Drug & supplement interaction

Java Tea + Lithium Carbonate (prescription drug)

Lithium Carbonate (prescription drug) brand names: Eskalith, Lithium Carbonate.

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

Java Tea has a moderate interaction with Lithium Carbonate (prescription drug). Animal research suggests that Java tea has diuretic properties.

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

Java Tea and Lithium Carbonate (prescription drug)

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

Moderate

LITHIUM

Animal research suggests that Java tea has diuretic properties. Theoretically, due to these effects, Java tea might reduce excretion and increase levels of lithium. The dose of lithium might need to be decreased.
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 the thing with lithium: your kidneys are the main way your body clears it out, and lithium has a very narrow safe range. Even small shifts in how much your body holds onto can tip you from a good level into too much. Because Java Tea acts as a mild diuretic, the worry is that it could change how your kidneys handle sodium and water, which can nudge lithium levels up over time.

If lithium climbs too high, you might notice things like hand tremors, nausea, diarrhea, unusual drowsiness, confusion, or unsteady walking. I want to stress this concern is theoretical, based mostly on animal data, not solid human studies. Still, with a drug this finicky, please loop in your doctor or pharmacist before adding Java Tea so your levels can be watched.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Cicero AF, De Sando V, Izzo R, Vasta A, Trimarco A, Borghi C. Effect of a combined nutraceutical containing Orthosiphon stamineus effect on blood pressure and metabolic syndrome components in hypertensive dyslipidaemic patients: a randomized clinical tria

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

Java Tea Also Interacts With Other Medications

Java Tea has 172 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Lithium Carbonate (prescription drug) one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 172 No known interaction 2,658 (incl. Lithium Carbonate (prescription drug))
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Java Tea

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Java Tea or Lithium Carbonate (prescription drug)

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Java Tea or Lithium Carbonate (prescription drug), 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 Lithium Carbonate (prescription drug)

This page covers Java Tea only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Lithium Carbonate (prescription drug) page lists 189 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), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major) and Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (ghb) (major).

By severity: 12 major · 163 moderate · 14 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Lithium Carbonate (prescription drug) page

“Lithium carbonate (Eskalith) steadies mood in bipolar disorder, but it works within a narrow blood-level window, meaning a small shift up risks toxicity and a shift down risks relapse. The 189 supplements and herbs listed here therefore call for genuine vigilance.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Lithium Carbonate (prescription drug) interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 64 real supplement products containing Java Tea, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Java Tea. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Lithium Carbonate (prescription drug) too, on top of Java Tea — 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 Java Tea and Lithium Carbonate (prescription drug) 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 Java Tea
Steady interest

#1,126 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Lithium Carbonate (prescription drug)
Top 25%

#363 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 Java Tea

What is Java Tea?

  • Urinary tract health
  • Mild fluid retention
  • Kidney and bladder support
  • Mild diuretic ('water pill') effect
  • Digestive complaints

Java Tea is a Southeast Asian herb traditionally used as a gentle diuretic and for urinary tract and kidney support. Some early lab, animal, and small human studies are encouraging, but high-quality evidence in people is limited, so it should not replace proven treatments. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you have kidney problems or take other medicines.

Read the full Java Tea monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Lithium

What Is Lithium Used For?

Brand names: Eskalith, Lithium Carbonate

Lithium is used to treat acute manic and mixed episodes in bipolar I disorder, and as long-term maintenance therapy to reduce how often and how severely manic episodes occur. Safety and effectiveness for both uses have been established in patients 7 years and older.

Lithium Carbonate capsules, tablets, and extended-release tablets are indicated for manic episodes of bipolar disorder and for maintenance treatment. Lithium oral solution is similarly indicated as monotherapy for bipolar I disorder — treating acute manic and mixed episodes and for ongoing maintenance — in patients 7 years and older.

See full Lithium drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Java Tea

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

0Major
172Moderate
0Minor
2,657No known interaction
172 Moderate 2,657 No interaction
Moderate

172 interactions

Showing 60 of 172 moderate interactions — see all 172 on the Java Tea page.

No interaction 2,657 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,657 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Java Tea list.

See the full Java Tea interactions page
See every supplement checked against Lithium Carbonate (prescription drug), 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
Java Tea monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Lithium Carbonate (prescription drug) supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Lithium Carbonate (prescription drug), ranked by severity Lithium 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 Java Tea and Lithium Carbonate (prescription drug) Together: Common Questions

Can you take Java Tea with Lithium Carbonate (prescription drug)?
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 Java Tea and Lithium Carbonate (prescription drug) 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 Lithium Carbonate (prescription drug) and Java Tea?

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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.