Drug & supplement interaction

Plant Sterols + Nitrofurantoin

Nitrofurantoin brand names: Macrodantin, Furadantin, Furatoin, Macrobid.

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 Plant Sterols and Nitrofurantoin 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 Nitrofurantoin states a food rule worth keeping to, and 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

Plant Sterols and Nitrofurantoin

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 Nitrofurantoin and Plant Sterols 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.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Plant Sterols at all — not against Nitrofurantoin, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

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.

Plant Sterols safety at a glance

Plant Sterols overall Generally safe Generally well tolerated at typical food and supplement amounts for most adults.
Pregnancy Use caution Safety of concentrated supplements during pregnancy is not well studied, so use caution and check with your doctor.
Breastfeeding Use caution There is limited information on concentrated supplements during breastfeeding, so caution is advised.

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

Still wondering about combining Nitrofurantoin and Plant Sterols? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Plant Sterols and Nitrofurantoin 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.

  • Diarrhea reported in 5.7% of FDA reports for Nitrofurantoin Additional detail

    Plant Sterols

    “Abdominal discomfort has occurred in one child in a clinical trial of oral plant sterols. Because plant sterols decrease cholesterol absorption in the gut, there is concern that they might produce some gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea and excess amounts of fat in the stool (steatorrhea), although these adverse effects have not been reported in clinical research.”

    Plant Sterols · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in diarrhea.

    1 source cited
    1. 35106. Guardamagna, O., Abello, F., Baracco, V., Federici, G., Bertucci, P., Mozzi, A., Mannucci, L., Gnasso, A., and Cortese, C. Primary hyperlipidemias in children: effect of plant sterol supplementation on plasma lipids and markers of cholesterol synthesis a

    Nitrofurantoin

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

  • A skin rash Additional detail

    Plant Sterols

    “Acute dermatitis has been reported in a case report of a 51-year-old female who used a pharmacy-brand plant sterol supplement to lower cholesterol levels. The rash was widespread with lesions on the hands and feet and a red and swollen face. The patient was treated orally with prednisolone and topically with emollients for 2 weeks.”

    Plant Sterols · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dermatitis.

    1 source cited
    1. 90737. Haque Hussain SS, Weir J, Roberts N. Severe dermatitis secondary to plant sterol supplements. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2009 Oct;34(7):e276-7. PubMed

    Nitrofurantoin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Nitrofurantoin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Plant Sterols but not commonly for Nitrofurantoin: stomach upset and acne.

Effects for Nitrofurantoin come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Plant Sterols come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 22,743 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Nitrofurantoin 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.

How to take them

Some Nitrofurantoin Products Have a Food Rule — Plant Sterols Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Nitrofurantoin says to take it with food. If you take Plant Sterols on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Nitrofurantoin with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Nitrofurantoin 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.

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.

From our Q&A

Questions About Plant Sterols or Nitrofurantoin

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

This page covers Plant Sterols only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Nitrofurantoin page lists 82 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Wine (major) and Ashwagandha (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 68 moderate · 10 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Nitrofurantoin page

“Nitrofurantoin (Macrobid, Macrodantin) treats urinary tract infections and can strain the liver on its own, which is why this interaction list deserves genuine care rather than a glance. Of the 82 ingredients on file, 38 can add their own liver stress on top of the drug's, and three of the four major-rated entries fall in that group, i…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Nitrofurantoin interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 28 real supplement products containing Plant Sterols, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Plant Sterols. Even though Plant Sterols itself has no known interaction with Nitrofurantoin, 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 Plant Sterols and Nitrofurantoin 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 Plant Sterols
Steady interest

#1,179 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Nitrofurantoin
Top half

#1,072 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 Plant Sterols reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Plant Sterols and Nitrofurantoin 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 Plant Sterols

What is Plant Sterols?

  • High cholesterol
  • Heart health support
  • Lowering LDL cholesterol

Plant sterols (and their close relatives, plant stanols) are natural compounds found in plants that can modestly lower LDL ('bad') cholesterol when taken regularly in adequate amounts, usually through fortified foods or supplements. They are widely considered a useful add-on to a heart-healthy diet, but they are not a replacement for prescribed cholesterol medicine. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before starting them, especially if you take cholesterol drugs.

Sterols extracted from plant oils, nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes · Capsules, softgels, fortified margarine/spreads, fortified yogurt and milk, powders

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

Plant Sterols: dosing

There is no single official dose for everyone, but cholesterol-lowering benefits are generally seen only when enough is taken consistently each day, usually spread across meals. Taking them with food is often recommended, since they work by affecting how cholesterol is absorbed during digestion.The best approach is to follow the directions on your specific product label, since fortified foods and supplements vary in strength.

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

Read the full Plant Sterols monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Nitrofurantoin

What Is Nitrofurantoin Used For?

Brand names: Macrodantin, Furadantin, Furatoin, Macrobid

Nitrofurantoin treats urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by specific susceptible bacteria. The capsule forms (including Macrodantin and nitrofurantoin macrocrystals capsules) are indicated for UTIs due to Escherichia coli, enterococci, Staphylococcus aureus, and certain strains of Klebsiella and Enterobacter species. Nitrofurantoin capsules (monohydrate/macrocrystals) are indicated only for acute uncomplicated UTIs (acute cystitis) caused by E. coli or Staphylococcus saprophyticus.

Nitrofurantoin oral suspension (Furadantin) is indicated for adults and children 1 month of age and older for UTIs caused by susceptible strains of E. coli, Enterococcus species, S. aureus, Klebsiella species, and Enterobacter species. No form of nitrofurantoin is approved for kidney infections (pyelonephritis) or infections in the tissue surrounding the kidneys (perinephric abscesses).

Most-Reported Side Effects for Nitrofurantoin

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (22,743 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Urinary tract infection 2,221 reports
Fatigue 1,839 reports
Nausea 1,827 reports
Headache 1,705 reports
Dyspnea 1,437 reports
See full Nitrofurantoin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Plant Sterols

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

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
2,829 No interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Plant Sterols list.

See the full Plant Sterols interactions page
See every supplement checked against Nitrofurantoin, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Plant Sterols References

The 3 references that drive our Plant Sterols 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. Guardamagna, O., Abello, F., Baracco, V., Federici, G., Bertucci, P., Mozzi, A., Mannucci, L., Gnasso, A., and Cortese, C. Primary hyperlipidemias in children: effect of plant sterol supplementation on plasma lipids and markers of cholesterol synthesis a
  2. Haque Hussain SS, Weir J, Roberts N. Severe dermatitis secondary to plant sterol supplements. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2009 Oct;34(7):e276-7. PubMed
  3. Xue P, Wang Y, Chen Y, et al. A Case of Peripheral Precocious Puberty May Be Caused by a Diet Containing Phytosterols in a 20-Month-Old Boy. Horm Res Paediatr 2022;95(5):484-491. 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 Plant Sterols and Nitrofurantoin Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Plant Sterols with Nitrofurantoin?
We do not list a known interaction between Plant Sterols and Nitrofurantoin. 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 Plant Sterols and Nitrofurantoin have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 2 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.
Should I take Plant Sterols and Nitrofurantoin at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Nitrofurantoin says to take it with food. If you take Plant Sterols on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Nitrofurantoin with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Nitrofurantoin products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
Does Nitrofurantoin interact with any supplements?
Yes. Nitrofurantoin has documented interactions with 82 supplements in our database — Plant Sterols is not one of them. The Nitrofurantoin 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

Plant Sterols monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Nitrofurantoin drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Nitrofurantoin supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Nitrofurantoin, 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 3 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Nitrofurantoin and Plant Sterols?

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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.