Drug & supplement interaction

Yerba Mate + Progesterone

Progesterone brand name: Milprosa.

Minor Interaction
The bottom line Minor

Yerba Mate has a minor interaction with Progesterone. Theoretically, yerba mate might increase the levels and clinical effects of CYP3A4 substrates.

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

Yerba Mate and Progesterone

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

Minor

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Progesterone

Progesterone falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES — the group Yerba Mate interacts with.

Theoretically, yerba mate might increase the levels and clinical effects of CYP3A4 substrates.
In vitro research shows that yerba mate extract inhibits CYP3A4 enzymes. Theoretically, taking yerba mate may increase levels and adverse effects of CYP3A4 substrates.
Severity Minor Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction 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.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the short version: your body relies on an enzyme called CYP3A4 to break down progesterone. In a lab setting, yerba mate appears to slow that enzyme down a bit. If that happens in real life, progesterone could clear a little more slowly and build up slightly, which might mean more of its usual effects like drowsiness, dizziness, breast tenderness, bloating, or mood changes.

I want to be honest with you though: this is only a theoretical concern based on test-tube research, not real people, and it's rated as minor. A cup or two of mate is very unlikely to cause trouble. If you drink it heavily or use concentrated mate supplements, just mention it to your pharmacist or doctor so they can keep an eye on things.

References
  1. Feltrin C, Farias IV, Sandjo LP, Reginatto FH, Simões CMO. Effects of Standardized Medicinal Plant Extracts on Drug Metabolism Mediated by CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 Enzymes. Chem Res Toxicol 2020;33(9):2408-2419. 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, 505 moderate, 572 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Progesterone one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

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.

From our Q&A

Questions About Yerba Mate or Progesterone

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 Progesterone, 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 Progesterone

This page covers Yerba Mate only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Progesterone page lists 126 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Grapefruit (major), St. John's Wort (major), Acacia Rigidula (moderate), Adrafinil (moderate) and African Wild Potato (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 91 moderate · 33 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Progesterone page

“Many people take progesterone (Milprosa) to support a pregnancy during fertility treatment or as part of hormone therapy, which is exactly when St. John's wort for mood or a morning glass of grapefruit juice can feel harmless.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Progesterone 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 Progesterone 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 Progesterone 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

#1,068 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Progesterone
Top half

#939 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
Medication

About Progesterone

What Is Progesterone Used For?

Brand name: Milprosa

Progesterone capsules (including Prometrium) are used to prevent endometrial hyperplasia (abnormal thickening of the uterine lining) in postmenopausal women with a uterus who are taking estrogen, and to treat secondary amenorrhea (missed periods not caused by pregnancy).

Progesterone injection is indicated for amenorrhea and abnormal uterine bleeding caused by a hormonal imbalance. Crinone vaginal gel is used as part of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) for progesterone supplementation or replacement, and Crinone 4% is also indicated for secondary amenorrhea. Vaginal inserts — including Endometrin and other progesterone vaginal insert products — are used to support embryo implantation and early pregnancy as part of an ART treatment program for infertile women.

See full Progesterone 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
572Minor
1,744No known interaction
Major

8 interactions

Moderate

505 interactions

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

Minor

572 interactions

Showing 60 of 572 minor interactions — see all 572 on the Yerba Mate page.

No interaction 1,744 drugs checked — show the list
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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Yerba Mate and Progesterone Together: Common Questions

Can you take Yerba Mate with Progesterone?
There is only a minor interaction, which is usually not serious. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Yerba Mate and Progesterone interaction?
We rate it Minor. This interaction is generally not clinically significant, but it remains worth noting and discussing with your pharmacist.

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

Still Have a Question About Progesterone 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.