Drug & supplement interaction

Pu-erh Tea + Diethylpropion

Diethylpropion brand names: Radtue, Tenuate, Durad, Tenuate Dosepan.

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

Pu-erh Tea has a moderate interaction with Diethylpropion. Theoretically, concomitant use might increase stimulant adverse effects.

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

Pu-erh Tea and Diethylpropion

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

Moderate

STIMULANT DRUGS

Why this applies to Diethylpropion

Diethylpropion falls under STIMULANT DRUGS — the group Pu-erh Tea interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use might increase stimulant adverse effects.
Pu-erh tea contains caffeine. Due to the central nervous system (CNS) stimulant effects of caffeine, concomitant use with stimulant drugs can increase the risk of adverse effects.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence C

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: diethylpropion (Tenuate) is itself a stimulant that revs up your nervous system to curb appetite. Pu-erh tea brings caffeine to the table, which is also a stimulant. Stack the two and you're basically doubling up on that wired feeling.

What this can look like in real life is more jitteriness, a racing or pounding heart, trouble sleeping, a bump in blood pressure, and feeling anxious or restless. This isn't a brand new danger, it's the same kind of side effects diethylpropion already causes, just turned up a notch. A cup or two of tea probably won't be a big deal for most folks, but loading up on pu-erh or other caffeine sources is where it adds up. If you notice your heart pounding or you can't settle down, check in with your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Institute of Medicine. Caffeine for the Sustainment of Mental Task Performance: Formulations for Military Operations. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2001. Available at: http://books.nap.edu/books/0309082587/html/index.html. DOI

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

Pu-erh Tea Also Interacts With Other Medications

Pu-erh Tea has 9 major, 447 moderate, 210 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Diethylpropion one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 9 Moderate 447 Minor 210 No known interaction 2,164 (incl. Diethylpropion)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Pu-erh Tea

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Pu-erh Tea. Pick one to open its full report.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Diethylpropion

This page covers Pu-erh Tea only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Diethylpropion page lists 61 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Ephedra (major), Peyote (major), Rauvolfia Vomitoria (major) and Sida Cordifolia (major).

By severity: 5 major · 43 moderate · 13 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Diethylpropion page

“Diethylpropion (Tenuate) is an appetite suppressant that works by revving up the nervous system, and that mechanism is why its interaction list calls for real vigilance. Of the 61 supplements and herbs on file, 44 add their own stimulant push, raising the risk of high blood pressure, a pounding heart, and sleeplessness.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Diethylpropion interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Pu-erh Tea and Diethylpropion 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 Pu-erh Tea
Steady interest

#1,372 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Diethylpropion
Steady interest

#2,331 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 Pu-erh Tea

What is Pu-erh Tea?

  • Weight management
  • Cholesterol and heart health
  • Digestion after meals
  • Mental alertness
  • General antioxidant support

Pu-erh tea is a fermented, aged form of tea made from the same plant as green and black tea. It is enjoyed worldwide as a beverage and is sometimes promoted for weight loss, cholesterol, and digestion, but human evidence for these uses is limited. As a normal drink it is generally well tolerated, though it does contain caffeine.

Read the full Pu-erh Tea monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Diethylpropion

What Is Diethylpropion Used For?

Brand names: Radtue, Tenuate, Durad, Tenuate Dosepan

Diethylpropion is used to help manage exogenous obesity (excess body weight from outside factors like diet) in adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher who haven't lost enough weight through diet and exercise alone. It is meant to be used for only a few weeks as part of a calorie-restricted diet plan.

All available tablet products — both the immediate-release tablets and the extended-release tablets — are approved for this purpose. Each is approved for use as a single medication only; combining diethylpropion with any other weight-loss drug is not allowed.

See full Diethylpropion drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Pu-erh Tea

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

9Major
447Moderate
210Minor
2,163No known interaction
9 Major 447 Moderate 210 Minor 2,163 No interaction
Major

9 interactions

Moderate

447 interactions

Showing 60 of 447 moderate interactions — see all 447 on the Pu-erh Tea page.

Minor

210 interactions

Showing 60 of 210 minor interactions — see all 210 on the Pu-erh Tea page.

No interaction 2,163 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,163 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Pu-erh Tea list.

See the full Pu-erh Tea interactions page
See every supplement checked against Diethylpropion, 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
Pu-erh Tea monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Diethylpropion supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Diethylpropion, ranked by severity Diethylpropion 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 Pu-erh Tea and Diethylpropion Together: Common Questions

Can you take Pu-erh Tea with Diethylpropion?
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 Pu-erh Tea and Diethylpropion 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 Diethylpropion and Pu-erh Tea?

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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.