Drug & supplement interaction

Spearmint + Pregabalin

Pregabalin brand names: Lyrica, Lyrica CR.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Spearmint has a moderate interaction with Pregabalin. Theoretically, spearmint might alter the sedative effects of CNS depressants.

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

Spearmint and Pregabalin

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

Moderate

CNS DEPRESSANTS

Why this applies to Pregabalin

Pregabalin falls under CNS DEPRESSANTS — the group Spearmint interacts with.

Theoretically, spearmint might alter the sedative effects of CNS depressants.
Animal research suggests that (-)-carvone, a major constituent of spearmint, has sedative effects. However, in humans, chewing spearmint-flavored gum induced arousal effects.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction 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.

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

Here's the short version: this is a theoretical concern, not something proven in people. Pregabalin (Lyrica) already works as a nervous-system calmer, so it can make you feel drowsy, dizzy, or foggy. The thought is that one compound in spearmint, called carvone, showed mild sedative effects in animal studies, so in theory it could add a little to that sleepy feeling.

In real life, the evidence is weak, and interestingly, chewing spearmint gum actually made people feel more alert, not less. Spearmint in food or tea is very unlikely to cause any problem. If you're considering a concentrated spearmint supplement alongside your pregabalin, just run it by your pharmacist or doctor first, especially while you learn how the medication affects you.

References
  1. de Sousa, D. P., Farias Nobrega, F. F., and de Almeida, R. N. Influence of the chirality of (R)-(-)- and (S)-(+)-carvone in the central nervous system: a comparative study. Chirality 5-5-2007;19(4):264-268.
  2. Masumoto, Y., Morinushi, T., Kawasaki, H., Ogura, T., and Takigawa, M. Effects of three principal constituents in chewing gum on electroencephalographic activity. Psychiatry Clin.Neurosci. 1999;53(1):17-23. PubMed
  3. Goncalves, J. C., Oliveira, Fde S., Benedito, R. B., de Sousa, D. P., de Almeida, R. N., and de Araujo, D. A. Antinociceptive activity of (-)-carvone: evidence of association with decreased peripheral nerve excitability. Biol Pharm Bull. 2008;31(5):1017- 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

Spearmint Also Interacts With Other Medications

Spearmint has 578 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Pregabalin one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Spearmint

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Spearmint or Pregabalin

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

This page covers Spearmint only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Pregabalin page lists 95 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), Beer (major), Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (ghb) (major) and Kava (major).

By severity: 7 major · 73 moderate · 15 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Pregabalin page

“Pregabalin (Lyrica) calms overactive nerves, which is how it eases nerve pain, seizures, and anxiety, and that calming action stacks with almost everything on this list. Of the 95 supplements and herbs, the large majority add their own sedation on top of pregabalin's, and a few can tip that into genuine danger, with deep sedation and s…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Pregabalin interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 408 real supplement products containing Spearmint, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Spearmint. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Pregabalin too, on top of Spearmint — 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 Spearmint and Pregabalin 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 Spearmint
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Pregabalin
Top 5%

#39 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 Spearmint

What is Spearmint?

Spearmint
  • Digestive upset and indigestion
  • Nausea
  • Hormonal acne and unwanted hair (PCOS-related)
  • Memory and focus
  • Mild stress and anxiety
  • Joint discomfort

Spearmint is a common culinary mint that is generally safe in food and tea amounts. Early research suggests possible benefits for digestion, mild hormone-related issues (such as excess facial hair in women), and memory, but the evidence is still limited. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using concentrated supplements, especially if you are pregnant or have a health condition.

Read the full Spearmint monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Pregabalin

What Is Pregabalin Used For?

Brand names: Lyrica, Lyrica CR

Pregabalin is used to manage several types of nerve pain, including neuropathic pain from diabetic peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage caused by diabetes) and postherpetic neuralgia (lingering nerve pain after shingles). It is also used to treat fibromyalgia and neuropathic pain associated with spinal cord injury.

Lyrica (capsule and oral solution), pregabalin capsules, and pregabalin oral solution are also approved as add-on therapy for partial-onset seizures — Lyrica for patients 1 month and older, and pregabalin capsules for patients 17 years and older. Lyrica CR and pregabalin extended-release tablets are approved only for diabetic peripheral neuropathy pain and postherpetic neuralgia — their effectiveness for fibromyalgia or as seizure add-on therapy has not been established.

See full Pregabalin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Spearmint

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

0Major
578Moderate
0Minor
2,251No known interaction
Moderate

578 interactions

Showing 60 of 578 moderate interactions — see all 578 on the Spearmint page.

No interaction 2,251 drugs checked — show the list
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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Spearmint and Pregabalin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Spearmint with Pregabalin?
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 Spearmint and Pregabalin 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 Pregabalin and Spearmint?

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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.