Drug & supplement interaction

Yerba Mate + Azithromycin

Azithromycin brand names: Zithromax, Zmax, Azasite.

No Known Interaction

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026

The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Yerba Mate and Azithromycin 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 two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Yerba Mate and Azithromycin

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 Azithromycin and Yerba Mate 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.

Yerba Mate safety at a glance

Yerba Mate overall Use caution Generally fine in moderate amounts, but it contains caffeine and very hot or heavy long-term use has health concerns.

Pregnancy Possibly Unsafe When used orally. Yerba mate is associated with an increased risk of cancer, including esophageal, kidney, bladder, cervical, prostate, lung, renal cell, and po... Read the full pregnancy detail

Breastfeeding Possibly Unsafe When used orally. Yerba mate is associated with an increased risk of cancer, including esophageal, kidney, bladder, cervical, prostate, lung, renal cell, and po... Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Azithromycin and Yerba Mate? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›

How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Azithromycin

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Azithromycin is filed under 7 classifications — including macrolide antibiotics, qt interval-prolonging drugs, antibiotic drugs. Yerba Mate has documented interactions with 43 drug classes — the most serious being ephedrine (major), adenosine (adenocard) (moderate) and anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs (moderate) — and none of Azithromycin’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

Yerba Mate Does Interact With Other Medications

Yerba Mate has 8 major, 505 moderate, 573 minor known drug interactions in our database — Azithromycin isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 8 Moderate 505 Minor 573 No known interaction 1,744 (incl. Azithromycin)

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Yerba Mate

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Yerba Mate and Azithromycin May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. 4 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

An irregular heartbeat / Chest pain Worth acting on Additional detail
Yerba Mate
“Orally, yerba mate may cause cardiovascular-related adverse effects due to its caffeine content. High doses of mate providing 250 mg of caffeine can increase blood pressure. However, this doesn't seem to occur in people who habitually consume caffeine products.”

Yerba Mate · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in arrhythmia.
6 sources cited

2722. Nurminen ML, Niittynen L, Korpela R, Vapaatalo H. Coffee, caffeine and blood pressure: a critical review. Eur J Clin Nutr 1999;53:831-9. PubMed

13739. Winkelmayer WC, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC, Curhan GC. Habitual caffeine intake and the risk of hypertension in women. JAMA 2005;294:2330-5. PubMed

11832. Institute of Medicine. Caffeine for the Sustainment of Mental Task Performance: Formulations for Military Operations. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2001. Available at: http://books.nap.edu/books/0309082587/html/index.html. DOI

11838. Holmgren P, Norden-Pettersson L, Ahlner J. Caffeine fatalities--four case reports. Forensic Sci Int 2004;139:71-3. PubMed

13735. Leson CL, McGuigan MA, Bryson SM. Caffeine overdose in an adolescent male. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 1988;26:407-15. PubMed

13734. Benowitz NL, Osterloh J, Goldschlager N, et al. Massive catecholamine release from caffeine poisoning. JAMA 1982;248:1097-8. DOI
Azithromycin

Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Azithromycin. Read the label on DailyMed ›
Seizures Worth acting on Additional detail
Yerba Mate
“Orally, drinking yerba mate infusions has been associated with insomnia in a small number of patients in one clinical study. Yerba mate contains caffeine. Orally, caffeine can cause insomnia, nervousness, headache, anxiety, agitation, jitteriness, restlessness, ringing in the ears, tremors, delirium, and convulsions.”

Yerba Mate · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in anxiety.
6 sources cited

86657. de Morais, E. C., Stefanuto, A., Klein, G. A., Boaventura, B. C., de, Andrade F., Wazlawik, E., Di Pietro, P. F., Maraschin, M., and da Silva, E. L. Consumption of yerba mate ( Ilex paraguariensis ) improves serum lipid parameters in healthy dyslipidemic

11832. Institute of Medicine. Caffeine for the Sustainment of Mental Task Performance: Formulations for Military Operations. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2001. Available at: http://books.nap.edu/books/0309082587/html/index.html. DOI

11838. Holmgren P, Norden-Pettersson L, Ahlner J. Caffeine fatalities--four case reports. Forensic Sci Int 2004;139:71-3. PubMed

13735. Leson CL, McGuigan MA, Bryson SM. Caffeine overdose in an adolescent male. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 1988;26:407-15. PubMed

