Drug & supplement interaction

Octopamine + Phenylpropanolamine

Phenylpropanolamine brand names: Dexatrim, Propagest, Revive Diet Aid, Mini Thin Diet Aid, Mini Slims, and others.

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

Octopamine has a minor interaction with Phenylpropanolamine. Octopamine is thought to have stimulant effects.

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

Octopamine and Phenylpropanolamine

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

Minor

STIMULANT DRUGS

Why this applies to Phenylpropanolamine

Phenylpropanolamine falls under STIMULANT DRUGS — the group Octopamine interacts with.

Octopamine is thought to have stimulant effects. Theoretically, taking octopamine with other stimulant drugs might increase the risk of hypertension and adverse cardiovascular effects.
Some stimulant drugs include amphetamine, caffeine, diethylpropion (Tenuate), methylphenidate, phentermine (Ionamin), pseudoephedrine (Sudafed, others), and many others.
Severity Minor Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction 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.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the simple version: both octopamine and phenylpropanolamine act like stimulants and can nudge your heart and blood vessels in the same direction. Phenylpropanolamine already tightens blood vessels and can raise blood pressure on its own. Stacking octopamine on top, at least in theory, could add to that and bump up your risk of higher blood pressure, a racing or pounding heart, headache, restlessness, or jitteriness.

I want to be honest about the evidence here: this concern is theoretical, based on how these compounds work rather than solid human studies. The likely effect is minor for most people, but since both can affect the heart, please check with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them, especially if you have any heart or blood pressure history.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Pawar RS, Grundel E. Overview of regulation of dietary supplements in the USA and issues of adulteration with phenethylamines (PEAs). Drug Test Anal 2017;9:500-517. 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

Octopamine Also Interacts With Other Medications

Octopamine has 181 moderate, 170 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Phenylpropanolamine one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 181 Minor 170 No known interaction 2,479 (incl. Phenylpropanolamine)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Octopamine

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Phenylpropanolamine

This page covers Octopamine only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Phenylpropanolamine page lists 62 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Ephedra (major), Peyote (major), Rauvolfia Vomitoria (major) and Sida Cordifolia (major).

By severity: 5 major · 44 moderate · 13 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Phenylpropanolamine page

“Phenylpropanolamine (Dexatrim, Propagest) is a stimulant decongestant and diet aid that raises blood pressure on its own, so I read its supplement interactions with real vigilance. Of the 62 ingredients on file, 44 are stimulants themselves, and stacking them can push heart rate and blood pressure into risky territory.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Phenylpropanolamine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 118 real supplement products containing Octopamine, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Octopamine. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Phenylpropanolamine too, on top of Octopamine — 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 Octopamine and Phenylpropanolamine 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 Octopamine
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Phenylpropanolamine
Steady interest

#2,490 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 Octopamine

What is Octopamine?

  • Weight loss and fat burning
  • Boosting energy
  • Athletic performance
  • Appetite suppression

Octopamine is a stimulant-like compound found in small amounts in some plants (such as bitter orange) and made naturally in the body. It is marketed mostly in weight-loss and sports supplements, but human evidence that it actually helps with fat loss or performance is very limited. Because it can affect the heart and blood pressure and is banned in some sports, talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

Read the full Octopamine monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Octopamine

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

0Major
181Moderate
170Minor
2,478No known interaction
181 Moderate 170 Minor 2,478 No interaction
Moderate

181 interactions

Showing 60 of 181 moderate interactions — see all 181 on the Octopamine page.

Minor

170 interactions

Showing 60 of 170 minor interactions — see all 170 on the Octopamine page.

No interaction 2,478 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,478 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Octopamine list.

See the full Octopamine interactions page
See every supplement checked against Phenylpropanolamine, 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
Octopamine monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Phenylpropanolamine supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Phenylpropanolamine, 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 Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Octopamine and Phenylpropanolamine Together: Common Questions

Can you take Octopamine with Phenylpropanolamine?
There is only a minor interaction, which is usually not serious. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Octopamine and Phenylpropanolamine interaction?
We rate it Minor. This interaction is generally not clinically significant, but it remains worth noting and discussing with your pharmacist.

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

Still Have a Question About Phenylpropanolamine and Octopamine?

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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.