Drug & supplement interaction

Yerba Mate + Ephedrine Sulfate, Hydroxyzine, Theophylline

Ephedrine Sulfate, Hydroxyzine, Theophylline brand name: Hydroxy Compound.

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

Ephedrine Sulfate, Hydroxyzine, Theophylline falls into 2 drug categories that Yerba Mate can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, concomitant use of stimulant drugs and yerba mate might increase stimulant adverse effects.

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

Yerba Mate and Ephedrine Sulfate, Hydroxyzine, Theophylline

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

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

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

Moderate

STIMULANT DRUGS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Ephedrine Sulfate, Hydroxyzine, Theophylline

Ephedrine Sulfate, Hydroxyzine, Theophylline falls under STIMULANT DRUGS — the group Yerba Mate interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use of stimulant drugs and yerba mate might increase stimulant adverse effects.
Yerba mate contains caffeine. Due to the CNS stimulant effects of the caffeine, concomitant use can increase the risk of adverse effects.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence C

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 simple version: yerba mate has caffeine in it, and caffeine is a stimulant. This combo product already leans stimulating, especially the ephedrine and the theophylline. When you stack mate on top, you're basically adding fuel to a fire that's already lit. None of these are prodrugs that need activating, so the concern is just additive overstimulation.

What that can feel like is a racing or pounding heart, jitteriness, trouble sleeping, anxiety, shakiness, headache, or a bump in blood pressure. Theophylline matters most here because it has a narrow safety window, so even modest extra stimulation can tip you toward side effects. This is expert-opinion level, not hard proof, but it's a sensible caution. Please run your mate habit by your pharmacist or doctor first.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. 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
Moderate

THEOPHYLLINE

2 of 2

Ephedrine Sulfate, Hydroxyzine, Theophylline also falls under THEOPHYLLINE.

Theoretically, the caffeine in yerba mate might increase the levels and adverse effects of theophylline.
Yerba mate contains caffeine. Caffeine decreases theophylline clearance by 23% to 29%.
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 the thing to watch with this combo. Your medication contains theophylline, and theophylline is famously sensitive to caffeine. Yerba mate is loaded with caffeine, and caffeine can slow how quickly your body clears theophylline (studies suggest about a 23 to 29 percent drop in clearance). That means theophylline levels can drift upward, which matters because theophylline already has a narrow safety window.

When theophylline builds up, you may notice a racing or pounding heart, jitteriness, trouble sleeping, nausea, or feeling shaky. The added caffeine, plus the ephedrine in your product, can stack onto those same jittery, heart-pounding effects. This concern is mostly theoretical, based on how the drugs work, but I'd still mention your yerba mate habit to your pharmacist or doctor before mixing the two regularly.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Carrillo JA, Benitez J. Clinically significant pharmacokinetic interactions between dietary caffeine and medications. Clin Pharmacokinet 2000;39:127-53. PubMed

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

Yerba Mate Also Interacts With Other Medications

Yerba Mate has 8 major, 504 moderate, 574 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Ephedrine Sulfate, Hydroxyzine, Theophylline one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 8 Moderate 504 Minor 574 No known interaction 1,744 (incl. Ephedrine Sulfate, Hydroxyzine, Theophylline)
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.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Ephedrine Sulfate, Hydroxyzine, Theophylline

This page covers Yerba Mate only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Ephedrine Sulfate, Hydroxyzine, Theophylline page lists 199 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Ephedra (major), Henbane (major), Peyote (major) and Rauvolfia Vomitoria (major).

By severity: 7 major · 153 moderate · 39 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Ephedrine Sulfate, Hydroxyzine, Theophylline page

“Someone taking Hydroxy Compound (ephedrine sulfate, hydroxyzine, and theophylline) for breathing problems is juggling three drugs at once, and the supplement list shows it: 199 interacting ingredients, seven of them rated major, and this page deserves genuine seriousness. The sharpest risks come from stimulant botanicals, ephedra above…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Ephedrine Sulfate, Hydroxyzine, Theophylline 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. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Ephedrine Sulfate, Hydroxyzine, Theophylline too, on top of Yerba Mate — 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 Yerba Mate and Ephedrine Sulfate, Hydroxyzine, Theophylline 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
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Ephedrine Sulfate, Hydroxyzine, Theophylline
Top 5%

#86 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 Yerba Mate

What is Yerba Mate?

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.

Read the full Yerba Mate monograph & all interactions
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
504Moderate
574Minor
1,743No known interaction
8 Major 504 Moderate 574 Minor 1,743 No interaction
Major

8 interactions

Moderate

504 interactions

Showing 60 of 504 moderate interactions — see all 504 on the Yerba Mate page.

Minor

574 interactions

Showing 60 of 574 minor interactions — see all 574 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 Ephedrine Sulfate, Hydroxyzine, Theophylline, 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
Yerba Mate monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Ephedrine Sulfate, Hydroxyzine, Theophylline supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Ephedrine Sulfate, Hydroxyzine, Theophylline, 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 Yerba Mate and Ephedrine Sulfate, Hydroxyzine, Theophylline Together: Common Questions

Can you take Yerba Mate with Ephedrine Sulfate, Hydroxyzine, Theophylline?
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 Yerba Mate and Ephedrine Sulfate, Hydroxyzine, Theophylline?
Ephedrine Sulfate, Hydroxyzine, Theophylline belongs to more than one drug category, and Yerba Mate 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 Yerba Mate and Ephedrine Sulfate, Hydroxyzine, Theophylline 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 Ephedrine Sulfate, Hydroxyzine, Theophylline and Yerba Mate?

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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.