Medication interaction hub

What Supplements Interact with Clarithromycin?

Clarithromycin brand names: Biaxin, Biaxin XL. Every interaction below applies to the brands too.

196 Interactions 9 Major 146 Moderate 41 Minor
Curated & coded by · Clinical Pharmacist · Updated September 24, 2026

Drug–supplement interaction data sourced from Natural Medicines Pro, the licensed clinical database from TRC Healthcare / Therapeutic Research, with additional analysis by the HelloPharmacist Pharmacist Team. Our sources · Editorial policy

What is this page for?

One answer, for one medication: what supplements and herbal products interact with Clarithromycin? Every vitamin, herb, and supplement ingredient we’ve checked against it is on this page, ranked by severity, each linking to the full report for that exact pair.

This page covers supplement interactions only — to check Clarithromycin against your other medications, use the drug–drug interaction checker. Educational information from our licensed clinical databases, not medical advice. Our editorial policy

HelloPharmacist Bottom Line

196 supplements and herbal ingredients have interactions with Clarithromycin on file in the HelloPharmacist interaction database — 9 rated major, 146 moderate, and 41 minor. The most serious involve Grapefruit, Activated Charcoal, Arsenic, Cesium and Ephedra.

Our assessment: with 9 major-rated interactions on the list, this one deserves real attention — know the major entries before combining anything with Clarithromycin.

Major 9 Moderate 146 Minor 41 No known interaction 1,256

Ranked by severity below. Every entry links to the full pharmacist-reviewed report for that exact combination — what can happen, how likely it is, and what to do about it.

This box checks one ingredient at a time (like turmeric or magnesium). Taking a supplement product with a whole label of ingredients? Search the product instead — we check every ingredient on it ↓

Most Viewed Ingredient Interactions

Clarithromycin: Top Interactions at a Glance

The Clarithromycin supplement & herbal interactions people checked most in the last 24 hours, colored by severity. Tap any ingredient to open the full report for that pair.

Showing the 12 highest-ranked of 196 interacting ingredients — plus 1,256 more checked with no known interaction. See the complete ranked list.

Start here

The Most-Checked Clarithromycin Combinations Today

The Clarithromycin + supplement pages people viewed most in the last 24 hours (resets at midnight). Open any card for the full report.

Major Likelihood Likely Grapefruit + Clarithromycini

Grapefruit juice can increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.

Read the full interaction Minor Likelihood Possible Caffeine + Clarithromycini

Theoretically, concomitant use might increase the levels and adverse effects of caffeine.

Read the full interaction Minor Likelihood Possible Melatonin + Clarithromycini

Theoretically, melatonin might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.

Read the full interaction Minor Likelihood Possible Guarana + Clarithromycini

Theoretically, concomitant use might increase the levels and adverse effects of caffeine.

Read the full interaction Major Likelihood Probable Ephedra + Clarithromycini

Theoretically, ephedra might have an additive effect with drugs that prolong the QT interval.

Read the full interaction Major Likelihood Probable Sida Cordifolia + Clarithromycini

Theoretically, Sida cordifolia might increase the risk of additive QT interval prolongation when taken with QT interval-prolonging drugs.

Read the full interaction
The complete list

Every Supplement Checked Against Clarithromycin

All 1,452 ingredients in our database, ranked by severity — 196 with a Clarithromycin interaction on file and 1,256 with none found. Filter by severity or search any ingredient; hover the for what each ingredient is.

Looking for an interaction with a specific supplement product? Search products instead ↓

Straight answers

Can You Take It With Clarithromycin?

One-line answers, one card per combination — scroll through today’s 20 and tap any card for the full report. A different set rotates in daily until every combination has had its turn.

Can you take Grapefruit with Clarithromycin?

Major Use real caution — this is a major-rated interaction, generally best avoided or used only under close supervision. Grapefruit juice can increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.

Full Grapefruit + Clarithromycin answer

Can you take Caffeine with Clarithromycin?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. Theoretically, concomitant use might increase the levels and adverse effects of caffeine.

Full Caffeine + Clarithromycin answer

Can you take Melatonin with Clarithromycin?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. Theoretically, melatonin might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.

Full Melatonin + Clarithromycin answer

Can you take Guarana with Clarithromycin?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. Theoretically, concomitant use might increase the levels and adverse effects of caffeine.

Full Guarana + Clarithromycin answer

Can you take Ephedra with Clarithromycin?

Major Use real caution — this is a major-rated interaction, generally best avoided or used only under close supervision. Theoretically, ephedra might have an additive effect with drugs that prolong the QT interval.

Full Ephedra + Clarithromycin answer

Can you take Karaya Gum with Clarithromycin?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. Co-administration of oral drugs with bulk forming laxatives such as karaya gum may decrease, increase, or have no effect on the absorption o...

Full Karaya Gum + Clarithromycin answer

Can you take Marshmallow with Clarithromycin?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. Theoretically, mucilage in marshmallow might impair absorption of oral drugs.

