Drug & supplement interaction

Lycopene + Azithromycin

Azithromycin brand names: Zithromax, Zmax, Azasite.

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 Lycopene and Azithromycin 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 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.

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Interaction report

Lycopene and Azithromycin

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 Azithromycin and Lycopene 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.

Lycopene safety at a glance

Lycopene overall Generally safe Lycopene from food is considered safe, and supplement doses are generally well tolerated.
Pregnancy Likely Safe When consumed in amounts commonly found in foods. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of lycopene supplements during pregnancy... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Likely Safe When consumed in amounts commonly found in foods. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of lycopene supplements during lactation... 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 Azithromycin and Lycopene? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Azithromycin

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Azithromycin is filed under 7 classifications — including macrolide antibiotics, qt interval-prolonging drugs, antibiotic drugs. Lycopene has documented interactions with 1 drug class — the most serious being anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs (moderate) — and none of Azithromycin’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

Lycopene Does Interact With Other Medications

Lycopene has 122 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Azithromycin isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 122 No known interaction 2,708 (incl. Azithromycin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Lycopene

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Lycopene and Azithromycin 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.

  • Chest pain Worth acting on Additional detail

    Lycopene

    “A case of chest pain has been reported in a pregnant patient who was taking a specific lycopene product (LycoRed, Jagsonpal Pharmaceuticals) 2 mg daily. The role of lycopene in this event has not been determined.”

    Lycopene · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in myasthenia gravis.

    1 source cited
    1. 60428. Banerjee, S., Jeyaseelan, S., and Guleria, R. Trial of lycopene to prevent pre-eclampsia in healthy primigravidas: results show some adverse effects. J.Obstet.Gynaecol.Res. 2009;35(3):477-482. PubMed

    Azithromycin

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

  • Bloating or gas / Reduced appetite / Stomach upset / Diarrhea / Nausea / Vomiting reported in 5.8% of FDA reports for Azithromycin Additional detail

    Lycopene

    “Orally, gastrointestinal side effects associated with use of lycopene supplements include diarrhea, flatulence, abdominal distension, nausea, vomiting, dyspepsia, and anorexia.”

    Lycopene · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in anorexia.

    5 sources cited
    1. 60372. Clark, P. E., Hall, M. C., Borden, L. S., Jr., Miller, A. A., Hu, J. J., Lee, W. R., Stindt, D., D'Agostino, R., Jr., Lovato, J., Harmon, M., and Torti, F. M. Phase I-II prospective dose-escalating trial of lycopene in patients with biochemical relapse o
    2. 60384. Jatoi, A., Burch, P., Hillman, D., Vanyo, J. M., Dakhil, S., Nikcevich, D., Rowland, K., Morton, R., Flynn, P. J., Young, C., and Tan, W. A tomato-based, lycopene-containing intervention for androgen-independent prostate cancer: results of a Phase II stu
    3. 60417. Schwenke, C., Ubrig, B., Thurmann, P., Eggersmann, C., and Roth, S. Lycopene for advanced hormone refractory prostate cancer: a prospective, open phase II pilot study. J.Urol. 2009;181(3):1098-1103. PubMed
    4. 60433. Haseen, F., Cantwell, M. M., O'Sullivan, J. M., and Murray, L. J. Is there a benefit from lycopene supplementation in men with prostate cancer? A systematic review. Prostate Cancer Prostatic.Dis. 2009;12(4):325-332. PubMed
    5. 60464. Ilic, D., Forbes, K. M., and Hassed, C. Lycopene for the prevention of prostate cancer. Cochrane.Database.Syst.Rev. 2011;(11):CD008007. PubMed

    Azithromycin

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

Effects for Azithromycin come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Lycopene come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 59,712 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Azithromycin 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

Lycopene in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Likely Safe

When consumed in amounts commonly found in foods. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of lycopene supplements during pregnancy. Small, low-quality clinical studies have shown conflicting results about the safety of using lycopene 2-4 mg daily during pregnancy.

Lactation Likely Safe

When consumed in amounts commonly found in foods. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of lycopene supplements during lactation; avoid using in amounts greater than those typically found in foods.

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Lycopene or Azithromycin

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

This page covers Lycopene only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Azithromycin page lists 92 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), Cesium (major) and Ephedra (major).

By severity: 8 major · 71 moderate · 13 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Azithromycin page

“A five-day Z-Pak for a sinus or chest infection seems too brief to fuss over, but azithromycin (Zithromax, Zmax) deserves genuine caution around supplements, and the eight major-rated entries on this list are the ones to understand first. Most of those involve the heart.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Azithromycin interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 4,889 real supplement products containing Lycopene, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Lycopene. Even though Lycopene itself has no known interaction with Azithromycin, 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 Lycopene and Azithromycin 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 Lycopene
Top 5%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Azithromycin
Top 5%

#60 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 Lycopene reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Lycopene and Azithromycin records this page draws on were last updated July 11, 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 Lycopene

What is Lycopene?

Lycopene
  • Heart health
  • Prostate health
  • Antioxidant support
  • Sun/skin protection
  • General wellness

Lycopene is a red plant pigment and antioxidant found mainly in tomatoes and other red fruits. Eating lycopene-rich foods is linked with possible heart and prostate benefits, but evidence from supplements is mixed and far from conclusive. For most people, getting lycopene from food is a safe and reasonable choice; talk to your pharmacist before taking high-dose supplements.