10204. Dreher HM. The effect of caffeine reduction on sleep quality and well-being in persons with HIV. J Psychosom Res 2003;54:191-8.. PubMed

13738. Juliano LM, Griffiths RR. A critical review of caffeine withdrawal: empirical validation of symptoms and signs, incidence, severity, and associated features. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2004;176:1-29. PubMed
Azithromycin

Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Azithromycin. Read the label on DailyMed ›
A severe allergic reaction Worth acting on Additional detail
Yerba Mate
“Yerba mate contains caffeine. Orally, caffeine can cause anaphylaxis in sensitive individuals, although true IgE-mediated caffeine allergy seems to be relatively rare.”

Yerba Mate · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in allergic rhinitis (hay fever).
1 source cited

11315. Infante S, Baeza ML, Calvo M, et al. Anaphylaxis due to caffeine. Allergy 2003;58:681-2. PubMed
Azithromycin

Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Azithromycin. Read the label on DailyMed ›
Ringing in the ears / Drowsiness Additional detail

Yerba Mate

Recorded for Yerba Mate in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Seizures above.

Azithromycin

Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Azithromycin. Read the label on DailyMed ›
A fast or pounding heartbeat Additional detail

Yerba Mate

“When used orally in high doses or long-term, yerba mate may be unsafe.

Most Common Adverse Effects:

Orally: Many of the adverse effects of yerba mate can be attributed to its caffeine content, such as diuresis, gastric irritation, insomnia, nausea, nervousness, restlessness, tachycardia, tachypnea, and tremors.

Serious Adverse Effects (Rare):

Orally: Cancer, hyperglycemia, ketosis, metabolic acidosis, sinus tachycard…”

Yerba Mate · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cancer.

Azithromycin

Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Azithromycin. Read the label on DailyMed ›
Anxiety or restlessness / Trouble sleeping Additional detail

Yerba Mate

Recorded for Yerba Mate in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under A fast or pounding heartbeat above.

Azithromycin

Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Azithromycin. Read the label on DailyMed ›
Stomach upset Additional detail
Yerba Mate
“Orally, drinking yerba mate infusions has been associated with nausea and irritation of the stomach or oral mucosa in a small number of patients in one clinical study. Yerba mate contains caffeine. Orally, caffeine can cause gastric irritation, nausea, and vomiting. Caffeine-containing beverages can stimulate gastric secretion in humans, which may potentiate ulcer symptoms.”

Yerba Mate · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in nausea and vomiting.
6 sources cited

86657. de Morais, E. C., Stefanuto, A., Klein, G. A., Boaventura, B. C., de, Andrade F., Wazlawik, E., Di Pietro, P. F., Maraschin, M., and da Silva, E. L. Consumption of yerba mate ( Ilex paraguariensis ) improves serum lipid parameters in healthy dyslipidemic

11832. Institute of Medicine. Caffeine for the Sustainment of Mental Task Performance: Formulations for Military Operations. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2001. Available at: http://books.nap.edu/books/0309082587/html/index.html. DOI

11838. Holmgren P, Norden-Pettersson L, Ahlner J. Caffeine fatalities--four case reports. Forensic Sci Int 2004;139:71-3. PubMed

13735. Leson CL, McGuigan MA, Bryson SM. Caffeine overdose in an adolescent male. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 1988;26:407-15. PubMed

36404. ROTH, J. L. Clinical evaluation of the caffeine gastric analysis in duodenal ulcer patients. Gastroenterology 1951;19(2):199-215. DOI

2723. Dews PB, Curtis GL, Hanford KJ, O'Brien CP. The frequency of caffeine withdrawal in a population-based survey and in a controlled, blinded pilot experiment. J Clin Pharmacol 1999;39:1221-32. PubMed
Azithromycin

Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Azithromycin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Showing the 10 most notable of 15 shared effects — ranked by how unusual each one is, not just whether both lists mention it.

Reported for Yerba Mate but not commonly for Azithromycin: trouble concentrating, dependence or withdrawal symptoms, a stroke or mini-stroke and low mood.

