Drug & supplement interaction

Horseradish + Levothyroxine Sodium

Levothyroxine Sodium brand names: Tirosint-Sol, Thyquidity, Ermez.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Horseradish has a moderate interaction with Levothyroxine Sodium. Theoretically, horseradish might interfere with the effects of thyroid hormone.

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

Horseradish and Levothyroxine Sodium

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

Moderate

THYROID HORMONE

Why this applies to Levothyroxine Sodium

Levothyroxine Sodium falls under THYROID HORMONE — the group Horseradish interacts with.

Theoretically, horseradish might interfere with the effects of thyroid hormone.
Horseradish and other members of the cabbage and mustard family are associated with depressed thyroid function.
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 gist for your levothyroxine: this is a thyroid hormone you take to replace what your thyroid isn't making enough of. Horseradish belongs to the cabbage and mustard family, and plants in this group (called goitrogens) are thought to slightly dampen thyroid activity. The worry is that, in theory, horseradish could work against the hormone you're trying to keep steady, possibly nudging you back toward sluggish thyroid symptoms like tiredness, feeling cold, weight creep, or constipation.

That said, this concern is theoretical and based on how these compounds behave, not on strong human studies. A little horseradish on your roast beef is very unlikely to matter. Concentrated supplements taken regularly are where I'd be more cautious. Levothyroxine is a touchy, narrow-dose medicine, so please check with your pharmacist or doctor before using horseradish as a remedy.

References
  1. Newall CA, Anderson LA, Philpson JD. Herbal Medicine: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. London, UK: The Pharmaceutical Press, 1996.

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

Horseradish Also Interacts With Other Medications

Horseradish has 15 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Levothyroxine Sodium one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Horseradish

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Levothyroxine Sodium

This page covers Horseradish only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Levothyroxine Sodium page lists 50 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Tiratricol (major), Acetyl-l-carnitine (moderate), Alpha-lipoic Acid (moderate) and Ascophyllum Nodosum (moderate).

Open the Levothyroxine Sodium interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 245 real supplement products containing Horseradish, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Horseradish. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Levothyroxine Sodium too, on top of Horseradish — 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 Horseradish and Levothyroxine Sodium 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 Horseradish
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Levothyroxine Sodium
Top 10%

#160 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 Horseradish

What is Horseradish?

  • Sinus and respiratory congestion
  • Urinary tract infections
  • Digestive support
  • Antimicrobial
  • Culinary flavoring

Horseradish is a pungent root used as a food and folk remedy, most often for sinus congestion and urinary tract complaints. Human evidence is limited, and while culinary amounts are generally well tolerated, concentrated supplements can irritate the stomach and should be used cautiously. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using horseradish as a medicine.

Read the full Horseradish monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Horseradish

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

0Major
15Moderate
0Minor
2,814No known interaction
Moderate

15 interactions

No interaction 2,814 drugs checked — show the list
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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Horseradish and Levothyroxine Sodium Together: Common Questions

Can you take Horseradish with Levothyroxine Sodium?
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 Horseradish and Levothyroxine Sodium 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.