Drug & supplement interaction

Palm Oil + Nivolumab

Nivolumab brand name: Opdivo.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Palm Oil 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.

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Interaction report

Palm Oil 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 Palm Oil 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.

Palm Oil safety at a glance

Palm Oil overall Use caution Generally safe as a food, but high in saturated fat, so use in moderation.
Pregnancy Possibly Safe When used orally and appropriately in medicinal amounts. Diets rich in palm oil or supplemented with palm oil have been used safely during the third trimester o... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Use caution Acceptable as part of a normal diet; supplement safety is not well established.

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 Palm Oil? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Nivolumab

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Nivolumab is filed under a single classification — antineoplastics. Palm Oil has documented interactions with 1 drug class — the most serious being anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs (moderate) — and none of Nivolumab’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

Palm Oil Does Interact With Other Medications

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

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Palm Oil

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

What to actually watch for

What Nivolumab’s Own FDA Label Lists

This is not an interaction — none of it involves Palm Oil. These are the most notable effects listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Nivolumab’s own FDA label, for the medication by itself. Knowing the drug’s own list makes it easier to work out the likely cause if something new turns up while you take both. 10 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Low magnesium Worth acting on
  • A change in thyroid levels Worth acting on
  • A stroke or mini-stroke Worth acting on
  • Severe muscle breakdown Worth acting on
  • Dehydration Worth acting on
  • Trouble swallowing Worth acting on
  • Bleeding in the gut Worth acting on
  • High potassium Worth acting on
  • Low sodium Worth acting on
  • Low blood sugar Worth acting on

Showing the 10 most notable of 67 label-listed effects — ranked by how unusual each one is across medicines generally, with serious effects weighted up.

From the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Nivolumab. Read the label on DailyMed › 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. Palm Oil’s licensed record lists no adverse effects our clinical vocabulary could match, so there is no Palm Oil side to compare — that is a limit of the record, not a statement that Palm Oil has no side effects.

Special populations

Palm Oil in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Possibly Safe

When used orally and appropriately in medicinal amounts. Diets rich in palm oil or supplemented with palm oil have been used safely during the third trimester of pregnancy.

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 — Palm Oil Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Nivolumab says to take it on an empty stomach. Most supplements — Palm Oil 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 Palm Oil 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.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Nivolumab

This page covers Palm Oil 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 Palm Oil as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 55 real supplement products containing Palm Oil, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Palm Oil. Even though Palm Oil 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 Palm Oil 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 Palm Oil
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Nivolumab
Steady interest

#2,100 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 Palm Oil reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Palm Oil and Nivolumab 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 Palm Oil

What is Palm Oil?

  • Cooking and food preparation
  • Source of vitamin A (red palm oil)
  • Vitamin E (tocotrienols)
  • Skin and hair care
  • General nutrition

Palm oil is a widely used edible oil pressed from the fruit of the oil palm tree, and red palm oil is a notable source of vitamin A and vitamin E compounds called tocotrienols. As a food it is generally considered safe, but it is high in saturated fat, so it should be used in moderation as part of a balanced diet. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using concentrated palm-oil supplements, especially if you have heart or cholesterol concerns.

Elaeis guineensis · Arecaceae · Fruit and seed (kernel) · Cooking oil, capsules, red palm oil, tocotrienol/tocopherol supplements

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

Palm Oil: dosing

There is no official standardized dose of palm oil as a supplement. As a cooking oil, it is simply used in normal food amounts, ideally in moderation because of its saturated fat.For supplements such as red palm oil or tocotrienol products, the right amount varies by product and the reason for use.

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

Read the full Palm Oil 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 & Palm Oil

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Palm Oil — 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
Moderate

122 interactions

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

No interaction 2,707 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Palm Oil References

The 12 references that drive our Palm Oil 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. Radhika MS, Bhaskaram P, Balakrishna N, Ramalakshmi BA. Red palm oil supplementation: a feasible diet-based approach to improve vitamin A status of pregnant women and their infants. Food Nutr Bull 2003;24:208-17.
  2. Zagre NM, Delpeuch F, Traissac P, Delisle H. Red palm oil as a source of vitamin A for mothers and children: impact of a pilot project in Burkina Faso. Public Health Nutr 2003;6:733-42. PubMed
  3. Lietz G, Henry CJ, Mulokozi G, et al. Comparison of the effects of supplemental red palm oil and sunflower oil on maternal vitamin A status. Am J Clin Nutr 2001;74:501-9. PubMed
  4. Sanchez-Muniz FJ, Oubina P, Rodenas S, et al. Platelet aggregation, thromboxane production and thrombogenic ratio in postmenopausal women consuming high oleic acid-sunflower oil or palmolein. Eur J Nutr 2003:42:299-306. PubMed
  5. Vega-Lopez, S., Ausman, L. M., Jalbert, S. M., Erkkila, A. T., and Lichtenstein, A. H. Palm and partially hydrogenated soybean oils adversely alter lipoprotein profiles compared with soybean and canola oils in moderately hyperlipidemic subjects. Am J Cli
  6. Cater, N. B., Heller, H. J., and Denke, M. A. Comparison of the effects of medium-chain triacylglycerols, palm oil, and high oleic acid sunflower oil on plasma triacylglycerol fatty acids and lipid and lipoprotein concentrations in humans. Am.J Clin.Nutr PubMed
  7. Fattore E, Bosetti C, Brighenti F, et al. Palm oil and blood lipid-related markers of cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of dietary intervention trials. Am J Clin Nutr 2014;99:1331-50. PubMed
  8. Sun Y, Neelakantan N, Wu Y, et al. Palm oil consumption increases LDL cholesterol compared with vegetable oils low in saturated fat in a meta-analysis of clinical trials. J Nutr 2015;145:1549-58. PubMed
  9. Chen BK, Seligman B, Farquhar JW, Goldhaber-Fiebert JD. Multi-Country analysis of palm oil consumption and cardiovascular disease mortality for countries at different stages of economic development: 1980-1997. Global Health 2011;7:45. PubMed
  10. Voon PT, Lee ST, Ng TKW, et al. Intake of palm olein and lipid status in healthy adults: a meta-analysis. Adv Nutr 2019;10(4):647-59. PubMed
  11. Wang F, Zhao D, Yang Y, Zhang L. Effect of palm oil consumption on plasma lipid concentrations related to cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2019;28(3):495-506.
  12. Hisham MDB, Aziz Z, Huin WK, Teoh CH, Jamil AHA. The effects of palm oil on serum lipid profiles: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2020;29(3):523-536.

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 Palm Oil and Nivolumab Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Palm Oil with Nivolumab?
We do not list a known interaction between Palm Oil 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.
Should I take Palm Oil 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 Palm Oil 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.
How was the Palm Oil and Nivolumab combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Nivolumab is filed under 1 classification, and Palm Oil has documented interactions with 1 drug class — none of Nivolumab'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 Palm Oil interact with any other medications?
Yes. Palm Oil has 122 documented drug interactions in our database — Nivolumab 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 Nivolumab interact with any supplements?
Yes. Nivolumab has documented interactions with 1 supplement in our database — Palm Oil 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 Palm Oil?

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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.