Drug & supplement interaction

Methionine + Nivolumab

Nivolumab brand name: Opdivo.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Methionine and Nivolumab 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 Nivolumab 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.

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Interaction report

Methionine and Nivolumab

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 Nivolumab and Methionine 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.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Methionine at all — not against Nivolumab, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

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.

Methionine safety at a glance

Methionine overall Use caution Usually safe in food amounts, but high-dose supplements may cause side effects and should be used with medical guidance.
Pregnancy Likely Safe When used orally in amounts commonly found in food. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of methionine in medical doses during... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Likely Safe When used orally in amounts commonly found in food. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of methionine in medical doses during... 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 Nivolumab and Methionine? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Methionine and Nivolumab 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.

  • Liver problems Worth acting on Additional detail

    Methionine

    “A single dose of 8 grams of methionine has reportedly caused hepatic encephalopathy in patients with cirrhosis. Long-term use of methionine-containing parenteral nutrition solution has been linked to liver toxicity in infants.”

    Methionine · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cirrhosis.

    2 sources cited
    1. 9340. Anon. Should methionine be added to paracetamol formulations? Drug Ther Perspect 1997;10:11-3. DOI
    2. 9338. Btaiche IF, Khalidi N. Parenteral nutrition-associated liver complications in children. Pharmacotherapy 2002;22:188-211.. PubMed

    Nivolumab

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

  • Low blood pressure Additional detail

    Methionine

    “Orally or intravenously, methionine can cause hypotension. High-dose methionine (75-100 mg/kg daily) may increase plasma concentrations of homocysteine, which is a risk factor for vascular disease. However, a study of patients with type 2 diabetes and a history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) showed that methionine loading did not increase homocysteine concentrations, and that a cause-effect relationship between incr…”

    Methionine · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cardiovascular disease (cvd).

    6 sources cited
    1. 9339. Cottington EM, LaMantia C, Stabler SP, et al. Adverse event associated with methionine loading test: a case report. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2002;22:1046-50.. PubMed
    2. 9340. Anon. Should methionine be added to paracetamol formulations? Drug Ther Perspect 1997;10:11-3. DOI
    3. 63112. McAuley, D. F., Hanratty, C. G., McGurk, C., Nugent, A. G., and Johnston, G. D. Effect of methionine supplementation on endothelial function, plasma homocysteine, and lipid peroxidation. J.Toxicol.Clin.Toxicol. 1999;37(4):435-440. PubMed
    4. 63114. Hanratty, C. G., McGrath, L. T., McAuley, D. F., Young, I. S., and Johnston, G. D. The effects of oral methionine and homocysteine on endothelial function. Heart 2001;85(3):326-330. PubMed
    5. 63115. Ward, M., McNulty, H., McPartlin, J., Strain, J. J., Weir, D. G., and Scott, J. M. Effect of supplemental methionine on plasma homocysteine concentrations in healthy men: a preliminary study. Int.J.Vitam.Nutr.Res. 2001;71(1):82-86. PubMed
    6. 63110. Smulders, Y. M., Rakic, M., Slaats, E. H., Treskes, M., Sijbrands, E. J., Odekerken, D. A., Stehouwer, C. D., and Silberbusch, J. Fasting and post-methionine homocysteine levels in NIDDM. Determinants and correlations with retinopathy, albuminuria, and c

    Nivolumab

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

  • Swelling / Dizziness / Headache Additional detail

    Methionine

    “Orally or intravenously, methionine can cause dizziness, drowsiness, headache, and irritability.

    A case of cerebral edema ultimately leading to death has been reported in a patient receiving methionine 100 mg/kg orally.”

    Methionine · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cluster headache.

    4 sources cited
    1. 9339. Cottington EM, LaMantia C, Stabler SP, et al. Adverse event associated with methionine loading test: a case report. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2002;22:1046-50.. PubMed
    2. 9340. Anon. Should methionine be added to paracetamol formulations? Drug Ther Perspect 1997;10:11-3. DOI
    3. 94095. Talukdar R, Murthy HV, Reddy DN. Role of methionine containing antioxidant combination in the management of pain in chronic pancreatitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Pancreatology 2015;15(2):136-44. PubMed
    4. 63119. Yaghmai, R., Kashani, A. H., Geraghty, M. T., Okoh, J., Pomper, M., Tangerman, A., Wagner, C., Stabler, S. P., Allen, R. H., Mudd, S. H., and Braverman, N. Progressive cerebral edema associated with high methionine levels and betaine therapy in a patient

    Nivolumab

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

  • Vomiting Additional detail

    Methionine

    “Orally or intravenously, methionine can cause vomiting.”

