Drug & supplement interaction

Iodine + Amiodarone

Amiodarone brand names: Pacerone, Cordarone.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Iodine has a moderate interaction with Amiodarone. Combining iodine with amiodarone might cause excessively high iodine levels.

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

Iodine and Amiodarone

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

Moderate

AMIODARONE (Cordarone)

Combining iodine with amiodarone might cause excessively high iodine levels.
Amiodarone contains 37.3% iodine and can increase iodine levels. Concomitant use with iodine might increase the risk of having excessive iodine levels and adversely affecting thyroid function. Monitor thyroid function.
Severity Moderate 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 something many people don't realize about amiodarone: the medication itself is loaded with iodine. By weight, it's about 37% iodine, so a single dose already gives your body far more than you'd ever get from food. Adding an iodine supplement on top of that piles even more iodine into your system.

The concern is that too much iodine can throw your thyroid off, either slowing it down (low thyroid) or revving it up (overactive thyroid). Amiodarone alone is already a common cause of thyroid problems, so stacking a supplement on top may raise that risk. This is a theoretical concern based on the chemistry rather than firm studies, so don't panic, but it's worth a quick chat. Please check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any iodine product, and keep up with your thyroid blood tests.

References
  1. Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2002.
  2. Sterling JB, Heymann WR. Potassium iodide in dermatology: a 19th century drug for the 21st century-uses, pharmacology, adverse effects, and contraindications. J Am Acad Dermatol 2000;43:691-7. 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

Iodine Also Interacts With Other Medications

Iodine has 6 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Amiodarone 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 Iodine

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Iodine or Amiodarone

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

This page covers Iodine only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Amiodarone page lists 210 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), Beer (major) and Cesium (major).

By severity: 11 major · 163 moderate · 36 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Amiodarone page

“Amiodarone (Pacerone, Cordarone) treats dangerous heart rhythms, and this is one supplement list I would genuinely be careful with. Of the 210 ingredients on file, 11 carry a major rating, and the everyday one is grapefruit, which blocks the liver enzyme that clears amiodarone and can push the drug's level higher than intended.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Amiodarone interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 14,226 real supplement products containing Iodine, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Iodine. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Amiodarone too, on top of Iodine — 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 Iodine and Amiodarone 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 Iodine
Top 5%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Amiodarone
Top half

#794 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 Iodine

What is Iodine?

Iodine
  • Preventing iodine deficiency
  • Supporting thyroid hormone production
  • General energy and metabolism support
  • Cognitive function
  • Radiation emergency thyroid protection

Iodine is an essential mineral your body needs to make thyroid hormones, and most people get enough from iodized salt, dairy, and seafood. Supplements help when you are truly deficient, but taking too much can harm the thyroid, so high-dose products should only be used under medical supervision.

Read the full Iodine monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Amiodarone

What Is Amiodarone Used For?

Brand names: Pacerone, Cordarone

Amiodarone is prescribed for adults with serious, life-threatening heart-rhythm problems that haven't responded to other medications. Specifically, it's used for two dangerous arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeats): recurrent ventricular fibrillation (a chaotic, potentially fatal heart rhythm) and recurrent ventricular tachycardia (a dangerously fast heart rhythm that causes unstable blood pressure).

Because amiodarone comes with significant risks, doctors reserve it for situations where other options haven't worked or can't be tolerated. It is not a first-choice medication — it's a last-resort tool for serious, life-threatening conditions.

See full Amiodarone drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Iodine

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

0Major
6Moderate
0Minor
2,823No known interaction
Moderate

6 interactions

No interaction 2,823 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 Iodine and Amiodarone Together: Common Questions

Can you take Iodine with Amiodarone?
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 Iodine and Amiodarone 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 Amiodarone and Iodine?

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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.