (thalidomide capsules) is approved for two uses. First, it is used in combination with dexamethasone to treat newly diagnosed multiple myeloma — a cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow.

Second, Thalomid is used on its own to treat the skin symptoms of moderate to severe erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL), a painful inflammatory reaction that can occur in people with leprosy. It can also be used as ongoing maintenance therapy to prevent ENL from coming back. Note: Thalomid is not approved as the sole treatment for ENL when moderate to severe nerve inflammation (neuritis) is also present.

See full Thalidomide drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Glyconutrients

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

0Major
120Moderate
0Minor
2,709No known interaction
120 Moderate 2,709 No interaction
Moderate

120 interactions

Showing 60 of 120 moderate interactions — see all 120 on the Glyconutrients page.

No interaction 2,709 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,709 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Glyconutrients list.

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

Can you take Glyconutrients with Thalidomide?
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 Glyconutrients and Thalidomide 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 Thalidomide and Glyconutrients?

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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.