Drug & supplement interaction

Phosphatidylserine + Bupropion

Bupropion brand names: Wellbutrin, Wellbutrin SR, Zyban, Wellbutrin XL, Aplenzin, and others.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Phosphatidylserine and Bupropion 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 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

Phosphatidylserine and Bupropion

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 Bupropion and Phosphatidylserine 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.

Phosphatidylserine safety at a glance

Phosphatidylserine overall Use caution Generally well tolerated in studies, but long-term safety is not fully established.
Pregnancy Avoid There is not enough safety information, so it is best to avoid use during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid Safety while breastfeeding is unknown, so avoidance is recommended.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Bupropion and Phosphatidylserine? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Bupropion

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Bupropion is filed under 6 classifications — including antidepressant drugs, cytochrome p450 2b6 (cyp2b6) substrates, cytochrome p450 2d6 (cyp2d6) inhibitors. Phosphatidylserine has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — the most serious being anticholinergic drugs (moderate) and cholinergic drugs (moderate) — and none of Bupropion’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

Phosphatidylserine Does Interact With Other Medications

Phosphatidylserine has 219 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Bupropion isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 219 No known interaction 2,611 (incl. Bupropion)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Phosphatidylserine

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Phosphatidylserine and Bupropion 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.

  • Trouble sleeping / Headache reported in 6.6% of FDA reports for Bupropion Additional detail

    Phosphatidylserine

    “Orally, phosphatidylserine can cause insomnia. Insomnia is more likely to occur with a higher dose of 600 mg. Headache has also been reported.”

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

    3 sources cited
    1. 7121. Kidd PM. Phosphatidylserine; Membrane nutrient for memory. A clinical and mechanistic assessment. Altern Med Rev 1996;1:70-84.
    2. 68844. Pepping, J. Phosphatidylserine. Am J Health Syst.Pharm. 10-15-1999;56(20):2038, 2043-2038, 2044.
    3. 90711. Vakhapova V, Cohen T, Richter Y, Herzog Y, Kam Y, Korczyn AD. Phosphatidylserine containing omega-3 Fatty acids may improve memory abilities in nondemented elderly individuals with memory complaints: results from an open-label extension study. Dement Geri PubMed

    Bupropion

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Bupropion, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Nausea reported in 7.8% of FDA reports for Bupropion Additional detail

    Phosphatidylserine

    “Orally, phosphatidylserine can cause gastrointestinal upset such as flatulence or nausea. Gastrointestinal upset can occur at doses of 200-300 mg/day.”

    Phosphatidylserine · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in flatulence.

    5 sources cited
    1. 7116. Pepping J. Phosphatidylserine. Am J Health-Syst Pharm 1999;56:2038,2043-4.
    2. 7121. Kidd PM. Phosphatidylserine; Membrane nutrient for memory. A clinical and mechanistic assessment. Altern Med Rev 1996;1:70-84.
    3. 15539. Schreiber S, Kampf-Sherf O, Gorfine M, et al. An open trial of plant-source derived phosphatydilserine for treatment of age-related cognitive decline. Isr J Psychiatry Relat Sci 2000;37:302-7.
    4. 68862. Monteverde, A., Gnemmi, P., Rossi, F., Monteverde, A., and Finali, G. C. Selegiline in the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer-type dementia. Clin.Ther 1990;12(4):315-322.
    5. 90711. Vakhapova V, Cohen T, Richter Y, Herzog Y, Kam Y, Korczyn AD. Phosphatidylserine containing omega-3 Fatty acids may improve memory abilities in nondemented elderly individuals with memory complaints: results from an open-label extension study. Dement Geri PubMed

    Bupropion

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Bupropion, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Phosphatidylserine but not commonly for Bupropion: stomach upset and bloating or gas.

Effects for Bupropion come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Phosphatidylserine come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 152,137 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Bupropion 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.

Overlapping uses

What Bupropion Is Prescribed For, and What Phosphatidylserine Has Been Studied For

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

Bupropion is prescribed for: Bupropion is FDA-approved to treat major depressive disorder (MDD) — a form of clinical depression. Extended-release formulations (XL and hydrobromide versions, including Aplenzin) are also approved for the prevention of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), the pattern of depression that tends to arrive in autumn and winter. Not all formulations share every indication. Aplenzin (bupropion hydrobromide extended-release) and bupropion hydrochloride extended-release tablets (XL) are indicated for both MDD and SAD.

Read the rest of what Bupropion is prescribed for

Bupropion hydrochloride extended-release tablets (SR) and bupropion hydrochloride immediate-release tablets are indicated for MDD only.

Phosphatidylserine has been studied for:

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

    Phosphatidylserine for depression

    It is unclear if oral phosphatidylserine is beneficial for depression.

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 Bupropion on your own; if you are taking Phosphatidylserine for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Phosphatidylserine or Bupropion

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

This page covers Phosphatidylserine only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Bupropion page lists 46 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Adrafinil (moderate), African Wild Potato (moderate), Artichoke (moderate) and Astaxanthin (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 33 moderate · 12 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Bupropion page

“Bupropion (Wellbutrin, Zyban) deserves genuine care around supplements, and the entry to understand first is activated charcoal, the only major-rated interaction on this list. Charcoal and similar bulk products can soak up the drug in the gut and blunt its effect, so space them well apart from your dose.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Bupropion interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1,754 real supplement products containing Phosphatidylserine, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Phosphatidylserine. Even though Phosphatidylserine itself has no known interaction with Bupropion, 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 Phosphatidylserine and Bupropion 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 Phosphatidylserine
Top 10%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Bupropion
Top 1%

#23 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 Phosphatidylserine reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Phosphatidylserine and Bupropion 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 Phosphatidylserine

What is Phosphatidylserine?

