Drug & supplement interaction

Oolong Tea + Norethindrone

Norethindrone brand names: Aygestin, Norlutin, Nor-QD, Micronor, Norlutate, and others.

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

Oolong Tea has a moderate interaction with Norethindrone. Theoretically, concomitant use might increase the levels and adverse effects of the caffeine in oolong tea.

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

Oolong Tea and Norethindrone

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

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) INHIBITORS

Why this applies to Norethindrone

Norethindrone falls under CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) INHIBITORS — the group Oolong Tea interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use might increase the levels and adverse effects of the caffeine in oolong tea.
Oolong tea contains caffeine. Caffeine is metabolized by cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2),. Theoretically, drugs that inhibit CYP1A2 may decrease the clearance rate of caffeine from oolong tea and increase caffeine levels.
Severity Moderate 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 key thing to know: this interaction isn't really about your norethindrone at all. It's about the caffeine in the oolong tea. Norethindrone can gently slow down the liver enzyme (CYP1A2) that clears caffeine from your body, so the caffeine may stick around a little longer than usual.

In plain terms, your usual cup or two might feel a bit stronger. Think jitteriness, a faster heartbeat, trouble sleeping, or feeling wired. Your norethindrone itself keeps working the same way for endometriosis or period control, so its benefit isn't reduced. This is a theoretical concern based on how the drug works, not strong real-world data, so most people do fine. If caffeine bothers you, just cut back, and check with your pharmacist if you have questions.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Weisburger JH. Tea and health: the underlying mechanisms. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 1999;220:271-5. PubMed
  2. Hagg S, Spigset O, Mjorndal T, Dahlqvist R. Effect of caffeine on clozapine pharmacokinetics in healthy volunteers. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2000;49:59-63. PubMed
  3. Carrillo JA, Benitez J. Clinically significant pharmacokinetic interactions between dietary caffeine and medications. Clin Pharmacokinet 2000;39:127-53. PubMed
  4. Kot, M. and Daniel, W. A. Effect of diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) and ticlopidine on CYP1A2 activity and caffeine metabolism: an in vitro comparative study with human cDNA-expressed CYP1A2 and liver microsomes. Pharmacol Rep. 2009;61(6):1216-1220. PubMed
  5. Wojcikowski, J. and Daniel, W. A. Perazine at therapeutic drug concentrations inhibits human cytochrome P450 isoenzyme 1A2 (CYP1A2) and caffeine metabolism--an in vitro study. Pharmacol Rep. 2009;61(5):851-858. PubMed
  6. Wang, X. and Yeung, J. H. Effects of the aqueous extract from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge on caffeine pharmacokinetics and liver microsomal CYP1A2 activity in humans and rats. J Pharm Pharmacol 2010;62(8):1077-1083.
  7. Kot M, Daniel WA. Caffeine as a marker substrate for testing cytochrome P450 activity in human and rat. Pharmacol Rep 2008;60:789-97.
  8. Kjaerstad MB, Nielsen F, Nohr-Jensen L, et al. Systemic uptake of miconazole during vaginal suppository use and effect on CYP1A2 and CYP3A4 associated enzyme activities in women. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2010;66:1189-97. PubMed
  9. Goh BC, Reddy NJ, Dandamudi UB, et al. An evaluation of the drug interaction potential of pazopanib, an oral vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, using a modified Cooperstown 5+1 cocktail in patients with advanced solid t
  10. Chen Y, Kang Z, Yan J, et al. Liu wei di huang wan, a well-known traditional Chinese medicine induces CYP1A2 while suppressing CYP2A6 and N-acetyltransferase 2 acivities in man. J Ethnopharmacol 2010;132:213-8.
  11. Suzuki S, Murayama Y, Sugiyama E, et al. Estimating pediatric doses of drugs metabolized by cytochrome P450 (CYP) isozymes, based on physiological liver development and serum protein levels. Yakugaku Zasshi 2010;130:613-20. PubMed
  12. Chien CF, Wu YT, Lee WC, et al. Herb-drug interaction of Andrographis paniculata extract and andrographolide on the pharmacokinetics of theophylline in rats. Chem Biol Interact 2010;184:458-65. PubMed
  13. Mills BM, Zaya MJ, Walters RR, et al. Current cytochrome P450 phenotyping methods applied to metabolic drug -drug interaction prediction in dogs. Drug Metab Dispos 2010;38:396-404. PubMed
  14. Turpault S, Brian W, Van Horn R, et al. Pharmacokinetic assessment of a five-probe cocktail for CYPs 1A2, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, and 3A. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2009;68:928-35. PubMed
  15. Filimonova AA, Ziganshina LE, Ziganshin AU, Chichirov AA. On the possibility of patient phenotyping on the basis of cytochrome p-450 1A2 isoenzyme activity using caffeine as the test substrate. Eksp Klin Farmakol 2009;72:61-5.
  16. Jenkins J, Williams D, Deng Y, et al. Eltrombopag, an oral thrombopoietin receptor agonist, has no impact on the pharmacokinetic profile of probe drugs for cytochrome P450 isoenzymes CYP3A4, CYP1A2, CYP2C9 and CYP2C19 in healthy men: a cocktail analysis.
  17. Perera, V., Gross, A. S., and McLachlan, A. J. Caffeine and paraxanthine HPLC assay for CYP1A2 phenotype assessment using saliva and plasma. Biomed.Chromatogr. 2010;24(10):1136-1144. PubMed
  18. Izzo, A. A. and Ernst, E. Interactions between herbal medicines and prescribed drugs: an updated systematic review. Drugs 2009;69(13):1777-1798. 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

