Drug & supplement interaction

Hops + Norethindrone Acetate, Ethinyl Estradiol, Ferrous Fumarate

Norethindrone Acetate, Ethinyl Estradiol, Ferrous Fumarate brand names: Minastrin 24 FE, LoMinastrin FE.

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

Norethindrone Acetate, Ethinyl Estradiol, Ferrous Fumarate falls into 3 drug categories that Hops can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, concomitant use of large amounts of hops might interfere with hormone replacement therapy due to competition for estrogen receptors.

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

Hops and Norethindrone Acetate, Ethinyl Estradiol, Ferrous Fumarate

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

Why Are There 3 Interactions?

Hops interacts with whole categories of medication. Norethindrone Acetate, Ethinyl Estradiol, Ferrous Fumarate falls into 3 of those categories, so it can interact with Hops in 3 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

ESTROGENS

1 of 3

Why this applies to Norethindrone Acetate, Ethinyl Estradiol, Ferrous Fumarate

Norethindrone Acetate, Ethinyl Estradiol, Ferrous Fumarate falls under ESTROGENS — the group Hops interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use of large amounts of hops might interfere with hormone replacement therapy due to competition for estrogen receptors.
In vitro research suggests that certain hops constituents can competitively bind to estrogen receptors. However, most hops extracts contain very small amounts of these constituents.
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 thing about your birth control pill (which contains ethinyl estradiol, an estrogen, plus norethindrone): hops carry a plant compound called 8-prenylnaringenin that's a surprisingly strong plant estrogen. In a test tube, hops compounds can bump up against the same estrogen receptors your pill works through. The worry is that, in theory, large amounts of hops could compete with your pill's hormones.

I want to be straight with you, though: this concern comes only from lab research, not from real people, and most hops products contain only tiny amounts of that active compound. So the practical risk is low. Still, since this pill also prevents pregnancy, I wouldn't want anything weakening it. An occasional hops tea is unlikely to matter, but before using concentrated hops supplements regularly, please check with your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Zava DT, Dollbaum CM, Blen M. Estrogen and progestin bioactivity of foods, herbs, and spices. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 1998;217:369-78. PubMed
  2. Milligan SR, Kalita JC, Heyerick A, et al. Identification of a potent phytoestrogen in hops (Humulus lupulus L.) and beer. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1999;84:2249-52.. PubMed
  3. Milligan SR, Kalita JC, Pocock V, et al. The endocrine activities of 8-prenylnaringenin and related hop (Humulus lupulus L.) flavonoids. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2000;85:4912-5.. DOI
  4. Assessment report on Humulus lupulus L., flos. European Medicines Agency, 2014. Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-report/final-assessment-report-humulus-lupulus-l-flos_en.pdf. Accessed September 29, 2021.
Minor

CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES

2 of 3

Norethindrone Acetate, Ethinyl Estradiol, Ferrous Fumarate also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES.

Hops extract does not seem to affect the metabolism of CYP1A2 substrates.
In vitro research suggests that flavonoid constituents of hops inhibit CYP1A2 enzyme activity. However, a pharmacokinetic study in healthy postmenopausal patients shows that taking a standardized extract of spent hops containing prenylated phenols, as 59.5 mg twice daily for 2 weeks, does not affect levels of caffeine, a CYP1A2 probe substrate.
Severity Minor Likelihood Unlikely Evidence D

Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans..

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

Good news here: the concern with hops and your birth control pill (Minastrin or LoMinastrin) is really only theoretical. Some lab dish studies hinted that flavonoids in hops might slow down a liver enzyme called CYP1A2. But when researchers actually gave people a standardized hops extract for two weeks, it did not change how their body cleared a test drug that uses that same enzyme.

On top of that, your pill is mainly handled by a different enzyme system anyway, so hops are very unlikely to make it stronger or weaker. I wouldn't expect changes in spotting, nausea, or your contraceptive protection from hops. Still, since hops can make you drowsy, it's always smart to run any new supplement past your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Henderson MC, Miranda CL, Stevens JF, et al. In vitro inhibition of human P450 enzymes by prenylated flavonoids from hops, Humulus lupulus. Xenobiotica 2000;30:235-51.. PubMed
  2. van Breemen RB, Chen L, Tonsing-Carter A, et al. Pharmacokinetic Interactions of a Hop Dietary Supplement with Drug Metabolism in Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Women. J Agric Food Chem. 2020;68(18):5212-5220. PubMed
Minor

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

3 of 3

Norethindrone Acetate, Ethinyl Estradiol, Ferrous Fumarate also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES.

