Drug & supplement interaction

Strontium + Retapamulin

Retapamulin brand names: Altabax, Altargo.

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

Retapamulin falls into 2 drug categories that Strontium can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, strontium might decrease the absorption of quinolone antibiotics.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodProbable
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Strontium and Retapamulin

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Strontium interacts with whole categories of medication. Retapamulin falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Strontium in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

QUINOLONE ANTIBIOTICS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Retapamulin

Retapamulin falls under QUINOLONE ANTIBIOTICS — the group Strontium interacts with.

Theoretically, strontium might decrease the absorption of quinolone antibiotics.
Strontium is a divalent cation with similar properties to calcium. It is likely to form complexes with quinolones in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, preventing absorption of the antibiotic. Recommend taking strontium supplements at least 2 hours before or after quinolones to avoid an interaction.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence D

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 something worth pointing out: the interaction we have on file is really about oral quinolone antibiotics, where strontium (a mineral that acts a lot like calcium) can grab onto the antibiotic in your stomach and keep it from absorbing well. But Retapamulin (Altabax) is a different story. It isn't a quinolone, and it isn't even swallowed. It's an ointment you rub onto the skin to treat impetigo, so it never mixes with strontium in your gut.

Because of that, I wouldn't expect your strontium supplement to weaken Retapamulin or change how well it clears up the infection. This whole concern is theoretical to begin with, and it simply doesn't apply to a topical skin antibiotic. Still, it never hurts to run your full supplement list by your pharmacist just to be safe.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Protelos European Summary of Product Characteristics. Les Laboratoires Servier, 2006. Available at: www.servier.com/pro/osteoporose/protelos/protelos_spc.asp. (Accessed 01 August 2006).
Moderate

TETRACYCLINE ANTIBIOTICS

2 of 2

Retapamulin also falls under TETRACYCLINE ANTIBIOTICS.

Theoretically, strontium might decrease the absorption of tetracycline antibiotics.
Strontium is a divalent cation with similar properties to calcium. It is likely to form complexes with tetracyclines in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, preventing absorption of the antibiotic. Recommend taking strontium supplements at least 2 hours before or after tetracyclines to avoid an interaction.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence D

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 some good news that should put your mind at ease. The interaction we have on file is for oral tetracycline antibiotics, where strontium (a calcium-like mineral) can bind to the antibiotic in your stomach and keep it from being absorbed. Retapamulin, though, is a totally different situation. It comes as a skin ointment (Altabax) that you dab onto an impetigo sore, so it isn't swallowed and never mixes with strontium in your gut.

Because there's no shared path through the digestive tract, this binding concern really doesn't apply here. This whole interaction is theoretical to begin with, and it doesn't translate to a topical product. As always, if you have questions about either one, your pharmacist is happy to double-check for you.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Protelos European Summary of Product Characteristics. Les Laboratoires Servier, 2006. Available at: www.servier.com/pro/osteoporose/protelos/protelos_spc.asp. (Accessed 01 August 2006).

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

Strontium Also Interacts With Other Medications

Strontium has 100 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Retapamulin one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 100 No known interaction 2,730 (incl. Retapamulin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Strontium

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Retapamulin

This page covers Strontium only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Retapamulin page lists 81 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Oleander (major), Para-aminobenzoic Acid (paba) (major), Acerola (moderate), Alpha-lipoic Acid (moderate) and Bacillus Coagulans (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 71 moderate · 8 minor.

Open the Retapamulin interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 347 real supplement products containing Strontium, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Strontium. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Retapamulin too, on top of Strontium — 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 Strontium and Retapamulin 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 Strontium
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Retapamulin
Steady interest

#2,567 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 Strontium

What is Strontium?

  • Bone health and osteoporosis
  • Reducing fracture risk
  • Tooth sensitivity (in some toothpastes)
  • Supporting bone density

Strontium is a mineral that has been studied mainly for bone health and osteoporosis. The prescription form (strontium ranelate) showed benefit for fracture risk but carries serious heart-related safety concerns, while the over-the-counter supplement form (strontium citrate) has much less evidence. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using it, especially if you have heart disease or are at risk for blood clots.

Read the full Strontium monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Retapamulin

What Is Retapamulin Used For?

Brand names: Altabax, Altargo

  • Retapamulin is used to treat impetigo (a skin infection caused by bacteria) in children and adults. Retapamulin is in a class of medications called antibacterials. It works by killing and stopping the growth of bacteria on the skin.

See full Retapamulin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Strontium

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

0Major
100Moderate
0Minor
2,729No known interaction
100 Moderate 2,729 No interaction
Moderate

100 interactions

Showing 60 of 100 moderate interactions — see all 100 on the Strontium page.

No interaction 2,729 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,729 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Strontium list.

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

Can you take Strontium with Retapamulin?
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.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Strontium and Retapamulin?
Retapamulin belongs to more than one drug category, and Strontium interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Strontium and Retapamulin 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 Retapamulin and Strontium?

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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.