Oolong Tea Also Interacts With Other Medications

Oolong Tea has 8 major, 517 moderate, 126 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Norethindrone one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 8 Moderate 517 Minor 126 No known interaction 2,179 (incl. Norethindrone)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Oolong Tea

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Oolong Tea or Norethindrone

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

This page covers Oolong Tea only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Norethindrone page lists 152 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Grapefruit (major), St. John's Wort (major), Acacia Rigidula (moderate) and Adrafinil (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 108 moderate · 41 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Norethindrone page

“Norethindrone is a progestin used for birth control and for heavy or irregular periods, which means a supplement that quietly weakens it can end in an unplanned pregnancy, so I read this list with genuine caution. Three of the 152 ingredients on it rate major.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Norethindrone interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 75 real supplement products containing Oolong Tea, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Oolong Tea. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Norethindrone too, on top of Oolong 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 Oolong Tea and Norethindrone 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 Oolong Tea
Steady interest

#1,108 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Norethindrone
Top 25%

#330 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 Oolong Tea

What is Oolong Tea?

  • Weight management
  • Mental alertness and energy
  • Heart health
  • Blood sugar support
  • Antioxidant support

Oolong tea is a traditional partially oxidized tea made from the same plant as green and black tea, and it provides caffeine and plant antioxidants. As a beverage it is generally considered safe for most healthy adults in moderate amounts, but evidence for specific health benefits like weight loss or blood sugar control is limited. If you have heart, blood pressure, or caffeine-sensitivity concerns, talk with your pharmacist or doctor.

Read the full Oolong Tea monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Norethindrone

What Is Norethindrone Used For?

Brand names: Aygestin, Norlutin, Nor-QD, Micronor, Norlutate, Camila, Errin, Jolivette, Nora-BE

Norethindrone is a progestin-only oral contraceptive used to prevent pregnancy. It is taken every day, continuously, without hormone-free breaks — unlike combination birth control pills.

Gallifrey (norethindrone acetate tablets, 5 mg) is a different, higher-dose formulation approved for three additional conditions: secondary amenorrhea (periods that have stopped), endometriosis, and abnormal uterine bleeding due to hormonal imbalance when no structural cause such as fibroids or uterine cancer is present. Gallifrey is not approved or recommended for use alongside estrogen therapy in postmenopausal women for endometrial protection.

See full Norethindrone drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Oolong Tea

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

8Major
517Moderate
126Minor
2,178No known interaction
8 Major 517 Moderate 126 Minor 2,178 No interaction
Major

8 interactions

Moderate

517 interactions

Showing 60 of 517 moderate interactions — see all 517 on the Oolong Tea page.

Minor

126 interactions

Showing 60 of 126 minor interactions — see all 126 on the Oolong Tea page.

No interaction 2,178 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,178 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Oolong Tea list.

See the full Oolong Tea interactions page
See every supplement checked against Norethindrone, 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
Oolong Tea monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Norethindrone supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Norethindrone, ranked by severity Norethindrone 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 Oolong Tea and Norethindrone Together: Common Questions

Can you take Oolong Tea with Norethindrone?
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 Oolong Tea and Norethindrone 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 Norethindrone and Oolong 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.