Drug & supplement interaction

Theaflavin + Sodium Oxybate

Sodium Oxybate brand name: Xyrem.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated June 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Theaflavin and Sodium Oxybate 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 Sodium Oxybate states a food rule worth keeping to.

Know someone taking this? Share
Facebook Post Reddit Email
On this page
Interaction report

Theaflavin and Sodium Oxybate

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 Sodium Oxybate and Theaflavin 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.

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.

Theaflavin safety at a glance

Theaflavin overall Use caution Black tea is generally safe in normal amounts, but concentrated extracts are less studied.
Pregnancy Use caution Limit caffeine-containing tea and avoid high-dose extracts unless your doctor approves.
Breastfeeding Use caution Caffeine passes into breast milk, so limit intake and avoid concentrated extracts.

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

Still wondering about combining Sodium Oxybate and Theaflavin? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Sodium Oxybate

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Sodium Oxybate is filed under 3 classifications — sodium-containing drugs, seizure threshold lowering drugs, oral drugs. Theaflavin has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — the most serious being antidiabetes drugs (moderate) and organic anion-transporting polypeptide substrates (oatp) (moderate) — and none of Sodium Oxybate’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Theaflavin Does Interact With Other Medications

Theaflavin has 130 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Sodium Oxybate isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 130 No known interaction 2,700 (incl. Sodium Oxybate)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Theaflavin

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

What to actually watch for

What Sodium Oxybate’s Own FDA Label Lists

This is not an interaction — none of it involves Theaflavin. These are the most notable effects listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Sodium Oxybate’s own FDA label, for the medication by itself. Knowing the drug’s own list makes it easier to work out the likely cause if something new turns up while you take both. One of them is worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Low mood Worth acting on
  • Weight loss
  • Tremor or shakiness
  • Drowsiness mentioned in 6.0% of FDA reports for Sodium Oxybate
  • Dry mouth
  • Reduced appetite
  • Stomach pain
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea mentioned in 7.5% of FDA reports for Sodium Oxybate
  • Headache mentioned in 4.9% of FDA reports for Sodium Oxybate

Showing the 10 most notable of 12 label-listed effects — ranked by how unusual each one is across medicines generally, with serious effects weighted up.

From the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Sodium Oxybate. Read the label on DailyMed › Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 65,315 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Sodium Oxybate that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Theaflavin’s licensed record lists no adverse effects our clinical vocabulary could match, so there is no Theaflavin side to compare — that is a limit of the record, not a statement that Theaflavin has no side effects.

How to take them

Some Sodium Oxybate Products Have a Food Rule — Theaflavin Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Sodium Oxybate says to take it with food. If you take Theaflavin on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Sodium Oxybate 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 Sodium Oxybate 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.

• Allow 2 hours after eating before dosing ( 2.3 ).

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Sodium Oxybate — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

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.

From our Q&A

Questions About Theaflavin or Sodium Oxybate

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

This page covers Theaflavin only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Sodium Oxybate page lists 25 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Biofeedback (moderate), Coffee Charcoal (moderate), Dendrobium (moderate) and European Mandrake (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 15 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Sodium Oxybate page

“Activated charcoal is the single major-rated interaction with sodium oxybate (Xyrem), and it earns that rating because the drug only works if each dose is fully absorbed; charcoal can bind it in the gut and weaken the nighttime control it provides for narcolepsy. Treat this list with genuine care, since 17 of the 25 ingredients on file…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Sodium Oxybate interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 11 real supplement products containing Theaflavin, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Theaflavin. Even though Theaflavin itself has no known interaction with Sodium Oxybate, 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 Theaflavin and Sodium Oxybate 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 Theaflavin
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Sodium Oxybate
Top 25%

#287 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 Theaflavin reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Theaflavin and Sodium Oxybate records this page draws on were last updated June 22, 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 Theaflavin

What is Theaflavin?

  • Heart health and cholesterol support
  • Antioxidant support
  • Weight management
  • Blood sugar support
  • General wellness

Theaflavins are antioxidant compounds formed when tea leaves are oxidized to make black tea. Early research suggests they may help with cholesterol and provide antioxidant effects, but high-quality human evidence is limited and doses are not standardized. Drinking black tea is generally safe, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before taking concentrated extracts.