Full Marshmallow + Clarithromycin answer

Can you take Passion Flower with Clarithromycin?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. Theoretically, passion flower might decrease the effects of CYP3A4 substrates.

Full Passion Flower + Clarithromycin answer

Can you take Rhodiola with Clarithromycin?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. Theoretically, rhodiola might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.

Full Rhodiola + Clarithromycin answer

Can you take Soy with Clarithromycin?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. Theoretically, antibiotics may decrease the activity of soy isoflavones.

Full Soy + Clarithromycin answer

Can you take Valerian with Clarithromycin?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. Valerian does not seem to have a clinically relevant effect on levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.

Full Valerian + Clarithromycin answer

Can you take Vitamin D with Clarithromycin?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. Vitamin D might induce CYP3A4 enzymes and reduce the bioavailability of CYP3A4 substrates.

Full Vitamin D + Clarithromycin answer

Can you take Xanthan Gum with Clarithromycin?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. Theoretically, xanthan gum can alter the absorption of oral drugs due to its fiber qualities.

Full Xanthan Gum + Clarithromycin answer

Can you take Yerba Mate with Clarithromycin?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. Theoretically, concomitant use of CYP1A2 inhibitors and yerba mate might increase levels and adverse effects of the caffeine in yerba mate.

Full Yerba Mate + Clarithromycin answer

Can you take Eleuthero with Clarithromycin?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. Theoretically, eleuthero might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.

Full Eleuthero + Clarithromycin answer

Can you take Gymnema with Clarithromycin?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. Theoretically, gymnema might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.

Full Gymnema + Clarithromycin answer

Can you take Humann Superbeets Heart Chews with Clarithromycin?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. Each serving of HumanN SuperBeets includes 150mg of grape seed extract (2 chews).

Full Humann Superbeets Heart Chews + Clarithromycin answer

Can you take Jequirity with Clarithromycin?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. In vitro research shows that jequirity extract inhibits CYP3A4 enzymes.

Full Jequirity + Clarithromycin answer

Can you take Kava with Clarithromycin?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. It is unclear if kava inhibits CYP3AA; research is conflicting.

Full Kava + Clarithromycin answer

Can you take Milk Thistle with Clarithromycin?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. It is unclear if milk thistle inhibits CYP3A4; research is conflicting.

Full Milk Thistle + Clarithromycin answer
Read the list like a pharmacist

What Severity, Likelihood & Evidence Mean

Severity — How Serious It Can Be

  • Major. Clinically significant; generally best avoided, or used only under direct professional supervision.
  • Moderate. May need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one.
  • Minor. Generally not clinically significant, but still worth noting and mentioning to your pharmacist.
  • No known interaction. Checked against our sources with nothing documented — not the same as proven safety.

Likelihood — How Well It’s Documented

  • Likely. Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction
  • Probable. 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.
  • Possible. 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
  • Unlikely. Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.

Where This Data Comes From

  • Interaction records are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database (TRC Healthcare), the same reference used by pharmacists and hospitals.
  • Each entry links to a full report with the clinical detail, likelihood, evidence level, and citations for that exact combination.
  • Content is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

How Does Our Interaction Checker Work?

Behind every verdict on this page is a category system. Our source database doesn’t document supplement interactions drug-by-drug — it documents them against groups of medications that behave the same way (for example, “drugs processed by the CYP3A4 liver enzyme” or “blood-thinning medications”).

So the check works in three steps: (1) Clarithromycin is classified into the pharmacology categories it belongs to, (2) every supplement interaction documented against any of those categories is inherited by Clarithromycin, and (3) each ingredient keeps its own severity, likelihood, and evidence grades from the underlying record. That’s why one supplement can carry several records for one drug — it may interact through more than one category.

Clarithromycin sits in 7 interaction categories. Open any one to see what the group means:

Cytochrome P450 3A4 (Cyp3A4) Substrates 121 ingredients

A drug-metabolism group: these medications are processed by the named liver enzyme (a cytochrome P450). Supplements that speed this enzyme up or slow it down can lower or raise the medication's levels in your body.

121 of the supplement ingredients on this page reach Clarithromycin through this category.

Antibiotic Drugs 27 ingredients

A pharmacology grouping from our source database: medications in this group share a property that certain supplements are known to interact with, so an interaction documented for the group applies to every drug in it.

27 of the supplement ingredients on this page reach Clarithromycin through this category.

Oral Drugs 17 ingredients

A pharmacology grouping from our source database: medications in this group share a property that certain supplements are known to interact with, so an interaction documented for the group applies to every drug in it.

17 of the supplement ingredients on this page reach Clarithromycin through this category.

Cytochrome P450 3A4 (Cyp3A4) Inhibitors 13 ingredients

A drug-metabolism group: these medications are processed by the named liver enzyme (a cytochrome P450). Supplements that speed this enzyme up or slow it down can lower or raise the medication's levels in your body.

13 of the supplement ingredients on this page reach Clarithromycin through this category.

