Drug & supplement interaction

Piracetam + Naproxen

Naproxen brand names: Naprosyn, Naprelan, Anaprox, Anaprox DS, Naproxyn, and others.

Major Interaction
The bottom line Major

Piracetam has a major interaction with Naproxen. Theoretically, concomitant use of piracetam and anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs might increase the risk of bleeding.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMajor
LikelihoodProbable
EvidenceB
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Piracetam and Naproxen

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

Major

ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS

Why this applies to Naproxen

Naproxen falls under ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS — the group Piracetam interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use of piracetam and anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs might increase the risk of bleeding.
Preliminary clinical research shows that a single dose of piracetam inhibits platelet aggregation.
Severity Major Likelihood Probable Evidence B

Interaction 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..

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

Here's the thing to know about pairing piracetam with naproxen: both can make it harder for your blood to clot. Naproxen is an anti-inflammatory painkiller (an NSAID), and on its own it already thins the blood a little and can irritate the stomach lining. Early research suggests piracetam makes your platelets (the cells that help form clots) less sticky too.

Put them together and you may bump up the chance of bleeding, things like easy bruising, nosebleeds, or stomach bleeding (which can show up as black, tarry stools or stomach pain). This is still partly theoretical, but the concern is reasonable. Please don't change anything on your own. Run this combination by your pharmacist or doctor first, especially if you take naproxen often.

References
  1. Moriau M, Crasborn L, Lavenne-Pardonge E, et al. Platelet anti-aggregant and rheological properties of piracetam. A pharmacodynamic study in normal subjects. Arzneimittelforschung. 1993;43(2):110-8.

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

Piracetam Also Interacts With Other Medications

Piracetam has 121 major, known drug interactions in our database — the Naproxen 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 Piracetam

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Piracetam or Naproxen

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

This page covers Piracetam only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Naproxen page lists 311 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major), Danshen (major) and Siberian Cocklebur (major).

By severity: 7 major · 260 moderate · 44 minor.

Open the Naproxen interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 6 real supplement products containing Piracetam, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Piracetam. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Naproxen too, on top of Piracetam — 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 Piracetam and Naproxen 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 Piracetam
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Naproxen
Top 5%

#54 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 Piracetam

What is Piracetam?

  • Memory and cognition ('nootropic')
  • Cognitive decline and dementia
  • Myoclonus
  • Dyslexia in children
  • Vertigo

Piracetam is a synthetic 'nootropic' drug studied mainly for cognitive decline, myoclonus, and certain neurological conditions, but evidence for boosting memory in healthy people is weak. It is a prescription medicine in many countries and is not an approved drug or dietary supplement in the United States, so quality and safety of products sold online vary. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before using it.

Read the full Piracetam monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Naproxen

What Is Naproxen Used For?

Brand names: Naprosyn, Naprelan, Anaprox, Anaprox DS, Naproxyn, Navalbine, Naproxen, Naprosyn EC, Napro-Na, Aleve, Arthroxen, Synflex, EC-Naprosyn

Prescription naproxen and naproxen sodium products are used to relieve the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis (arthritis of the spine) and polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis. They are also used for tendonitis, bursitis, acute gout, pain and primary dysmenorrhea (painful periods).

Over-the-counter naproxen sodium products, such as All Day Pain Relief and Aleve, temporarily relieve minor aches and pains from headache, backache, muscle aches, toothache, menstrual cramps, the common cold and minor arthritis pain. They also temporarily reduce fever.

See full Naproxen drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Piracetam

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

121Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,708No known interaction
Major

121 interactions

Showing 60 of 121 major interactions — see all 121 on the Piracetam page.

No interaction 2,708 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 Piracetam and Naproxen Together: Common Questions

Can you take Piracetam with Naproxen?
This is rated a major interaction, so the combination is best avoided unless your doctor or pharmacist has specifically told you otherwise. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Piracetam and Naproxen interaction?
We rate it Major. This is a clinically significant combination that is generally best avoided, or used only under the direct supervision of your physician or pharmacist.

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

Still Have a Question About Naproxen and Piracetam?

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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.