Drug & supplement interaction

Policosanol + Sotalol

Sotalol brand names: Betapace AF, Betapace, Sotacor, Sorine.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Policosanol has a moderate interaction with Sotalol. Concomitant use of policosanol with beta-blockers can cause additive blood pressure-lowering effects.

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

Policosanol and Sotalol

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

Moderate

BETA-BLOCKERS

Why this applies to Sotalol

Sotalol falls under BETA-BLOCKERS — the group Policosanol interacts with.

Concomitant use of policosanol with beta-blockers can cause additive blood pressure-lowering effects.
Clinical research shows that policosanol 5 mg daily can have additive blood pressure-lowering effects in patients with hypertension who are taking beta-blockers. Also, animal research shows that policosanol can increase the blood-pressure lowering effects of propranolol.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence A

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 simple version: Sotalol is a beta-blocker that slows and steadies your heart rhythm, and it also tends to lower your blood pressure. Policosanol, a sugar cane wax supplement taken for cholesterol, can add a little extra blood-pressure-lowering on top of that. In one good-quality study, 5 mg a day of policosanol nudged blood pressure down further in people already on beta-blockers.

The realistic concern is that the two together could drop your blood pressure a bit too much, leaving you feeling dizzy, lightheaded, or tired, especially when standing up. This is a moderate, manageable interaction, not an emergency. Before adding policosanol, check in with your pharmacist or doctor so they can keep an eye on your blood pressure.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Molina, Cuevas, V, Arruzazabala, M. L., Carbajal, Quintana D., Mas, Ferreiro R., and Valdes, Garcia S. Effect of policosanol on arterial blood pressure in rats. Study of the pharmacological interaction with nifedipine and propranolol. Arch Med Res 1998;29
  2. Castano G, Mas R, Gamez R, et al. Concomitant use of policosanol and beta-blockers in older patients. Int J Clin Pharmacol.Res 2004;24:65-77.

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

Policosanol Also Interacts With Other Medications

Policosanol has 241 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Sotalol one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 241 No known interaction 2,589 (incl. Sotalol)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Policosanol

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Sotalol

This page covers Policosanol only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Sotalol page lists 43 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 · 26 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Sotalol page

“Sotalol controls heart rhythm by lengthening the heart's electrical reset time, the QT interval, which is why this list of 43 interacting supplements deserves a careful read, not a skim. Eight are rated major, and most of the serious entries stack further QT prolongation on top of what sotalol already causes, raising the risk of a dang…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Sotalol interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 479 real supplement products containing Policosanol, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Policosanol. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Sotalol too, on top of Policosanol — 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 Policosanol and Sotalol 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 Policosanol
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Sotalol
Top 25%

#298 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 Policosanol

What is Policosanol?

Policosanol
  • High cholesterol
  • Heart and blood vessel health
  • Leg pain from poor circulation (intermittent claudication)
  • Physical stamina and energy

Policosanol is a mix of waxy alcohols (mostly octacosanol) made from sugar cane or other plant waxes, and it is often marketed as a natural way to lower cholesterol. Early studies from Cuba showed strong cholesterol-lowering effects, but independent studies in other countries have mostly failed to confirm these benefits. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you take cholesterol medicine.

Read the full Policosanol monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Sotalol

What Is Sotalol Used For?

Brand names: Betapace AF, Betapace, Sotacor, Sorine

Sotalol is used to treat documented, life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias (dangerous irregular heart rhythms originating in the lower chambers of the heart), such as sustained ventricular tachycardia (a rapid, sustained abnormal heartbeat). Because it carries real risks of its own, it is generally reserved for arrhythmias serious enough to be life-threatening — not for mild or symptom-only rhythm problems.

It is not recommended for people with less severe arrhythmias, even if those arrhythmias cause symptoms, and it should be avoided in people with asymptomatic (no-symptom) extra heartbeats called ventricular premature contractions.

See full Sotalol drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Policosanol

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

0Major
241Moderate
0Minor
2,588No known interaction
241 Moderate 2,588 No interaction
Moderate

241 interactions

Showing 60 of 241 moderate interactions — see all 241 on the Policosanol page.

No interaction 2,588 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,588 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Policosanol list.

See the full Policosanol interactions page
See every supplement checked against Sotalol, ranked by severity
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
Policosanol monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Sotalol supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Sotalol, ranked by severity Sotalol drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Policosanol and Sotalol Together: Common Questions

Can you take Policosanol with Sotalol?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Policosanol and Sotalol interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

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

Still Have a Question About Sotalol and Policosanol?

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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.