Effects for Azithromycin come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Yerba Mate come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 59,712 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Azithromycin that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Yerba Mate in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Possibly Unsafe

When used orally. Yerba mate is associated with an increased risk of cancer, including esophageal, kidney, bladder, cervical, prostate, lung, renal cell, and possibly mouth and laryngeal cancer. However, teratogenic studies have not been performed. Yerba mate also contains caffeine. Caffeine crosses the placenta, producing fetal blood concentrations similar to parental levels. According to a review by Health Canada, and a subsequent large meta-analysis conducted in the US, most healthy pregnant patients can safely consume caffeine in doses up to 300 mg daily without an increased risk of spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, preterm birth, fetal growth retardation, or congenital malformations. It is generally recommended to avoid consuming more than 300 mg of caffeine daily, or around 6-7 cups of yerba mate daily, when pregnant. High doses of caffeine throughout pregnancy have resulted in symptoms of caffeine withdrawal in newborn infants. Caffeine in doses of greater than 300 mg daily has also been associated with spontaneous abortion, premature delivery, and low birth weight, although one retrospective study found that consuming yerba mate tea during pregnancy was not associated with preterm or small for gestational age births. However, this study did not consider the amount of yerba mate or caffeine consumed, only the frequency of consumption. Some research has found that intrauterine exposure to even modest amounts of caffeine, based on maternal blood levels during the first trimester, is associated with a shorter stature in children ages 4-8 years.

Lactation Possibly Unsafe

When used orally. Yerba mate is associated with an increased risk of cancer, including esophageal, kidney, bladder, cervical, prostate, lung, renal cell, and possibly mouth and laryngeal cancer. Whether carcinogenic constituents of yerba mate are transferred via breast milk is unknown. Yerba mate contains caffeine. Consumption of yerba mate might cause irritability and increased bowel activity in nursing infants.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

From our Q&A

Questions About Yerba Mate or Azithromycin

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

This page covers Yerba Mate only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Azithromycin page lists 92 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major), Cesium (major) and Ephedra (major).

By severity: 8 major · 71 moderate · 13 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Azithromycin page

“A five-day Z-Pak for a sinus or chest infection seems too brief to fuss over, but azithromycin (Zithromax, Zmax) deserves genuine caution around supplements, and the eight major-rated entries on this list are the ones to understand first. Most of those involve the heart.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Azithromycin interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 68 real supplement products containing Yerba Mate, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Yerba Mate. Even though Yerba Mate itself has no known interaction with Azithromycin, 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 Yerba Mate and Azithromycin 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 Yerba Mate

Steady interest

#1,100 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Medication Azithromycin

Top 5%

#60 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 Yerba Mate reference on this page ↓
Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Yerba Mate and Azithromycin records this page draws on were last updated July 11, 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 Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS.

Supplement

About Yerba Mate

What is Yerba Mate?

Energy and alertness
Weight loss
Mental focus
Digestive support
Antioxidant support

Yerba mate is a caffeine-containing herbal beverage from South America that is widely enjoyed for its stimulating, coffee-like effects. While it is rich in antioxidants and is being studied for weight, blood sugar, and cholesterol, strong human evidence for most health claims is limited. Drinking very hot mate over many years has been linked to higher risk of certain cancers, so enjoy it warm and in moderation.

Ilex paraguariensis · Aquifoliaceae · Leaves and twigs · Tea (loose leaf or bagged), capsules, tablets, liquid extracts, energy drinks

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

Yerba Mate: dosing

There is no official or standardized medicinal dose for yerba mate. Most people simply drink it as a tea, and the caffeine content varies depending on how it is prepared and how strong it is brewed.If you use a capsule or extract product, follow the directions on the label and do not exceed the recommended amount. Keep your total daily caffeine from all sources in mind.

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

Read the full Yerba Mate monograph & all interactions

Medication

About Azithromycin

What Is Azithromycin Used For?

Brand names: Zithromax, Zmax, Azasite

Azithromycin is used to treat certain bacterial infections, such as bronchitis; pneumonia; sexually transmitted diseases (STD); and infections of the ears, lungs, sinuses, skin, throat, and reproductive organs. Azithromycin also is used to treat or prevent disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection [a type of lung infection that often affects people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)]. Azithromycin is in a class of medications called macrolide antibiotics. It works by stopping the growth of bacteria.
Antibiotics such as azithromycin will not work for colds, flu, or other viral infections. Using antibiotics when they are not needed increases your risk of getting an infection later that resists antibiotic treatment.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Azithromycin

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (59,712 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Dyspnea 4,651 reports

Nausea 3,461 reports

Pneumonia 3,225 reports

Cough 3,120 reports

Drug hypersensitivity 2,991 reports

See full Azithromycin drug information

Keep checking

Other Drugs & Yerba Mate

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

8Major

505Moderate

573Minor

1,743No known interaction

8 Major 505 Moderate 573 Minor 1,743 No interaction

Major

8 interactions

Moderate

505 interactions

Showing 60 of 505 moderate interactions — see all 505 on the Yerba Mate page.