Qt Interval-Prolonging Drugs 13 ingredients

Medications that can affect the heart's electrical rhythm (the QT interval). Supplements with similar effects can add to that risk.

13 of the supplement ingredients on this page reach Clarithromycin through this category.

Macrolide Antibiotics 11 ingredients

A pharmacology grouping from our source database: medications in this group share a property that certain supplements are known to interact with, so an interaction documented for the group applies to every drug in it.

11 of the supplement ingredients on this page reach Clarithromycin through this category.

Cytochrome P450 1A2 (Cyp1A2) Inhibitors 10 ingredients

A drug-metabolism group: these medications are processed by the named liver enzyme (a cytochrome P450). Supplements that speed this enzyme up or slow it down can lower or raise the medication's levels in your body.

10 of the supplement ingredients on this page reach Clarithromycin through this category.

About Clarithromycin

Clarithromycin is a macrolide antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections including pneumonia, bronchitis, ear and throat infections, and certain other conditions.

Generic name: Clarithromycin  ·  Brand names: Biaxin, Biaxin XL.

See the full Clarithromycin drug information

Related: does Clarithromycin deplete any nutrients?

Clarithromycin has 14 reported nutrient associations in the research literature — see the Clarithromycin nutrient depletion report.

Check a real product

Take a Supplement Product? Check the Whole Bottle Against Clarithromycin

Most supplements are combination products — and the interaction may come from an ingredient you didn’t buy it for. Search any product below (or scan its label) and we’ll check every ingredient on it against Clarithromycin.

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Grounded search over our product catalog — every verdict comes from our interaction database, never AI guesswork. How we use AI

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Clarithromycin & Supplements: Common Questions

What supplements interact with Clarithromycin?
Our database currently documents 196 ingredients with a known Clarithromycin interaction (9 major, 146 moderate, 41 minor). The practical move: scan the major group first, then look up the exact supplements you take rather than reading all 196. The highest-ranked right now: Grapefruit, Activated Charcoal, Arsenic.
Which Clarithromycin supplement interactions are the most serious?
The 9 major-rated combinations — led by Grapefruit, Activated Charcoal, Arsenic, Cesium and Ephedra — deserve real caution: these are the ones generally best avoided, or used only with your prescriber watching. If you take any of them today, don't panic and don't stop anything abruptly — call your pharmacist first. Jump to the ranked list.
Can I take vitamins or supplements while on Clarithromycin?
Plenty of supplements coexist fine with Clarithromycin; a shorter list does not. Rather than memorizing it, check the specific ingredients on your labels — the ranked list above covers every one we've checked, and multi-ingredient products can be checked label-by-label with our scanner. Try the label scanner or the interaction checker.
Do brands like Biaxin have the same supplement interactions as Clarithromycin?
Yes — Biaxin, Biaxin XL all contain Clarithromycin, so everything on this page applies to them equally. Interactions belong to the active drug, never to the brand on the box; the same is true of generics.
Where do these interaction ratings come from?
Every rating comes from the Natural Medicines database — the same evidence-graded reference pharmacists and hospitals use — and each interaction carries three separate grades: severity (how bad it can be), likelihood (how well it's documented in studies and case reports), and an evidence level. Our pharmacists review the content; we never let an AI decide an interaction. See how to read the ratings and our editorial policy.
Does Clarithromycin deplete any vitamins or nutrients?
It might — Clarithromycin has 14 reported nutrient-depletion associations in the research literature, which is a different question from interactions: instead of a supplement changing the drug, the drug may lower a nutrient over time. See the Clarithromycin nutrient depletion report for the specifics and what to discuss with your pharmacist.
What about Clarithromycin and my other medications?
This page covers Clarithromycin against supplements and herbal ingredients. Checking Clarithromycin against your other prescription or OTC medications is a different tool — our drug interaction checker covers that side. Head to the drug–drug interaction checker, or read the full Clarithromycin drug information.

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

Where next

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Sourcing

Where This Data Comes From — and Why You Can Trust It

🧪 Licensed clinical database

Every interaction verdict on this page comes from Natural Medicines Pro (TRC Healthcare / Therapeutic Research) — the same evidence-graded reference used by pharmacists and hospitals. We license this data directly; we do not scrape it, and no AI invents an interaction.

🧑‍⚕️ Pharmacist review

This page is curated and coded by , Clinical Pharmacist, with additional analysis by the HelloPharmacist Pharmacist Team. Editorial commentary is ours; the licensed interaction records are shown as sourced.

🔄 Kept current

Our interaction database refreshes on a weekly cycle, and this page re-checks the live database every time it’s rebuilt — what you see reflects the database as of September 24, 2026.

🔍 Full transparency

How every dataset on this site is sourced, licensed, and updated is documented publicly: our data sources · editorial policy · how we use AI.

Educational information, not medical advice. An interaction being on file does not mean it will happen to you — and absence of one is not proof of safety. Never start or stop a medication or supplement without talking to your pharmacist or doctor.