Drug & supplement interaction

Kombucha + Cobicistat

Cobicistat brand name: Tybost.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Kombucha and Cobicistat in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the label for Cobicistat states a food rule worth keeping to, and the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

Know someone taking this? Share
Facebook Post Reddit Email
On this page
Interaction report

Kombucha and Cobicistat

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Cobicistat and Kombucha in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Kombucha safety at a glance

Kombucha overall Use caution Usually fine in moderation for healthy adults, but contamination and acidity can cause problems.
Pregnancy Possibly Unsafe When used orally; avoid using. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Possibly Unsafe When used orally; avoid using. Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Cobicistat and Kombucha? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Cobicistat

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Cobicistat is filed under 2 classifications — cytochrome p450 3a4 (cyp3a4) inhibitors, oral drugs. Kombucha has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — the most serious being antidiabetes drugs (moderate) and disulfiram (antabuse) (minor) — and none of Cobicistat’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Kombucha Does Interact With Other Medications

Kombucha has 86 moderate, 1 minor known drug interactions in our database — Cobicistat isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 86 Minor 1 No known interaction 2,743 (incl. Cobicistat)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Kombucha

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Kombucha and Cobicistat May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. One of them is worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Kidney problems Worth acting on reported in 44.9% of FDA reports for Cobicistat Additional detail

    Kombucha

    “In one case, a 22 year-old male with HIV presented with hyperthermia, lactic acidosis, and acute renal failure 15 hours after ingesting kombucha.”

    Kombucha · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in hiv/aids.

    1 source cited
    1. 57748. SungHee, Kole A., Jones, H. D., Christensen, R., and Gladstein, J. A case of Kombucha tea toxicity. J.Intensive Care Med. 2009;24(3):205-207. PubMed

    Cobicistat

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Cobicistat, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Vomiting / Nausea Additional detail

    Kombucha

    “Orally, use of kombucha has been associated with reports of stomach problems, nausea, and vomiting. The acidic content of kombucha increases with the duration of fermentation during preparation, which may contribute to development of stomach ulcers.”

    Kombucha · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in nausea and vomiting.

    5 sources cited
    1. 2652. Kombucha-toxicity alert. Crit Path AIDS Proj, 1994;30:31-32 1994-5.
    2. 2656. Srinivasan R, Smolinske S, Greenbaum DJ. Probable gastrointestinal toxicity of Kombucha tea: is this beverage healthy or harmful? J Gen Intern Med 1997;12:643-4. PubMed
    3. 57733. Ernst, E. Kombucha: a systematic review of the clinical evidence. Forsch.Komplementarmed.Klass.Naturheilkd. 2003;10(2):85-87. PubMed
    4. 57742. Sabouraud, S., Coppere, B., Rousseau, C., Testud, F., Pulce, C., Tholly, F., Blanc, M., Culoma, F., Facchin, A., Ninet, J., Chambon, P., Medina, B., and Descotes, J. [Environmental lead poisoning from lead-glazed earthenware used for storing drinks]. Rev
    5. 103179. Jakubczyk K, Kałduńska J, Kochman J, Janda K. Chemical Profile and Antioxidant Activity of the Kombucha Beverage Derived from White, Green, Black and Red Tea. Antioxidants (Basel). 2020;9(5):E447. doi: 10.3390/antiox9050447. PubMed

    Cobicistat

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Cobicistat. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Kombucha but not commonly for Cobicistat: bleeding in the gut and dizziness.

Effects for Cobicistat come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Kombucha come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 20,779 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Cobicistat that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Kombucha in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Possibly Unsafe

When used orally; avoid using.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

How to take them

Some Cobicistat Products Have a Food Rule — Kombucha Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Cobicistat says to take it with food. If you take Kombucha on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Cobicistat with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Cobicistat products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION TYBOST must be coadministered with atazanavir or darunavir at the same time, with food, and in combination with other HIV-1 antiretroviral agents.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Cobicistat — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Cobicistat

This page covers Kombucha only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Cobicistat page lists 30 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Adrafinil (moderate), Cannabidiol (cbd) (moderate), Cannabinol (cbn) (moderate) and Cannabis (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 19 moderate · 10 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Cobicistat page

“Activated charcoal is the one entry to understand first if you take cobicistat (Tybost). Charcoal soaks up drugs in the gut, and since cobicistat's entire job is boosting an HIV medicine to protective levels, blunting its absorption can put the whole regimen at risk.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Cobicistat interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 30 real supplement products containing Kombucha, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Kombucha. Even though Kombucha itself has no known interaction with Cobicistat, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Kombucha and Cobicistat 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 Kombucha
Steady interest

#1,079 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Cobicistat
Steady interest

#2,335 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.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Kombucha reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Kombucha and Cobicistat records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Kombucha

What is Kombucha?

  • General wellness and gut health
  • Digestion
  • Immune support
  • Energy and detox claims
  • Source of probiotics

Kombucha is a fermented tea that many people enjoy as a probiotic-rich beverage, but solid human research proving specific health benefits is lacking. It is generally fine in moderate amounts for healthy adults, though homemade or unpasteurized versions can carry contamination risks. Pregnant people, those who are breastfeeding, and people with weakened immune systems should be cautious or avoid it.

Fermented sweetened tea (made with Camellia sinensis tea and a SCOBY culture) · Bottled drink, homemade fermented tea, occasionally powders or supplements

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Kombucha is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Kombucha record says about it on its own.

