Drug & supplement interaction

Ostarine + Telithromycin

Telithromycin brand name: Ketek.

Minor Interaction
The bottom line Minor

Ostarine has a minor interaction with Telithromycin. Theoretically, concomitant use of ostarine with CYP3A4 inhibitors could increase the effects and adverse effects of ostarine, although this is unlikely to be clinically significant.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMinor
LikelihoodUnlikely
EvidenceB
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
Know someone taking this? Share
Interaction report

Ostarine and Telithromycin

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

Minor

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) INHIBITORS

Why this applies to Telithromycin

Telithromycin falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) INHIBITORS — the group Ostarine interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use of ostarine with CYP3A4 inhibitors could increase the effects and adverse effects of ostarine, although this is unlikely to be clinically significant.
Ostarine is partially metabolized by CYP3A4. However, clinical research shows that taking itraconazole, a potent inhibitor of CYP3A4, had minimal effects on the levels of ostarine in the body.
Severity Minor Likelihood Unlikely Evidence B

Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans..

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

Here's how these two cross paths. Telithromycin (Ketek) is a strong blocker of an enzyme called CYP3A4, and your body uses that same enzyme to partly break down Ostarine. In theory, slowing that breakdown could let Ostarine build up a bit, nudging up both its effects and its side effects. With a SARM, that's a real concern since Ostarine has been tied to liver injury.

That said, the actual evidence here is reassuring. When researchers paired Ostarine with itraconazole, an even stronger 3A4 blocker, the Ostarine levels barely budged. So a meaningful interaction with telithromycin is unlikely. The bigger issue is that Ostarine is an unapproved SARM I wouldn't recommend at all. Please loop in your pharmacist or doctor before mixing it with any prescription.

References
  1. Coss CC, Jones A, Dalton JT. Pharmacokinetic drug interactions of the selective androgen receptor modulator GTx-024 (enobosarm) with itraconazole, rifampin, probenecid, celecoxib and rosuvastatin. Invest New Drugs 2016;34(4):458-67. 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

Ostarine Also Interacts With Other Medications

Ostarine has 440 moderate, 170 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Telithromycin one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Ostarine

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Telithromycin

This page covers Ostarine only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Telithromycin page lists 178 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 · 130 moderate · 40 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Telithromycin page

“Someone prescribed telithromycin (Ketek) usually has a stubborn respiratory infection and takes it for a week or so, but that short course still calls for real vigilance with supplements. Eight of the 178 ingredients on file are rated major, and those deserve attention first.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Telithromycin interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 33 real supplement products containing Ostarine, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Ostarine. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Telithromycin too, on top of Ostarine — 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 Ostarine and Telithromycin 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 Ostarine
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Telithromycin
Steady interest

#1,920 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 Ostarine

What is Ostarine?

  • Muscle building
  • Athletic performance
  • Fat loss / body recomposition
  • Bodybuilding cycles

Ostarine (also called MK-2866 or enobosarm) is an experimental, unapproved drug known as a SARM (selective androgen receptor modulator), not a true dietary supplement. It is not approved by the FDA, is banned in sports, and has been linked to liver injury and other serious harms, so it is not recommended for general use.

Read the full Ostarine monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Telithromycin

What Is Telithromycin Used For?

Brand name: Ketek

  • Telithromycin is used to treat certain types of pneumonia (an infection of the lungs) that is caused by bacteria. Telithromycin is in a class of medications called ketolide antibiotics. It works by killing bacteria.

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

See full Telithromycin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Ostarine

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

0Major
440Moderate
170Minor
2,219No known interaction
Moderate

440 interactions

Showing 60 of 440 moderate interactions — see all 440 on the Ostarine page.

Minor

170 interactions

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

No interaction 2,219 drugs checked — show the list
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
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Ostarine and Telithromycin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Ostarine with Telithromycin?
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 Ostarine and Telithromycin 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 Telithromycin and Ostarine?

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.