Minor

573 interactions

Showing 60 of 573 minor interactions — see all 573 on the Yerba Mate page.

No interaction 1,743 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,743 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Yerba Mate list.

See the full Yerba Mate interactions page

See every supplement checked against Azithromycin, ranked by severity

Evidence & sources

Yerba Mate References

The 123 references that drive our Yerba Mate 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.

McEvoy GK, ed. AHFS Drug Information. Bethesda, MD: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 1998.
Harder S, Fuhr U, Staib AH, Wolff T. Ciprofloxacin-caffeine: a drug interaction established using in vivo and in vitro investigations. Am J Med 1989;87:89S-91S. PubMed
Carbo M, Segura J, De la Torre R, et al. Effect of quinolones on caffeine disposition. Clin Pharmacol Ther 1989;45:234-40. PubMed
Healy DP, Polk RE, Kanawati L, et al. Interaction between oral ciprofloxacin and caffeine in normal volunteers. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1989;33:474-8. PubMed
Mester R, Toren P, Mizrachi I, et al. Caffeine withdrawal increases lithium blood levels. Biol Psychiatry 1995;37:348-50. PubMed
Jefferson JW. Lithium tremor and caffeine intake: two cases of drinking less and shaking more. J Clin Psychiatry 1988;49:72-3.
Joeres R, Klinker H, Heusler H, et al. Influence of mexiletine on caffeine elimination. Pharmacol Ther 1987;33:163-9. PubMed
Vahedi K, Domingo V, Amarenco P, Bousser MG. Ischemic stroke in a sportsman who consumed MaHuang extract and creatine monohydrate for bodybuilding. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatr 2000;68:112-3.
Pintos J, Franco EL, Oliveira BV, et al. Mate, coffee, and tea consumption and risk of cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract in southern Brazil. Epidemiology 1994;5:583-90.
De Stefani E, Fierro L, Mendilaharsu M, et al. Meat intake, 'mate' drinking and renal cell cancer in Uruguay: a case-control study. Br J Cancer 1998;78:1239-43. PubMed
De Stefani E, Correa P, Fierro L, et al. Black tobacco, mate, and bladder cancer. A case-control study from Uruguay. Cancer 1991;67:536-40.
De Stefani E, Fierro L, Correa P, et al. Mate drinking and risk of lung cancer in males: a case-control study from Uruguay. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 1996;5:515-9.
Rapuri PB, Gallagher JC, Kinyamu HK, Ryschon KL. Caffeine intake increases the rate of bone loss in elderly women and interacts with vitamin D receptor genotypes. Am J Clin Nutr 2001;74:694-700. PubMed
The National Toxicology Program (NTP). Caffeine. Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction (CERHR). Available at: http://cerhr.niehs.nih.gov/common/caffeine.html.
Klebanoff MA, Levine RJ, DerSimonian R, et al. Maternal serum paraxanthine, a caffeine metabolite, and the risk of spontaneous abortion. N Engl J Med 1999;341:1639-44. PubMed
Fernandes O, Sabharwal M, Smiley T, et al. Moderate to heavy caffeine consumption during pregnancy and relationship to spontaneous abortion and abnormal fetal growth: a meta-analysis. Reprod Toxicol 1998;12:435-44. PubMed
Pollock BG, Wylie M, Stack JA, et al. Inhibition of caffeine metabolism by estrogen replacement therapy in postmenopausal women. J Clin Pharmacol 1999;39:936-40. PubMed
DiPiro JT, Talbert RL, Yee GC, et al; eds. Pharmacotherapy: A pathophysiologic approach. 4th ed. Stamford, CT: Appleton & Lange, 1999.
Nurminen ML, Niittynen L, Korpela R, Vapaatalo H. Coffee, caffeine and blood pressure: a critical review. Eur J Clin Nutr 1999;53:831-9. PubMed
Dews PB, Curtis GL, Hanford KJ, O'Brien CP. The frequency of caffeine withdrawal in a population-based survey and in a controlled, blinded pilot experiment. J Clin Pharmacol 1999;39:1221-32. PubMed
Hagg S, Spigset O, Mjorndal T, Dahlqvist R. Effect of caffeine on clozapine pharmacokinetics in healthy volunteers. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2000;49:59-63. PubMed
McGee J, Patrick RS, Wood CB, Blumgart LH. A case of veno-occlusive disease of the liver in Britain associated with herbal tea consumption. J Clin Pathol 1976;29:788-94. PubMed
