Drug & supplement interaction

Green Coffee + Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline

Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline brand name: Tedral.

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

Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline falls into 3 drug categories that Green Coffee can interact with; the most serious is rated major. Theoretically, concomitant use might increase the risk of stimulant adverse effects.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMajor
LikelihoodProbable
Interactions3
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Green Coffee and Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline

These two interact in 3 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 3 Interactions?

Green Coffee interacts with whole categories of medication. Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline falls into 3 of those categories, so it can interact with Green Coffee in 3 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Major).

Major

EPHEDRINE

1 of 3
Theoretically, concomitant use might increase the risk of stimulant adverse effects.
Green coffee can contain caffeine. There is evidence that using ephedrine with caffeine might increase the risk of serious life-threatening or debilitating adverse effects such as hypertension, myocardial infarction, stroke, seizures, and death. Tell patients to avoid taking caffeine with ephedrine and other stimulants.
Severity Major Likelihood Probable Evidence D

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 the thing to watch with this combo: Tedral already contains ephedrine (a stimulant) and theophylline, which is chemically a cousin of caffeine. Green coffee brings its own caffeine to the party. When you pile stimulants on top of stimulants, the effects can add up fast. We're talking jitteriness, a racing or pounding heart, trouble sleeping, anxiety, and rising blood pressure. In more serious cases, the concern is dangerous spikes in heart rate or blood pressure.

This warning is based mostly on how these drugs work rather than large studies, so it's a theoretical but reasonable caution. Theophylline in particular has a narrow safe range, so even modest caffeine can nudge it. Please check with your pharmacist or doctor before adding green coffee.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Vahedi K, Domingo V, Amarenco P, Bousser MG. Ischemic stroke in a sportsman who consumed MaHuang extract and creatine monohydrate for bodybuilding. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatr 2000;68:112-3.
  2. Haller CA, Benowitz NL. Adverse cardiovascular and central nervous system events associated with dietary supplements containing ephedra alkaloids. N Engl J Med 2000;343:1833-8. PubMed
  3. Shekelle PG, Hardy ML, Morton SC, et al. Efficacy and safety of ephedra and ephedrine for weight loss and athletic performance: a meta-analysis. JAMA 2003;289:1537-45.. PubMed
  4. Kockler DR, McCarthy MW, Lawson CL. Seizure activity and unresponsiveness after hydroxycut ingestion. Pharmacotherapy 2001;21:647-51.. PubMed
Moderate

STIMULANT DRUGS

2 of 3

Why this applies to Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline

Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline falls under STIMULANT DRUGS — the group Green Coffee interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use might increase stimulant adverse effects.
Green coffee can contain caffeine. Due to the central nervous system (CNS) stimulant effects of caffeine, concomitant use with stimulant drugs can increase the risk of adverse effects.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence C

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 the simple version: green coffee naturally contains caffeine, which is itself a mild stimulant. Tedral combines ephedrine and theophylline, both of which already rev up your nervous system and heart. When you stack green coffee's caffeine on top, the stimulant effects can pile up. You might notice a faster or pounding heartbeat, jitteriness, trouble sleeping, anxiety, or a bump in blood pressure. Caffeine and theophylline are chemical cousins, so doubling up can be especially noticeable.

This concern is based mainly on expert reasoning rather than hard studies, so it's more of a sensible caution than a proven danger. A cup of coffee now and then is different from concentrated green coffee supplements. Still, please run it by your pharmacist or doctor before combining them.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Institute of Medicine. Caffeine for the Sustainment of Mental Task Performance: Formulations for Military Operations. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2001. Available at: http://books.nap.edu/books/0309082587/html/index.html. DOI
Moderate

THEOPHYLLINE

3 of 3

Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline also falls under THEOPHYLLINE.

Theoretically, green coffee might increase the levels and adverse effects of theophylline.
Green coffee can contain caffeine. Large amounts of caffeine might inhibit theophylline metabolism.
Severity Moderate 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 the thing with this combo product: it contains theophylline, and theophylline already sits in the same family as caffeine. Both are cleared by the same liver pathway. Green coffee brings its own caffeine to the table, and a lot of caffeine can slow down how your body breaks theophylline apart. The worry is that theophylline levels creep up.

Theophylline has a narrow safety window, so even a small bump can matter. Watch for jitteriness, a racing or pounding heartbeat, trouble sleeping, nausea, or feeling shaky. The ephedrine piece is also a stimulant, so the effects can stack. This concern is mostly theoretical and depends on dose, but it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor before adding green coffee.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Carrillo JA, Benitez J. Clinically significant pharmacokinetic interactions between dietary caffeine and medications. Clin Pharmacokinet 2000;39:127-53. 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

Green Coffee Also Interacts With Other Medications

Green Coffee has 7 major, 442 moderate, 222 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 7 Moderate 442 Minor 222 No known interaction 2,159 (incl. Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Green Coffee

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline

This page covers Green Coffee only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline page lists 184 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: 1,4-butanediol (major), Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Black Tea (major) and Caffeine (major).

By severity: 22 major · 140 moderate · 22 minor.

Open the Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1,716 real supplement products containing Green Coffee, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Green Coffee. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline too, on top of Green Coffee — 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 Green Coffee and Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline 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 Green Coffee
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline
Top 5%

#75 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 Green Coffee

What is Green Coffee?

Green Coffee
  • Weight loss
  • High blood pressure
  • Blood sugar control
  • Antioxidant support
  • General energy

Green coffee is the unroasted bean of the coffee plant, prized for its high chlorogenic acid content. Some early studies suggest modest benefits for weight, blood pressure, and blood sugar, but the evidence is limited and far from conclusive. It contains caffeine, so people sensitive to stimulants should use caution and check with a pharmacist or doctor first.

Read the full Green Coffee monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Green Coffee

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

7Major
442Moderate
222Minor
2,158No known interaction
7 Major 442 Moderate 222 Minor 2,158 No interaction
Major

7 interactions

Moderate

442 interactions

Showing 60 of 442 moderate interactions — see all 442 on the Green Coffee page.

Minor

222 interactions

Showing 60 of 222 minor interactions — see all 222 on the Green Coffee page.

No interaction 2,158 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,158 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Green Coffee list.

See the full Green Coffee interactions page
See every supplement checked against Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline, 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
Green Coffee monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline, 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 Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Green Coffee and Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline Together: Common Questions

Can you take Green Coffee with Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline?
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.
Why are there 3 interactions listed for Green Coffee and Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline?
Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline belongs to more than one drug category, and Green Coffee interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Green Coffee and Ephedrine, Phenobarbital, Theophylline 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

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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.