Drug & supplement interaction

Red Clover + Acetaminophen, Codeine

Acetaminophen, Codeine brand names: Tylenol w/ Codeine, Tylenol No.3.

Minor Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated October 2026
The bottom line Minor

Red Clover has a minor interaction with Acetaminophen, Codeine. Theoretically, red clover might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP1A2; however, a small clinical study found no effect.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMinor
LikelihoodUnlikely
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Red Clover and Acetaminophen, Codeine

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

Minor

CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Acetaminophen, Codeine

Acetaminophen, Codeine falls under CYTOCHROME P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) SUBSTRATES — the group Red Clover interacts with.

Theoretically, red clover might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP1A2; however, a small clinical study found no effect.
In vitro evidence shows that red clover inhibits CYP1A2. However, a clinical study in healthy postmenopausal individuals shows that taking red clover capsules standardized to contain 60 mg isoflavones twice daily for 14 days does not affect the pharmacokinetics of caffeine, a CYP1A2 probe substrate.
Severity Minor Likelihood Unlikely Evidence D

Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans..

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

Here's the honest picture with Red Clover and Tylenol with Codeine: the concern on file is that red clover might block a liver enzyme called CYP1A2. But codeine doesn't really rely on that pathway. Codeine is actually a prodrug, meaning your body has to switch it into morphine to relieve pain, and that conversion happens mainly through a different enzyme (CYP2D6), not CYP1A2. So this particular interaction isn't a strong match for how this medicine works.

On top of that, the evidence here is weak. It comes from lab (test tube) data, and a small human study actually found red clover didn't change the handling of a CYP1A2 test drug. So I wouldn't expect a meaningful change in your pain relief or side effects. Still, since codeine and red clover both affect the body in their own ways, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist before combining them.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Unger M, Frank A. Simultaneous determination of the inhibitory potency of herbal extracts on the activity of six major cytochrome P450 enzymes using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry and automated online extraction. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom 2004;1 PubMed
  2. Chen L, Choi J, Leonard SW, et al. No Clinically Relevant Pharmacokinetic Interactions of a Red Clover Dietary Supplement with Cytochrome P450 Enzymes in Women. J Agric Food Chem. 2020;68(47):13929-13939. PubMed

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

Red Clover Also Interacts With Other Medications

Red Clover has 44 moderate, 824 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Acetaminophen, Codeine one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 44 Minor 824 No known interaction 1,962 (incl. Acetaminophen, Codeine)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Red Clover

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Acetaminophen, Codeine

This page covers Red Clover only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Acetaminophen, Codeine page lists 240 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: 1,4-butanediol (major), Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major) and Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (ghb) (major).

By severity: 9 major · 191 moderate · 40 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Acetaminophen, Codeine page

“People usually take Tylenol No. 3 (acetaminophen with codeine) for short-term pain, often while still drinking wine with dinner or reaching for an herbal sleep aid.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Acetaminophen, Codeine interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1,480 real supplement products containing Red Clover, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Red Clover. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Acetaminophen, Codeine too, on top of Red Clover — 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 Red Clover and Acetaminophen, Codeine 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 Red Clover
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Acetaminophen, Codeine
Top 10%

#178 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 Red Clover

What is Red Clover?

Red Clover
  • Menopause symptoms (hot flashes)
  • High cholesterol
  • Bone health/osteoporosis
  • Skin and hair concerns
  • Women's health

Red clover is a plant rich in isoflavones (plant compounds with weak estrogen-like activity) that is most often used for menopause symptoms like hot flashes. The evidence is mixed and generally weak, with some studies showing modest benefit and others showing none. Because of its hormone-like effects, it's not for everyone—talk with your pharmacist or doctor before trying it, especially if you have a hormone-sensitive condition.

Read the full Red Clover monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Red Clover

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

0Major
44Moderate
824Minor
1,961No known interaction
44 Moderate 824 Minor 1,961 No interaction
Moderate

44 interactions

Minor

824 interactions

Showing 60 of 824 minor interactions — see all 824 on the Red Clover page.

No interaction 1,961 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,961 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Red Clover list.

See the full Red Clover interactions page
See every supplement checked against Acetaminophen, Codeine, 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
Red Clover monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Acetaminophen, Codeine supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Acetaminophen, Codeine, 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 Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Red Clover and Acetaminophen, Codeine Together: Common Questions

Can you take Red Clover with Acetaminophen, Codeine?
There is only a minor interaction, which is usually not serious. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Red Clover and Acetaminophen, Codeine interaction?
We rate it Minor. This interaction is generally not clinically significant, but it remains worth noting and discussing with your pharmacist.

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

Still Have a Question About Acetaminophen, Codeine and Red Clover?

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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.