Watson JM, Jenkins EJ, Hamilton P, et al. Influence of caffeine on the frequency and perception of hypoglycemia in free-living patients with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Care 2000;23:455-9. PubMed
Lloyd T, Johnson-Rollings N, Eggli DF, et al. Bone status among postmenopausal women with different habitual caffeine intakes: a longitudinal investigation. J Am Coll Nutr 2000;19:256-61. PubMed
American Academy of Pediatrics. The transfer of drugs and other chemicals into human milk. Pediatrics 2001;108:776-89. PubMed
Sinclair CJ, Geiger JD. Caffeine use in sports. A pharmacological review. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2000;40:71-9.
Haller CA, Benowitz NL. Adverse cardiovascular and central nervous system events associated with dietary supplements containing ephedra alkaloids. N Engl J Med 2000;343:1833-8. PubMed
Ali M, Afzal M. A potent inhibitor of thrombin stimulated platelet thromboxane formation from unprocessed tea. Prostaglandins Leukot Med 1987;27:9-13. PubMed
Ardlie NG, Glew G, Schultz BG, Schwartz CJ. Inhibition and reversal of platelet aggregation by methyl xanthines. Thromb Diath Haemorrh 1967;18:670-3. DOI
Ferrini RL, Barrett-Connor E. Caffeine intake and endogenous sex steroid levels in postmenopausal women. The Rancho Bernardo Study. Am J Epidemiol 1996:144:642-4. PubMed
Bell DG, Jacobs I, Ellerington K. Effect of caffeine and ephedrine ingestion on anaerobic exercise performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2001;33:1399-403. PubMed
Horner NK, Lampe JW. Potential mechanisms of diet therapy for fibrocystic breast conditions show inadequate evidence of effectiveness. J Am Diet Assoc 2000;100:1368-80. PubMed
McGowan JD, Altman RE, Kanto WP Jr. Neonatal withdrawal symptoms after chronic maternal ingestion of caffeine. South Med J 1988;81:1092-4.. PubMed
Massey LK. Is caffeine a risk factor for bone loss in the elderly? Am J Clin Nutr 2001;74:569-70. PubMed
Dreher HM. The effect of caffeine reduction on sleep quality and well-being in persons with HIV. J Psychosom Res 2003;54:191-8.. PubMed
Kockler DR, McCarthy MW, Lawson CL. Seizure activity and unresponsiveness after hydroxycut ingestion. Pharmacotherapy 2001;21:647-51.. PubMed
Nix D, Zelenitsky S, Symonds W, et al. The effect of fluconazole on the pharmacokinetics of caffeine in young and elderly subjects. Clin Pharmacol Ther 1992;51:183. DOI
Infante S, Baeza ML, Calvo M, et al. Anaphylaxis due to caffeine. Allergy 2003;58:681-2. PubMed
Massey LK, Whiting SJ. Caffeine, urinary calcium, calcium metabolism and bone. J Nutr 1993;123:1611-4. PubMed
Nawrot P, Jordan S, Eastwood J, et al. Effects of caffeine on human health. Food Addit Contam 2003;20:1-30. PubMed
May DC, Jarboe CH, VanBakel AB, Williams WM. Effects of cimetidine on caffeine disposition in smokers and nonsmokers. Clin Pharmacol Ther 1982;31:656-61. PubMed
Abernethy DR, Todd EL. Impairment of caffeine clearance by chronic use of low-dose oestrogen-containing oral contraceptives. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 1985;28:425-8. PubMed
Brown NJ, Ryder D, Branch RA. A pharmacodynamic interaction between caffeine and phenylpropanolamine. Clin Pharmacol Ther 1991;50:363-71. PubMed
Sanderink GJ, Bournique B, Stevens J, et al. Involvement of human CYP1A isoenzymes in the metabolism and drug interactions of riluzole in vitro. Pharmacol Exp Ther 1997;282:1465-72. DOI
Wahllander A, Paumgartner G. Effect of ketoconazole and terbinafine on the pharmacokinetics of caffeine in healthy volunteers. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 1989;37:279-83. PubMed
Carrillo JA, Benitez J. Clinically significant pharmacokinetic interactions between dietary caffeine and medications. Clin Pharmacokinet 2000;39:127-53. PubMed
Underwood DA. Which medications should be held before a pharmacologic or exercise stress test? Cleve Clin J Med 2002;69:449-50. PubMed
Aqel RA, Zoghbi GJ, Trimm JR, et al. Effect of caffeine administered intravenously on intracoronary-administered adenosine-induced coronary hemodynamics in patients with coronary artery disease. Am J Cardiol 2004;93:343-6. PubMed
