Drug & supplement interaction

Grapefruit + Desvenlafaxine

Desvenlafaxine brand names: Pristiq, Khedezla.

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

Grapefruit has a major interaction with Desvenlafaxine. Grapefruit or grapefruit juice, especially if consumed in large amounts, can cause additive QT interval prolongation when taken with QT interval-prolonging drugs, potentially increasing the risk of ventricular arrhythmias.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMajor
LikelihoodProbable
EvidenceB
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Grapefruit and Desvenlafaxine

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

Major

QT INTERVAL-PROLONGING DRUGS

Why this applies to Desvenlafaxine

Desvenlafaxine falls under QT INTERVAL-PROLONGING DRUGS — the group Grapefruit interacts with.

Grapefruit or grapefruit juice, especially if consumed in large amounts, can cause additive QT interval prolongation when taken with QT interval-prolonging drugs, potentially increasing the risk of ventricular arrhythmias.
Clinical research in healthy volunteers shows that drinking 6 liters of grapefruit juice over 6 hours prolonged the QTc by a peak amount of 14 milliseconds (ms). This prolongation was similar to the QT prolongation caused by the drug moxifloxacin. In individuals with long QT syndrome, a smaller dose of grapefruit juice, 1.5 liters, resulted in a greater peak QTc prolongation of about 30 ms. The effect of smaller quantities of grapefruit juice on the QT interval is unclear.
Severity Major Likelihood Probable Evidence B

Interaction 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..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's something most folks don't realize about grapefruit: in large amounts it can slightly stretch out the heart's electrical rhythm, what we call the QT interval. Desvenlafaxine (Pristiq) can do the same thing, so combining the two could add together and, in theory, raise the risk of an irregular heartbeat. This isn't about grapefruit changing how your body breaks down the drug, it's about both nudging your heart's rhythm in the same direction.

The good news: this came from studies using really large amounts, like several liters of juice. A normal half grapefruit or a small glass of juice is far less likely to matter for most healthy people. Still, if you have a heart condition or take other rhythm-affecting medicines, check with your pharmacist or doctor before making grapefruit a daily habit.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Chorin E, Hochstadt A, Granot Y, et al. Grapefruit juice prolongs the QT interval of healthy volunteers and patients with long QT syndrome. Heart Rhythm. 2019. pii: S1547-5271(19)30368-6. 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

Grapefruit Also Interacts With Other Medications

Grapefruit has 775 major, 151 moderate, 63 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Desvenlafaxine one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 775 Moderate 151 Minor 63 No known interaction 1,841 (incl. Desvenlafaxine)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Grapefruit

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Grapefruit or Desvenlafaxine

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

This page covers Grapefruit only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Desvenlafaxine page lists 109 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major), Cesium (major) and Ephedra (major).

By severity: 8 major · 81 moderate · 20 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Desvenlafaxine page

“Plenty of people taking desvenlafaxine (Pristiq, Khedezla) for depression also shop the supplement aisle for mood support, and that is exactly where this list bites hardest. Eight of the 109 entries rate major, which puts it firmly in the be-careful column.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Desvenlafaxine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1,144 real supplement products containing Grapefruit, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Grapefruit. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Desvenlafaxine too, on top of Grapefruit — 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 Grapefruit and Desvenlafaxine 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 Grapefruit
Top 10%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Desvenlafaxine
Top 25%

#448 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 Grapefruit

What is Grapefruit?

Grapefruit
  • Source of vitamin C
  • Digestive complaints
  • Antimicrobial (seed extract)
  • Weight management
  • Skin and cosmetic uses

Grapefruit is a nutritious citrus fruit rich in vitamin C and other nutrients, and it is generally safe to eat. However, grapefruit is famous for serious interactions with many prescription medicines, so anyone taking medication should check with a pharmacist or doctor before consuming it regularly.

Read the full Grapefruit monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Desvenlafaxine

What Is Desvenlafaxine Used For?

Brand names: Pristiq, Khedezla

Desvenlafaxine extended-release tablets — sold under brand names including Pristiq, Desvenlafaxine ER, Desvenlafaxine Succinate, and others — are approved for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults.

This medication is not approved for use in children or adolescents. Its effectiveness was studied in clinical trials of adult outpatients who met standard diagnostic criteria for MDD.

See full Desvenlafaxine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Grapefruit

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

775Major
151Moderate
63Minor
1,840No known interaction
775 Major 151 Moderate 63 Minor 1,840 No interaction
Major

775 interactions

Showing 60 of 775 major interactions — see all 775 on the Grapefruit page.

Moderate

151 interactions

Showing 60 of 151 moderate interactions — see all 151 on the Grapefruit page.

Minor

63 interactions

Showing 60 of 63 minor interactions — see all 63 on the Grapefruit page.

No interaction 1,840 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,840 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Grapefruit list.

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

Can you take Grapefruit with Desvenlafaxine?
This is rated a major interaction, so the combination is best avoided unless your doctor or pharmacist has specifically told you otherwise. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Grapefruit and Desvenlafaxine interaction?
We rate it Major. This is a clinically significant combination that is generally best avoided, or used only under the direct supervision of your physician or pharmacist.

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

Still Have a Question About Desvenlafaxine and Grapefruit?

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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.