Theoretically, hops extract might alter metabolism of CYP3A4 substrates; however, this effect may not be clinically significant.
Animal research suggests that specific constituents of hops, called lupulones, can induce hepatic CYP3A4 enzyme activity. However, a pharmacokinetic study in healthy postmenopausal patients with normal metabolism shows that taking a standardized extract of spent hops containing prenylated phenols, as 59.5 mg twice daily for 2 weeks, decreases the concentration of alprazolam, a CYP3A4 probe substrate, by 7.6%. This reduction is unlikely to be clinically relevant.
Severity Minor 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

Your pill combines a progestin (norethindrone) and an estrogen (ethinyl estradiol), plus a little iron. Both hormones get processed in the liver partly by an enzyme called CYP3A4. The thought here is that hops might nudge that enzyme to work a bit faster, which could in theory lower hormone levels slightly. In practice, that would mean a small risk of less reliable protection, like breakthrough bleeding or, at the far edge, reduced contraceptive coverage.

Honestly though, this is a very weak, mostly theoretical concern. The data come from lab and animal studies, and a human study found only a tiny 7.6% change that experts called not meaningful. I would not expect normal hops use to affect your birth control. If you want extra reassurance, just check with your pharmacist.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Mannering, G. J., Shoeman, J. A., and Deloria, L. B. Identification of the antibiotic hops component, colupulone, as an inducer of hepatic cytochrome P-4503A in the mouse. Drug Metab Dispos 1992;20(2):142-147. DOI
  2. van Breemen RB, Chen L, Tonsing-Carter A, et al. Pharmacokinetic Interactions of a Hop Dietary Supplement with Drug Metabolism in Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Women. J Agric Food Chem. 2020;68(18):5212-5220. 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

Hops Also Interacts With Other Medications

Hops has 288 moderate, 576 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Norethindrone Acetate, Ethinyl Estradiol, Ferrous Fumarate one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 288 Minor 576 No known interaction 1,966 (incl. Norethindrone Acetate, Ethinyl Estradiol, Ferrous Fumarate)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Hops

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Norethindrone Acetate, Ethinyl Estradiol, Ferrous Fumarate

This page covers Hops only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Norethindrone Acetate, Ethinyl Estradiol, Ferrous Fumarate page lists 240 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Grapefruit (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major) and St. John's Wort (major).

By severity: 6 major · 196 moderate · 38 minor.

Open the Norethindrone Acetate, Ethinyl Estradiol, Ferrous Fumarate interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1,325 real supplement products containing Hops, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Hops. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Norethindrone Acetate, Ethinyl Estradiol, Ferrous Fumarate too, on top of Hops — 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 Hops and Norethindrone Acetate, Ethinyl Estradiol, Ferrous Fumarate 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 Hops
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Norethindrone Acetate, Ethinyl Estradiol, Ferrous Fumarate
Top half

#1,376 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 Hops

What is Hops?

Hops
  • Sleep problems and insomnia
  • Anxiety and restlessness
  • Menopausal symptoms
  • Mild digestive complaints
  • Flavoring in beer and food

Hops are most often used for sleep and mild anxiety, frequently combined with valerian, but the human evidence is limited and not very strong. They are generally well tolerated when used short-term, though they may cause drowsiness, and should be avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding because their safety is unknown.

Read the full Hops monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Hops

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

0Major
288Moderate
576Minor
1,965No known interaction
288 Moderate 576 Minor 1,965 No interaction
Moderate

288 interactions

Showing 60 of 288 moderate interactions — see all 288 on the Hops page.

Minor

576 interactions

Showing 60 of 576 minor interactions — see all 576 on the Hops page.

No interaction 1,965 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,965 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Hops list.

See the full Hops interactions page
See every supplement checked against Norethindrone Acetate, Ethinyl Estradiol, Ferrous Fumarate, 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
Hops monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Norethindrone Acetate, Ethinyl Estradiol, Ferrous Fumarate supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Norethindrone Acetate, Ethinyl Estradiol, Ferrous Fumarate, 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 Hops and Norethindrone Acetate, Ethinyl Estradiol, Ferrous Fumarate Together: Common Questions

Can you take Hops with Norethindrone Acetate, Ethinyl Estradiol, Ferrous Fumarate?
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.
Why are there 3 interactions listed for Hops and Norethindrone Acetate, Ethinyl Estradiol, Ferrous Fumarate?
Norethindrone Acetate, Ethinyl Estradiol, Ferrous Fumarate belongs to more than one drug category, and Hops 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 Hops and Norethindrone Acetate, Ethinyl Estradiol, Ferrous Fumarate 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

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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.