Drug & supplement interaction

Shark Liver Oil + Hydroxyurea

Hydroxyurea brand names: Droxia, Hydrea, Siklos, Xromi.

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 Shark Liver Oil and Hydroxyurea 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 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

Shark Liver Oil and Hydroxyurea

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 Hydroxyurea and Shark Liver Oil 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 Shark Liver Oil at all — not against Hydroxyurea, 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.

Shark Liver Oil safety at a glance

Shark Liver Oil overall Use caution Generally tolerated short-term but human safety data are limited and product quality varies.
Pregnancy Avoid Not enough safety data; avoid use during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid Not enough safety data; avoid while breastfeeding.

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

Still wondering about combining Hydroxyurea and Shark Liver Oil? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Shark Liver Oil and Hydroxyurea 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. One of them is worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • A higher chance of infection Worth acting on Additional detail

    Shark Liver Oil

    “Both shark liver oil and the constituent squalene have been associated with cases of aspiration and subsequent lipoid pneumonia.”

    Shark Liver Oil · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in pneumonia.

    3 sources cited
    1. 2546. Lee JY, Lee KS, Kim TS, et al. Squalene-induced extrinsic lipoid pneumonia: serial radiologic findings in nine patients. J Comput Assist Tomogr 1999;23:730-5. PubMed
    2. 2547. Lee JS, Im JG, Song KS, et al. Exogenous lipoid pneumonia: high-resolution CT findings. Eur Radiol 1999;9:287-91. PubMed
    3. 2548. Asnis DS, Saltzman HP, Melchert A. Shark oil pneumonia. An overlooked entity. Chest 1993;103:976-7.

    Hydroxyurea

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

  • Tiredness reported in 7.4% of FDA reports for Hydroxyurea Additional detail

    Shark Liver Oil

    “Orally, a case of severe acute hepatitis probably related to use of shark liver oil twice daily for 2 weeks has been reported. The patient presented with abdominal discomfort, jaundice, malaise, pruritus, and elevated levels of bilirubin and liver enzymes. Other potential causes were ruled out.”

    Shark Liver Oil · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in hepatitis.

    1 source cited
    1. 94285. Kilincalp S, Deveci M, Basar O, Ekiz F, Coban S, Yuksel O. Shark liver oil: hidden dangers. Ann Hepatol. 2012 Sep-Oct;11(5):728-30. DOI

    Hydroxyurea

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

Reported for Shark Liver Oil but not commonly for Hydroxyurea: stomach upset, liver problems, itching and yellowing of the skin or eyes.

Effects for Hydroxyurea come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Shark Liver Oil come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 21,027 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Hydroxyurea 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.

Overlapping uses

What Hydroxyurea Is Prescribed For, and What Shark Liver Oil Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Hydroxyurea is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Shark Liver Oil is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Hydroxyurea is prescribed for: Hydroxyurea is used for several serious conditions. Droxia, Siklos, and Xromi are each indicated to reduce the frequency of painful crises and reduce the need for blood transfusions in patients with sickle cell anemia who have recurrent moderate to severe painful crises. Siklos is approved for adults and children 2 years and older; Xromi is approved for children 6 months and older; Droxia is approved for adults. Hydrea capsules and Hydroxyurea capsules are indicated for resistant chronic myeloid leukemia and for locally advanced squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (excluding the lip) when used together with chemoradiation.

Shark Liver Oil has been studied for:

  • Cancer studied, not established Shark Liver Oil has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Shark Liver Oil for cancer

    Although there has been interest in using oral shark liver oil for cancer, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of shark liver oil for this purpose.

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Hydroxyurea on your own; if you are taking Shark Liver Oil for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Shark Liver Oil or Hydroxyurea

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

This page covers Shark Liver Oil only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Hydroxyurea page lists 18 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Coffee Charcoal (moderate), European Mandrake (moderate), Glucomannan (moderate) and Guar Gum (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 7 moderate · 10 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Hydroxyurea page

“People take hydroxyurea (Droxia, Hydrea, Siklos, Xromi) for serious reasons, most often sickle cell disease or certain blood cancers, and it only works if a steady dose reaches the bloodstream. That is exactly what nearly all 18 supplements listed here can undermine, so this page earns real vigilance rather than a skim.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Hydroxyurea interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Shark Liver Oil as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 20 real supplement products containing Shark Liver Oil, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Shark Liver Oil. Even though Shark Liver Oil itself has no known interaction with Hydroxyurea, 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 Shark Liver Oil and Hydroxyurea 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 Shark Liver Oil
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Hydroxyurea
Top 5%

#38 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 Shark Liver Oil reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Shark Liver Oil and Hydroxyurea 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 Shark Liver Oil

What is Shark Liver Oil?