Phosphatidylserine
  • Memory and cognitive support
  • Age-related cognitive decline
  • Attention and focus (ADHD)
  • Mental performance under stress
  • Exercise recovery

Phosphatidylserine is a natural fat-like compound found in cell membranes, especially in the brain, and it is sold mainly to support memory and thinking. Some research suggests possible benefits for age-related memory problems, but the evidence is limited and far from conclusive. It is generally well tolerated, but check with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Phospholipid derived from soy lecithin, sunflower lecithin, or (historically) bovine brain · Capsules, softgels, tablets, powders

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

Phosphatidylserine: dosing

There is no official standardized dose for phosphatidylserine. Amounts used in studies have varied, and the right amount for any individual is not well established.The safest approach is to follow the dose printed on the product label and not exceed it. Taking it earlier in the day may help reduce the chance of sleep problems.

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

Read the full Phosphatidylserine monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Bupropion

What Is Bupropion Used For?

Brand names: Wellbutrin, Wellbutrin SR, Zyban, Wellbutrin XL, Aplenzin, Forfivo XL

Bupropion is FDA-approved to treat major depressive disorder (MDD) — a form of clinical depression. Extended-release formulations (XL and hydrobromide versions, including Aplenzin) are also approved for the prevention of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), the pattern of depression that tends to arrive in autumn and winter.

Not all formulations share every indication. Aplenzin (bupropion hydrobromide extended-release) and bupropion hydrochloride extended-release tablets (XL) are indicated for both MDD and SAD. Bupropion hydrochloride extended-release tablets (SR) and bupropion hydrochloride immediate-release tablets are indicated for MDD only.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Bupropion

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (152,137 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Nausea 11,909 reports
Fatigue 10,076 reports
Headache 10,053 reports
Depression 8,639 reports
Dizziness 7,786 reports
See full Bupropion drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Phosphatidylserine

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

0Major
219Moderate
0Minor
2,610No known interaction
219 Moderate 2,610 No interaction
Moderate

219 interactions

Showing 60 of 219 moderate interactions — see all 219 on the Phosphatidylserine page.

No interaction 2,610 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,610 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Phosphatidylserine list.

See the full Phosphatidylserine interactions page
See every supplement checked against Bupropion, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Phosphatidylserine References

The 9 references that drive our Phosphatidylserine 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. Crook T, Petrie W, Wells C, Massari DC. Effects of phosphatidylserine in Alzheimer's disease. Psychopharmacol Bull 1992;28:61-6.
  2. Pepping J. Phosphatidylserine. Am J Health-Syst Pharm 1999;56:2038,2043-4.
  3. Kidd PM. Phosphatidylserine; Membrane nutrient for memory. A clinical and mechanistic assessment. Altern Med Rev 1996;1:70-84.
  4. Kim HY, Akbar M, Lau A, et al. Inhibition of neuronal apoptosis by docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3). Role of phosphatidylserine in antiapoptotic effect. J Biol Chem 2000;275:35215-23.. PubMed
  5. Zanotti A, Valzelli L, Toffano G. Chronic phosphatidylserine treatment improves spatial memory and passive avoidance in aged rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 1989;99:316-21.. PubMed
  6. Schreiber S, Kampf-Sherf O, Gorfine M, et al. An open trial of plant-source derived phosphatydilserine for treatment of age-related cognitive decline. Isr J Psychiatry Relat Sci 2000;37:302-7.
  7. Pepping, J. Phosphatidylserine. Am J Health Syst.Pharm. 10-15-1999;56(20):2038, 2043-2038, 2044.
  8. Monteverde, A., Gnemmi, P., Rossi, F., Monteverde, A., and Finali, G. C. Selegiline in the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer-type dementia. Clin.Ther 1990;12(4):315-322.
  9. Vakhapova V, Cohen T, Richter Y, Herzog Y, Kam Y, Korczyn AD. Phosphatidylserine containing omega-3 Fatty acids may improve memory abilities in nondemented elderly individuals with memory complaints: results from an open-label extension study. Dement Geri 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 Phosphatidylserine and Bupropion Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Phosphatidylserine with Bupropion?
We do not list a known interaction between Phosphatidylserine and Bupropion. 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 Phosphatidylserine and Bupropion have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 3 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.
Are Phosphatidylserine and Bupropion 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 Phosphatidylserine in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Bupropion is being adjusted to a target.
How was the Phosphatidylserine and Bupropion combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Bupropion is filed under 6 classifications, and Phosphatidylserine has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — none of Bupropion'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 Phosphatidylserine interact with any other medications?
Yes. Phosphatidylserine has 219 documented drug interactions in our database — Bupropion 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 Bupropion interact with any supplements?
Yes. Bupropion has documented interactions with 46 supplements in our database — Phosphatidylserine is not one of them. The Bupropion interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Where next

Keep Exploring

Phosphatidylserine monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Bupropion drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Bupropion supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Bupropion, 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 References The 9 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Bupropion and Phosphatidylserine?

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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.