Kombucha: dosing

There is no established standard dose for kombucha. Many people drink a small glass (a few ounces) once a day or less, and start with a small amount to see how their body reacts.Follow the serving size on the product label, and choose reputable, commercially made brands rather than untested homemade versions.

From our Kombucha monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Kombucha monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Cobicistat

What Is Cobicistat Used For?

Brand name: Tybost

Tybost (cobicistat) is not itself an HIV treatment — it works by slowing the breakdown of certain HIV medicines so they stay active in your body long enough to work. Specifically, Tybost is used to boost the HIV medicines atazanavir or darunavir (once-daily dosing) as part of a complete HIV-1 treatment regimen in adults and in children weighing at least 14 kg (about 31 lbs).

Tybost is not interchangeable with ritonavir (another booster) for all HIV medicines. It is not recommended with darunavir twice-daily, fosamprenavir, saquinavir, or tipranavir.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Cobicistat

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (20,779 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Bone density decreased 8,112 reports
Chronic kidney disease 4,754 reports
Renal injury 4,577 reports
Tooth loss 4,186 reports
Bone loss 4,107 reports
See full Cobicistat drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Kombucha

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

0Major
86Moderate
1Minor
2,742No known interaction
86 Moderate 1 Minor 2,742 No interaction
Moderate

86 interactions

Showing 60 of 86 moderate interactions — see all 86 on the Kombucha page.

Minor

1 interaction

No interaction 2,742 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,742 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Kombucha list.

See the full Kombucha interactions page
See every supplement checked against Cobicistat, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Kombucha References

The 15 references that drive our Kombucha monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Phan TG, Estell J, Duggin G, et al. Lead poisoning from drinking Kombucha tea brewed in a ceramic pot. Med J Aust 1998;169:644-6. PubMed
  2. FDA Talk Paper. FDA Cautions Consumers on "Kombucha Mushroom Tea." Available at: www.vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/TPMUSHRM.html
  3. Kombucha-toxicity alert. Crit Path AIDS Proj, 1994;30:31-32 1994-5.
  4. CDC. Unexplained severe illness possibly associated with consumption of Kombucha tea-Iowa, 1995. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 1995;44:892-3,899-900.
  5. Srinivasan R, Smolinske S, Greenbaum DJ. Probable gastrointestinal toxicity of Kombucha tea: is this beverage healthy or harmful? J Gen Intern Med 1997;12:643-4. PubMed
  6. Ernst, E. Kombucha: a systematic review of the clinical evidence. Forsch.Komplementarmed.Klass.Naturheilkd. 2003;10(2):85-87. PubMed
  7. Derk, C. T., Sandorfi, N., and Curtis, M. T. A case of anti-Jo1 myositis with pleural effusions and pericardial tamponade developing after exposure to a fermented Kombucha beverage. Clin.Rheumatol. 2004;23(4):355-357. PubMed
  8. Sabouraud, S., Coppere, B., Rousseau, C., Testud, F., Pulce, C., Tholly, F., Blanc, M., Culoma, F., Facchin, A., Ninet, J., Chambon, P., Medina, B., and Descotes, J. [Environmental lead poisoning from lead-glazed earthenware used for storing drinks]. Rev
  9. SungHee, Kole A., Jones, H. D., Christensen, R., and Gladstein, J. A case of Kombucha tea toxicity. J.Intensive Care Med. 2009;24(3):205-207. PubMed
  10. Aloulou, A., Hamden, K., Elloumi, D., Ali, M. B., Hargafi, K., Jaouadi, B., Ayadi, F., Elfeki, A., and Ammar, E. Hypoglycemic and antilipidemic properties of kombucha tea in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. BMC.Complement Altern.Med. 2012;12:63. PubMed
  11. McNaughton, C. and Eidsness, L. M. Ethics of alternative therapies. S.D.J.Med. 1995;48(7):209-211.
  12. No author. Unexplained severe illness possibly associated with consumption of Kombucha tea--Iowa, 1995. From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. JAMA 1-10-1996;275(2):96-98.
  13. Jakubczyk K, Kałduńska J, Kochman J, Janda K. Chemical Profile and Antioxidant Activity of the Kombucha Beverage Derived from White, Green, Black and Red Tea. Antioxidants (Basel). 2020;9(5):E447. doi: 10.3390/antiox9050447. PubMed
  14. Jang SS, McIntyre L, Chan M, Brown PN, Finley J, Chen SX. Ethanol concentration of kombucha teas in British Columbia, Canada. J Food Prot 2021;84(11):1878-83. PubMed
  15. Xu S, Wang Y, Wang J, Geng W. Kombucha reduces hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes of mice by regulating gut microbiota and Its metabolites. Foods 2022;11(5):754. PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Kombucha and Cobicistat Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Kombucha with Cobicistat?
We do not list a known interaction between Kombucha and Cobicistat. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Kombucha and Cobicistat have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 3 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Should I take Kombucha and Cobicistat at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Cobicistat says to take it with food. If you take Kombucha on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Cobicistat with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Cobicistat products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
How was the Kombucha and Cobicistat combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Cobicistat is filed under 2 classifications, and Kombucha has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — none of Cobicistat's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Kombucha interact with any other medications?
Yes. Kombucha has 87 documented drug interactions in our database — Cobicistat is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Cobicistat interact with any supplements?
Yes. Cobicistat has documented interactions with 30 supplements in our database — Kombucha is not one of them. The Cobicistat interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Kombucha monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Cobicistat drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Cobicistat supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Cobicistat, 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 References The 15 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Cobicistat and Kombucha?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.