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

    2 sources cited
    1. 9339. Cottington EM, LaMantia C, Stabler SP, et al. Adverse event associated with methionine loading test: a case report. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2002;22:1046-50.. PubMed
    2. 9340. Anon. Should methionine be added to paracetamol formulations? Drug Ther Perspect 1997;10:11-3. DOI

    Nivolumab

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

Reported for Methionine but not commonly for Nivolumab: mood changes or irritability and drowsiness.

Effects for Nivolumab come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Methionine come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 96,645 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Nivolumab 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

Methionine in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Likely Safe

When used orally in amounts commonly found in food. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of methionine in medical doses during pregnancy and lactation; 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 Nivolumab Products Have a Food Rule — Methionine Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Nivolumab says to take it on an empty stomach. Most supplements — Methionine included — are taken with a meal, so the easy mistake is swallowing both together at breakfast. Where that rule applies, keep Nivolumab on its own and move Methionine to a meal later in the day.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Nivolumab 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.

Table 2: Recommended Dosages of Intravenous OPDIVO in Combination with Other Therapeutic Agents Indication Recommended OPDIVO Dosage Duration of Therapy Unresectable or metastatic melanoma 1 mg/kg every 3 weeks with ipilimumab 3 mg/kg In combination with ipilimumab for a maximum of 4 doses or until unacceptable toxicity, whichever occurs earlier Adult patients and pediatric patients aged 12 years

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Nivolumab — 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.

Overlapping uses

What Nivolumab Is Prescribed For, and What Methionine Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Nivolumab is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Methionine is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Nivolumab is prescribed for: Opdivo (nivolumab) is used to treat many types of cancer in adults, and some in patients 12 years and older. It can be used alone or in combination with other therapies depending on the cancer type and stage. Cancers it treats include melanoma (including after surgery to reduce the chance of the cancer coming back), non-small cell lung cancer, malignant pleural mesothelioma, advanced renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer), classical Hodgkin lymphoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, urothelial carcinoma (bladder cancer), colorectal cancer with specific genetic features (MSI-H or dMMR), hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer), esophageal cancer, gastroesophageal junction cancer, and gastric (stomach) cancer. Some uses require the tumor to test positive for a protein called PD-L1, and some are specific to certain stages of disease or prior treatments received.

Read the rest of what Nivolumab is prescribed for

Your oncologist will determine which use applies to your situation.

Methionine has been studied for:

  • Colorectal cancer studied, not established Methionine has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Methionine for colorectal cancer

    It is unclear if high dietary intake of methionine reduces the risk of colorectal cancer.

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Nivolumab on your own; if you are taking Methionine for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Nivolumab

This page covers Methionine only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Nivolumab page lists 1 supplement it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: American Pawpaw (minor).

By severity: 1 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Nivolumab page

“Nivolumab (Opdivo) is an immunotherapy infusion that trains the body's own immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells, the kind of drug you might expect to carry a long list of supplement warnings. It does not.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Nivolumab interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 3,129 real supplement products containing Methionine, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Methionine. Even though Methionine itself has no known interaction with Nivolumab, 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 Methionine and Nivolumab 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 Methionine
Top 5%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Nivolumab
Top 10%

#281 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 Methionine reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Methionine and Nivolumab 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 Methionine

What is Methionine?

  • Acetaminophen (Tylenol) overdose support
  • Liver health
  • Urinary tract acidification
  • Supporting protein and nutritional needs
  • General antioxidant support

Methionine is an essential amino acid that your body needs for protein building and many basic chemical reactions. Most people get enough from a normal diet, and supplements are generally not needed unless directed by a healthcare provider. High doses can cause side effects, so talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using methionine supplements.

Amino acid (made through fermentation or chemical synthesis for supplements) · Capsules, tablets, powder, and as part of amino acid blends; also given intravenously in hospitals

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

Methionine: dosing

There is no single standard supplement dose of methionine for general health, and most healthy people do not need extra beyond what they eat. Your body's daily methionine needs are normally met through a balanced diet.If a product is used, follow the directions on the label and do not take more than recommended.

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

Read the full Methionine monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Nivolumab Injection

What Is Nivolumab Injection Used For?

