Drug & supplement interaction

Whey Protein + Benserazide, Levodopa

Benserazide, Levodopa brand names: Prolopa, Madopar.

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

Whey Protein has a major interaction with Benserazide, Levodopa. Theoretically, whey protein might decrease levodopa absorption.

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

Whey Protein and Benserazide, Levodopa

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

Major

LEVODOPA

Why this applies to Benserazide, Levodopa

Benserazide, Levodopa falls under LEVODOPA — the group Whey Protein interacts with.

Theoretically, whey protein might decrease levodopa absorption.
Small clinical studies show that concomitant ingestion of protein or high doses of leucine or isoleucine (100 mg/kg) and levodopa can exacerbate tremor, rigidity, and the "on-off" syndrome in patients with Parkinson disease.
Severity Major 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 the thing with Madopar or Prolopa (that's levodopa paired with benserazide): your levodopa has to compete with dietary protein to get absorbed from your gut and then to cross into your brain. Whey is packed with amino acids like leucine, so taking a big scoop right around your dose may mean less levodopa actually gets where it needs to go.

When that happens, some folks notice their Parkinson's symptoms creep back, more tremor, stiffness, or those frustrating "on-off" swings where the medicine seems to stop working. This is based on pharmacology and small studies, not a hard certainty, so don't panic. A simple fix many people use is spacing protein-heavy shakes away from their levodopa doses. Please run the timing by your pharmacist or neurologist before changing anything.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Nutt JG, Woodward WR, Hammerstad JP, et al. The "on-off" phenomenon in Parkinson's disease. Relation to levodopa absorption and transport. N Engl J Med 1984;310:483-8. PubMed
  2. Baruzzi A, Contin M, Riva R, et al. Influence of meal ingestion time on pharmacokinetics of orally administered levodopa in parkinsonian patients. Clin Neuropharmacol 1987;10:527-37. PubMed
  3. Juncos JL, Fabbrini G, Mouradian MM, et al. Dietary influences on the antiparkinsonian response to levodopa. Arch Neurol 1987;44:1003-5. PubMed
  4. Eriksson T, Granerus AK, Linde A, et al. "On-off" phenomenon in Parkinson's disease: relationship between dopa and other large neutral amino acids in plasma. Neurology 1988;38:1245-8. PubMed
  5. Semla TP, Beizer JL, Higbee MD. Geriatric Dosage Handbook. 4th ed. Hudson, OH: Lexicomp, 1998.

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

Whey Protein Also Interacts With Other Medications

Whey Protein has 4 major, 48 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Benserazide, Levodopa one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 4 Moderate 48 No known interaction 2,778 (incl. Benserazide, Levodopa)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Whey Protein

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Whey Protein or Benserazide, Levodopa

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

This page covers Whey Protein only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Benserazide, Levodopa page lists 41 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Branched-chain Amino Acids (bcaa) (major), Cowhage (major), Indian Snakeroot (major) and Magnesium (major).

By severity: 8 major · 22 moderate · 11 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Benserazide, Levodopa page

“Benserazide with levodopa (Prolopa, Madopar) treats Parkinson disease, and because keeping levodopa levels steady is what keeps symptoms controlled, the 41 supplements on this page warrant genuine care, starting with the eight rated major. Nearly all of the serious ones work against the drug itself.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Benserazide, Levodopa interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1,276 real supplement products containing Whey Protein, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Whey Protein. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Benserazide, Levodopa too, on top of Whey Protein — 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 Whey Protein and Benserazide, Levodopa 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 Whey Protein
Top 10%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Benserazide, Levodopa
Top half

#805 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 Whey Protein

What is Whey Protein?

Whey Protein
  • Muscle building and recovery
  • Increasing daily protein intake
  • Weight management
  • Sports nutrition
  • Meal replacement

Whey protein is a high-quality, complete protein made from cow's milk that can help people meet protein needs and support muscle growth when combined with exercise. It is generally safe for most healthy adults, but people with milk allergies should avoid it, and those with kidney disease or who are lactose intolerant should use caution.

Read the full Whey Protein monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Whey Protein

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

4Major
48Moderate
0Minor
2,777No known interaction
4 Major 48 Moderate 2,777 No interaction
Major

4 interactions

Moderate

48 interactions

No interaction 2,777 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,777 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Whey Protein list.

See the full Whey Protein interactions page
See every supplement checked against Benserazide, Levodopa, 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
Whey Protein monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Benserazide, Levodopa supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Benserazide, Levodopa, 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 Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Whey Protein and Benserazide, Levodopa Together: Common Questions

Can you take Whey Protein with Benserazide, Levodopa?
This is rated a major interaction, so the combination is best avoided unless your doctor or pharmacist has specifically told you otherwise. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Whey Protein and Benserazide, Levodopa interaction?
We rate it Major. This is a clinically significant combination that is generally best avoided, or used only under the direct supervision of your physician or pharmacist.

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

Still Have a Question About Benserazide, Levodopa and Whey Protein?

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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.