Zheng XM, Williams RC. Serum caffeine levels after 24-hour abstention: clinical implications on dipyridamole (201)Tl myocardial perfusion imaging. J Nucl Med Technol 2002;30:123-7.
Institute of Medicine. Caffeine for the Sustainment of Mental Task Performance: Formulations for Military Operations. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2001. Available at: http://books.nap.edu/books/0309082587/html/index.html. DOI
Holmgren P, Norden-Pettersson L, Ahlner J. Caffeine fatalities--four case reports. Forensic Sci Int 2004;139:71-3. PubMed
Dews PB, O'Brien CP, Bergman J. Caffeine: behavioral effects of withdrawal and related issues. Food Chem Toxicol 2002;40:1257-61. PubMed
Beach CA, Mays DC, Guiler RC, et al. Inhibition of elimination of caffeine by disulfiram in normal subjects and recovering alcoholics. Clin Pharmacol Ther 1986;39:265-70. PubMed
Goldenberg D, Golz A, Joachims HZ. The beverage mate: a risk factor for cancer of the head and neck. Head Neck 2003;25:595-601.
Sewram V, De Stefani E, Brennan P, Boffetta P. Mate consumption and the risk of squamous cell esophageal cancer in uruguay. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2003;12:508-13.
Santos IS, Matijasevich A, Valle NC. Mate drinking during pregnancy and risk of preterm and small for gestational age birth. J Nutr 2005;135:1120-3.
Benowitz NL, Osterloh J, Goldschlager N, et al. Massive catecholamine release from caffeine poisoning. JAMA 1982;248:1097-8. DOI
Leson CL, McGuigan MA, Bryson SM. Caffeine overdose in an adolescent male. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 1988;26:407-15. PubMed
Juliano LM, Griffiths RR. A critical review of caffeine withdrawal: empirical validation of symptoms and signs, incidence, severity, and associated features. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2004;176:1-29. PubMed
Winkelmayer WC, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC, Curhan GC. Habitual caffeine intake and the risk of hypertension in women. JAMA 2005;294:2330-5. PubMed
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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.

Related: nutrient depletion

Azithromycin Is Linked to Lower Levels of 7 Nutrients

Natural Medicines records Azithromycin as a medicine that can lower these. This is not an interaction with Yerba Mate — it is a separate effect of the medicine, and it is a reason some people are advised to supplement rather than to avoid one:

Read the full Azithromycin nutrient depletion report ›

Depletion records come from the licensed Natural Medicines database. Do not start a supplement on the strength of this page — ask your pharmacist or doctor whether it applies to you.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Yerba Mate and Azithromycin Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Yerba Mate with Azithromycin?

We do not list a known interaction between Yerba Mate and Azithromycin. 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.

Do Yerba Mate and Azithromycin have any of the same side effects?

Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 10 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.

How was the Yerba Mate and Azithromycin combination checked?

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Azithromycin is filed under 7 classifications, and Yerba Mate has documented interactions with 43 drug classes — none of Azithromycin'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 Yerba Mate interact with any other medications?

Yes. Yerba Mate has 1,086 documented drug interactions in our database — Azithromycin 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 Azithromycin interact with any supplements?

Yes. Azithromycin has documented interactions with 92 supplements in our database — Yerba Mate is not one of them. The Azithromycin interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

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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.