Pigment extracted from the fruit (mainly tomato) · Capsules, softgels, and as a natural food source (tomatoes, watermelon, guava, pink grapefruit)

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

Lycopene: dosing

There is no official standard dose of lycopene for any health condition. Amounts used in studies have varied widely, and it is unclear what dose, if any, provides a benefit.If you choose to take a supplement, follow the directions on the product label and do not exceed the recommended amount. For many people, getting lycopene from a balanced diet rich in tomatoes and other red fruits is a simple and reasonable approach.

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

Read the full Lycopene monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Azithromycin

What Is Azithromycin Used For?

Brand names: Zithromax, Zmax, Azasite

  • Azithromycin is used to treat certain bacterial infections, such as bronchitis; pneumonia; sexually transmitted diseases (STD); and infections of the ears, lungs, sinuses, skin, throat, and reproductive organs. Azithromycin also is used to treat or prevent disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection [a type of lung infection that often affects people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)]. Azithromycin is in a class of medications called macrolide antibiotics. It works by stopping the growth of bacteria.

  • Antibiotics such as azithromycin will not work for colds, flu, or other viral infections. Using antibiotics when they are not needed increases your risk of getting an infection later that resists antibiotic treatment.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Azithromycin

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (59,712 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Dyspnea 4,651 reports
Nausea 3,461 reports
Pneumonia 3,225 reports
Cough 3,120 reports
Drug hypersensitivity 2,991 reports
See full Azithromycin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Lycopene

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

0Major
122Moderate
0Minor
2,707No known interaction
122 Moderate 2,707 No interaction
Moderate

122 interactions

Showing 60 of 122 moderate interactions — see all 122 on the Lycopene page.

No interaction 2,707 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,707 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Lycopene list.

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

Lycopene References

The 10 references that drive our Lycopene 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. Sharma, J. B., Kumar, A., Kumar, A., Malhotra, M., Arora, R., Prasad, S., and Batra, S. Effect of lycopene on pre-eclampsia and intra-uterine growth retardation in primigravidas. Int J Gynaecol.Obstet. 2003;81(3):257-262. PubMed
  2. Hsiao, G., Wang, Y., Tzu, N. H., Fong, T. H., Shen, M. Y., Lin, K. H., Chou, D. S., and Sheu, J. R. Inhibitory effects of lycopene on in vitro platelet activation and in vivo prevention of thrombus formation. J Lab Clin Med 2005;146(4):216-226. PubMed
  3. Clark, P. E., Hall, M. C., Borden, L. S., Jr., Miller, A. A., Hu, J. J., Lee, W. R., Stindt, D., D'Agostino, R., Jr., Lovato, J., Harmon, M., and Torti, F. M. Phase I-II prospective dose-escalating trial of lycopene in patients with biochemical relapse o
  4. O'Kennedy, N., Crosbie, L., Whelan, S., Luther, V., Horgan, G., Broom, J. I., Webb, D. J., and Duttaroy, A. K. Effects of tomato extract on platelet function: a double-blinded crossover study in healthy humans. Am.J.Clin.Nutr. 2006;84(3):561-569. PubMed
  5. Jatoi, A., Burch, P., Hillman, D., Vanyo, J. M., Dakhil, S., Nikcevich, D., Rowland, K., Morton, R., Flynn, P. J., Young, C., and Tan, W. A tomato-based, lycopene-containing intervention for androgen-independent prostate cancer: results of a Phase II stu
  6. Schwenke, C., Ubrig, B., Thurmann, P., Eggersmann, C., and Roth, S. Lycopene for advanced hormone refractory prostate cancer: a prospective, open phase II pilot study. J.Urol. 2009;181(3):1098-1103. PubMed
  7. Banerjee, S., Jeyaseelan, S., and Guleria, R. Trial of lycopene to prevent pre-eclampsia in healthy primigravidas: results show some adverse effects. J.Obstet.Gynaecol.Res. 2009;35(3):477-482. PubMed
  8. Haseen, F., Cantwell, M. M., O'Sullivan, J. M., and Murray, L. J. Is there a benefit from lycopene supplementation in men with prostate cancer? A systematic review. Prostate Cancer Prostatic.Dis. 2009;12(4):325-332. PubMed
  9. Ilic, D., Forbes, K. M., and Hassed, C. Lycopene for the prevention of prostate cancer. Cochrane.Database.Syst.Rev. 2011;(11):CD008007. PubMed
  10. Sawardekar SB, Patel TC, Uchil D. Comparative evaluation of antiplatelet effect of lycopene with aspirin and the effect of their combination on platelet aggregation: an in vitro study. Indian J Pharmacol 2016;48:26-31. 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 Lycopene and Azithromycin Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Lycopene with Azithromycin?
We do not list a known interaction between Lycopene and Azithromycin. 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 Lycopene and Azithromycin have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 7 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.
How was the Lycopene and Azithromycin combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Azithromycin is filed under 7 classifications, and Lycopene has documented interactions with 1 drug class — none of Azithromycin'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 Lycopene interact with any other medications?
Yes. Lycopene has 122 documented drug interactions in our database — Azithromycin 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 Azithromycin interact with any supplements?
Yes. Azithromycin has documented interactions with 92 supplements in our database — Lycopene is not one of them. The Azithromycin 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

Lycopene monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Azithromycin drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Azithromycin supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Azithromycin, 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 10 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Azithromycin and Lycopene?

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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.