Camellia sinensis · Theaceae · Leaves (fermented/oxidized, as in black tea) · Black tea, standardized black tea extract capsules, tablets, powders

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

Theaflavin: dosing

There is no established standard dose of theaflavin. Supplements vary widely in how much theaflavin they contain and how the black tea extract is standardized.If you choose to take a product, follow the directions on the label and do not exceed the recommended amount. Drinking black tea is a simpler, well-tolerated way to get theaflavins for most people.

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

Read the full Theaflavin monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Sodium Oxybate

What Is Sodium Oxybate Used For?

Brand name: Xyrem

Sodium oxybate treats two major symptoms of narcolepsy: cataplexy (sudden muscle weakness triggered by emotion) and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). It is available in several products, each approved for these uses.

Xyrem (oral solution) and the generic sodium oxybate oral solution are approved for cataplexy or EDS in patients with narcolepsy. Lumryz (extended-release oral suspension) is specifically approved for cataplexy or EDS in patients 7 years of age and older with narcolepsy. The generic sodium oxybate oral solution label does not include the pediatric indication due to marketing exclusivity held by Xyrem.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Sodium Oxybate

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (65,536 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Nausea 4,928 reports
Anxiety 3,979 reports
Somnolence 3,965 reports
Insomnia 3,371 reports
Feeling abnormal 3,223 reports
See full Sodium Oxybate drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Theaflavin

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

0Major
130Moderate
0Minor
2,699No known interaction
130 Moderate 2,699 No interaction
Moderate

130 interactions

Showing 60 of 130 moderate interactions — see all 130 on the Theaflavin page.

No interaction 2,699 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,699 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Theaflavin list.

See the full Theaflavin interactions page
See every supplement checked against Sodium Oxybate, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Theaflavin References

The 4 references that drive our Theaflavin 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. Maron DJ, Lu GP, Cai NS, et al. Cholesterol-lowering effect of a theaflavin-enriched green tea extract: a randomized controlled trial. Arch Intern Med 2003;163:1448-53.. PubMed
  2. Takemoto M, Takemoto H, Kouno H, Soeda T, Moriya T. A simple, enzymatic biotransformation method using fresh green tea leaves efficiently generates theaflavin-containing fermentation water that has potent physiological functions in mice and humans. Biol P PubMed
  3. Kondo A, Narumi K, Okuhara K, et al. Black tea extract and theaflavin derivatives affect the pharmacokinetics of rosuvastatin by modulating organic anion transporting polypeptide (OATP) 2B1 activity. Biopharm Drug Dispos. 2019;40(8):302-306. PubMed
  4. Gothandam K, Ganesan VS, Ayyasamy T, Ramalingam S. Antioxidant potential of theaflavin ameliorates the activities of key enzymes of glucose metabolism in high fat diet and streptozotocin - induced diabetic rats. Redox Rep. 2019;24(1):41-50. 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 Theaflavin and Sodium Oxybate Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Theaflavin with Sodium Oxybate?
We do not list a known interaction between Theaflavin and Sodium Oxybate. 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 Theaflavin and Sodium Oxybate at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Sodium Oxybate says to take it with food. If you take Theaflavin on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Sodium Oxybate with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Sodium Oxybate products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
How was the Theaflavin and Sodium Oxybate combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Sodium Oxybate is filed under 3 classifications, and Theaflavin has documented interactions with 2 drug classes — none of Sodium Oxybate's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Theaflavin interact with any other medications?
Yes. Theaflavin has 130 documented drug interactions in our database — Sodium Oxybate is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Sodium Oxybate interact with any supplements?
Yes. Sodium Oxybate has documented interactions with 25 supplements in our database — Theaflavin is not one of them. The Sodium Oxybate 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

Theaflavin monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Sodium Oxybate drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Sodium Oxybate supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Sodium Oxybate, 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 4 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Sodium Oxybate and Theaflavin?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.