Drug & supplement interaction

Suma + Ferric Citrate

Ferric Citrate brand name: Auryxia.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Suma and Ferric Citrate 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 label for Ferric Citrate states a food rule worth keeping to.

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Interaction report

Suma and Ferric Citrate

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 Ferric Citrate and Suma 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 Suma at all — not against Ferric Citrate, 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.

Suma safety at a glance

Suma overall Use caution Generally used in foods and supplements, but human safety data are limited.
Pregnancy Avoid Not enough safety information, so it is best avoided during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid No reliable safety data, so avoid while breastfeeding.

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

Still wondering about combining Ferric Citrate and Suma? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

What Suma Itself Has Been Linked To

This is not an interaction — nothing below involves Ferric Citrate. It is the side-effect record for Suma on its own, from the licensed Natural Medicines monograph. If something new turns up after you add Suma, this list is the first place to look. One entry is worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Wheezing Worth acting on Additional detail

    “Orally, suma seems to be well tolerated (12). No adverse effects have been reported. However, a thorough evaluation of safety outcomes has not been conducted. When inhaled, powdered suma root can cause occupational asthma.”

    Suma · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in asthma.

    3 sources cited
    1. 12. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
    2. 515. Foster S, Tyler VE. Tyler's Honest Herbal, 4th ed., Binghamton, NY: Haworth Herbal Press, 1999. DOI
    3. 76647. Subiza, J., Subiza, J. L., Escribano, P. M., Hinojosa, M., Garcia, R., Jerez, M., and Subiza, E. Occupational asthma caused by Brazil ginseng dust. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1991;88(5):731-736. PubMed

    “When inhaled, suma root powder has caused allergic asthma symptoms in a single patient.”

    Suma · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in asthma.

    1 source cited
    1. 76647. Subiza, J., Subiza, J. L., Escribano, P. M., Hinojosa, M., Garcia, R., Jerez, M., and Subiza, E. Occupational asthma caused by Brazil ginseng dust. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1991;88(5):731-736. PubMed

Everything above comes from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record for Suma — expand a row for the licensed statement it rests on. We read the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Ferric Citrate’s FDA label too, and the two lists don’t meaningfully overlap — which is why no Ferric Citrate column appears here.

How to take them

Some Ferric Citrate Products Have a Food Rule — Suma Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Ferric Citrate says to take it with food. If you take Suma on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Ferric Citrate with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Ferric Citrate products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

( 2.2 ) 2.1 Dosage for Hyperphosphatemia in Chronic Kidney Disease on Dialysis The recommended starting dose is 2 tablets, swallowed whole, 3 times per day with meals.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Ferric Citrate — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. See the Ferric Citrate drug page ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Ferric Citrate

This page covers Suma only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Ferric Citrate page lists 17 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 · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Ferric Citrate page

“Ferric citrate (Auryxia) does its work in the gut, binding dietary phosphate in kidney disease or supplying iron, and all 17 supplements on this list can interfere with how oral medicines get absorbed. That is worth real caution, starting with the single major-rated entry, activated charcoal, which adsorbs many drugs directly and can m…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Ferric Citrate interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 438 real supplement products containing Suma, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Suma. Even though Suma itself has no known interaction with Ferric Citrate, 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 Suma and Ferric Citrate 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 Suma
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Ferric Citrate
Steady interest

#1,651 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 Suma reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Suma and Ferric Citrate 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 Suma

What is Suma?

  • General energy and vitality
  • Adaptogen for stress
  • Sexual health and libido
  • Athletic performance
  • Immune support
  • Hormonal balance

Suma is a South American root often marketed as a 'Brazilian ginseng' and used as an adaptogen for energy, stamina, and stress. Human evidence is very limited, and most claims come from traditional use and lab or animal studies. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a hormone-sensitive condition.

Pfaffia paniculata · Amaranthaceae · Root · Capsules, powder, tablets, tincture, tea

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

Suma: dosing

There is no well-established standardized dose for Suma. Studies are too limited to recommend a specific amount, and product strengths vary widely.If you choose to use it, follow the dosing directions on the product label and do not exceed them. A pharmacist can help you review a product and decide whether it is appropriate for you.Start low, watch for any reactions, and stop if you notice side effects.

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

Read the full Suma monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Ferric Citrate

What Is Ferric Citrate Used For?

Brand name: Auryxia

Ferric citrate tablets — sold as Auryxia and under the generic name Ferric Citrate — are approved for two related uses in adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

For patients on dialysis, they work as a phosphate binder to control high phosphorus (hyperphosphatemia) levels in the blood. For patients with CKD who are not on dialysis, they serve as an iron replacement to treat iron deficiency anemia.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Ferric Citrate

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (0 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Diarrhea 307 reports
Serum ferritin increased 228 reports
Transferrin saturation increased 169 reports
Faeces discoloured 118 reports
Constipation 83 reports
See full Ferric Citrate drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Suma

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Suma — 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
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Suma References

The 3 references that drive our Suma 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. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
  2. Foster S, Tyler VE. Tyler's Honest Herbal, 4th ed., Binghamton, NY: Haworth Herbal Press, 1999. DOI
  3. Subiza, J., Subiza, J. L., Escribano, P. M., Hinojosa, M., Garcia, R., Jerez, M., and Subiza, E. Occupational asthma caused by Brazil ginseng dust. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1991;88(5):731-736. 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 Suma and Ferric Citrate Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Suma with Ferric Citrate?
We do not list a known interaction between Suma and Ferric Citrate. 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.
Should I take Suma and Ferric Citrate at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Ferric Citrate says to take it with food. If you take Suma on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Ferric Citrate with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Ferric Citrate products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
Does Ferric Citrate interact with any supplements?
Yes. Ferric Citrate has documented interactions with 17 supplements in our database — Suma is not one of them. The Ferric Citrate interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Still Have a Question About Ferric Citrate and Suma?

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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.