  • Immune support
  • Skin conditions and wound healing
  • Cancer support (unproven)
  • Hemorrhoid relief (topical)
  • Cold and flu prevention
  • General wellness tonic

Shark liver oil is taken from the livers of deep-sea sharks and is rich in compounds called alkylglycerols and squalene. People use it for immune support, skin healing, and other conditions, but strong human evidence is largely lacking. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially since sustainability and contamination are concerns.

Liver oil from deep-sea sharks · Capsules, softgels, liquid oil, topical creams and ointments

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

Shark Liver Oil: dosing

There is no official or well-established dose for shark liver oil. Products differ in how much alkylglycerol or squalene they contain, so amounts on labels vary.The safest approach is to follow the directions on the product label and not take more than recommended.

From our Shark Liver Oil monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Shark Liver Oil monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Hydroxyurea

What Is Hydroxyurea Used For?

Brand names: Droxia, Hydrea, Siklos, Xromi

Hydroxyurea is used for several serious conditions. Droxia, Siklos, and Xromi are each indicated to reduce the frequency of painful crises and reduce the need for blood transfusions in patients with sickle cell anemia who have recurrent moderate to severe painful crises. Siklos is approved for adults and children 2 years and older; Xromi is approved for children 6 months and older; Droxia is approved for adults.

Hydrea capsules and Hydroxyurea capsules are indicated for resistant chronic myeloid leukemia and for locally advanced squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (excluding the lip) when used together with chemoradiation.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Hydroxyurea

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (21,027 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 1,548 reports
Sickle cell anaemia with crisis 1,486 reports
Diarrhea 1,408 reports
Nausea 1,306 reports
Headache 1,068 reports
See full Hydroxyurea drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Shark Liver Oil

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Shark Liver Oil — 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 Shark Liver Oil 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 Shark Liver Oil list.

See the full Shark Liver Oil interactions page
See every supplement checked against Hydroxyurea, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Shark Liver Oil References

The 6 references that drive our Shark Liver Oil 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. Lee JY, Lee KS, Kim TS, et al. Squalene-induced extrinsic lipoid pneumonia: serial radiologic findings in nine patients. J Comput Assist Tomogr 1999;23:730-5. PubMed
  2. Lee JS, Im JG, Song KS, et al. Exogenous lipoid pneumonia: high-resolution CT findings. Eur Radiol 1999;9:287-91. PubMed
  3. Asnis DS, Saltzman HP, Melchert A. Shark oil pneumonia. An overlooked entity. Chest 1993;103:976-7.
  4. Deniau AL, Mosset P, Pédrono F, Mitre R, Le Bot D, Legrand AB. Multiple beneficial health effects of natural alkylglycerols from shark liver oil. Mar Drugs. 2010 Jul 19;8(7):2175-84. PubMed
  5. Kilincalp S, Deveci M, Basar O, Ekiz F, Coban S, Yuksel O. Shark liver oil: hidden dangers. Ann Hepatol. 2012 Sep-Oct;11(5):728-30. DOI
  6. Hamadate N, Matsumoto Y, Seto K, Yamamoto T, Yamaguchi H, Nakagawa T, Yamamoto E, Fukagawa M, Yazawa K. Vascular effects and safety of supplementation with shark liver oil in middle-aged and elderly males. Exp Ther Med. 2015 Aug;10(2):641-646. Epub 2015 J 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 Shark Liver Oil and Hydroxyurea Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Shark Liver Oil with Hydroxyurea?
We do not list a known interaction between Shark Liver Oil and Hydroxyurea. 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 Shark Liver Oil and Hydroxyurea 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.
Are Shark Liver Oil and Hydroxyurea used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Shark Liver Oil in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Hydroxyurea is being adjusted to a target.
Does Hydroxyurea interact with any supplements?
Yes. Hydroxyurea has documented interactions with 18 supplements in our database — Shark Liver Oil is not one of them. The Hydroxyurea 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

Shark Liver Oil monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Hydroxyurea drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Hydroxyurea supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Hydroxyurea, 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 6 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Hydroxyurea and Shark Liver Oil?

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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.