Brand name: Opdivo

Opdivo (nivolumab) is used to treat many types of cancer in adults, and some in patients 12 years and older. It can be used alone or in combination with other therapies depending on the cancer type and stage. Cancers it treats include melanoma (including after surgery to reduce the chance of the cancer coming back), non-small cell lung cancer, malignant pleural mesothelioma, advanced renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer), classical Hodgkin lymphoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, urothelial carcinoma (bladder cancer), colorectal cancer with specific genetic features (MSI-H or dMMR), hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer), esophageal cancer, gastroesophageal junction cancer, and gastric (stomach) cancer.

Some uses require the tumor to test positive for a protein called PD-L1, and some are specific to certain stages of disease or prior treatments received. Your oncologist will determine which use applies to your situation.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Nivolumab

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (96,645 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Malignant neoplasm progression 9,878 reports
Diarrhea 5,251 reports
Fatigue 4,195 reports
Fever 3,721 reports
Nausea 3,182 reports
See full Nivolumab Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Methionine

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

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Methionine References

The 12 references that drive our Methionine 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. La Vecchia C, Negri E, Franceschi S, Decarli A. Case-control study on influence of methionine, nitrite, and salt on gastric carcinogenesis in northern Italy. Nutr Cancer 1997;27:65-8. PubMed
  2. Btaiche IF, Khalidi N. Parenteral nutrition-associated liver complications in children. Pharmacotherapy 2002;22:188-211.. PubMed
  3. Cottington EM, LaMantia C, Stabler SP, et al. Adverse event associated with methionine loading test: a case report. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2002;22:1046-50.. PubMed
  4. Anon. Should methionine be added to paracetamol formulations? Drug Ther Perspect 1997;10:11-3. DOI
  5. Smulders, Y. M., Rakic, M., Slaats, E. H., Treskes, M., Sijbrands, E. J., Odekerken, D. A., Stehouwer, C. D., and Silberbusch, J. Fasting and post-methionine homocysteine levels in NIDDM. Determinants and correlations with retinopathy, albuminuria, and c
  6. McAuley, D. F., Hanratty, C. G., McGurk, C., Nugent, A. G., and Johnston, G. D. Effect of methionine supplementation on endothelial function, plasma homocysteine, and lipid peroxidation. J.Toxicol.Clin.Toxicol. 1999;37(4):435-440. PubMed
  7. Hanratty, C. G., McGrath, L. T., McAuley, D. F., Young, I. S., and Johnston, G. D. The effects of oral methionine and homocysteine on endothelial function. Heart 2001;85(3):326-330. PubMed
  8. Ward, M., McNulty, H., McPartlin, J., Strain, J. J., Weir, D. G., and Scott, J. M. Effect of supplemental methionine on plasma homocysteine concentrations in healthy men: a preliminary study. Int.J.Vitam.Nutr.Res. 2001;71(1):82-86. PubMed
  9. Yaghmai, R., Kashani, A. H., Geraghty, M. T., Okoh, J., Pomper, M., Tangerman, A., Wagner, C., Stabler, S. P., Allen, R. H., Mudd, S. H., and Braverman, N. Progressive cerebral edema associated with high methionine levels and betaine therapy in a patient
  10. Talukdar R, Murthy HV, Reddy DN. Role of methionine containing antioxidant combination in the management of pain in chronic pancreatitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Pancreatology 2015;15(2):136-44. PubMed
  11. Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2005. Available at: https://doi.org/10.17226 DOI
  12. Khairan P, Sobue T, Eshak ES, et al. Association of B Vitamins and Methionine Intake with the Risk of Gastric Cancer: The Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study. Cancer Prev Res (Phila) 2022;15(2):101-110. 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 Methionine and Nivolumab Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Methionine with Nivolumab?
We do not list a known interaction between Methionine and Nivolumab. 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 Methionine and Nivolumab have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 6 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 Methionine and Nivolumab at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Nivolumab says to take it on an empty stomach, and supplements are usually taken with a meal — so taking them together at breakfast is the easy mistake. Where that applies, keep Nivolumab on its own and move Methionine to a meal later in the day. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient, so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
Are Methionine and Nivolumab used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Methionine in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Nivolumab is being adjusted to a target.
Does Nivolumab interact with any supplements?
Yes. Nivolumab has documented interactions with 1 supplement in our database — Methionine is not one of them. The Nivolumab interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Still Have a Question About Nivolumab and Methionine?

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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.