Medication interaction hub

What Supplements Interact with Efavirenz?

Efavirenz brand name: Sustiva. Every interaction below applies to the brands too.

159 Interactions 3 Major 117 Moderate 39 Minor
Curated & coded by · Clinical Pharmacist · Updated September 22, 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 Efavirenz? 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 Efavirenz 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
Our Pharmacist Explains
What is this? The interaction data in the HelloPharmacist supplement database is licensed from Natural Medicines Pro by TRC Healthcare (Therapeutic Research). HelloPharmacist pharmacists often add our own analysis and context on top of that licensed data — such as this Bottom Line summary and the notes on individual interaction pages — and any such commentary is noted as ours.

Efavirenz (Sustiva) is an HIV medicine, so an interaction that weakens it can cost more than a bad day; it can invite viral resistance. That makes this a list to treat with genuine care. The clearest hazards are St. John's wort, which speeds the drug's clearance enough to risk treatment failure, grapefruit, which pushes its levels the other way, and activated charcoal, which can block absorption outright.

Almost everything else here runs through one liver enzyme, CYP3A4. Efavirenz revs that enzyme up, so it can drain the effect of the 121 supplement ingredients broken down by it, while smaller clusters of herbal inducers and inhibitors can nudge efavirenz itself. A few fibers and charcoals also trap oral medicines in the gut, so space those well apart from your dose. All told, 159 ingredients are on file, 117 moderate and 39 minor, but the 3 majors carry most of the real danger.

— , Clinical Pharmacist · July 18, 2026

Major 3 Moderate 117 Minor 39 No known interaction 1,293

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

Efavirenz: Top Interactions at a Glance

The Efavirenz 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 159 interacting ingredients — plus 1,293 more checked with no known interaction. See the complete ranked list.

Start here

The Most-Checked Efavirenz Combinations Today

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

Moderate Likelihood Possible Boneset + Efavirenzi

Boneset belongs to the genus Eupatorium, and many species of this genus contain hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs).

Read the full interaction Moderate Likelihood Possible Indian Long Pepper + Efavirenzi

Theoretically, Indian long pepper might increase the effects and adverse effects of CYP3A4 substrates.

Read the full interaction Moderate Likelihood Possible Groundsel + Efavirenzi

Theoretically, taking CYP3A4 inducers with groundsel might increase the risk of pyrrolizidine alkaloid toxicity, such as hepatotoxicity.

Read the full interaction Moderate Likelihood Possible Gravel Root + Efavirenzi

Hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) are substrates of cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4).

Read the full interaction Moderate Likelihood Possible Corydalis Yanhusuo + Efavirenzi

Theoretically, Corydalis yanhusuo might increase serum levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.

Read the full interaction Moderate Likelihood Possible False Unicorn + Efavirenzi

In vitro, false unicorn extract inhibits cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) activity.

Read the full interaction
The complete list

Every Supplement Checked Against Efavirenz

All 1,452 ingredients in our database, ranked by severity — 159 with a Efavirenz interaction on file and 1,293 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 Efavirenz?

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 Boneset with Efavirenz?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Boneset belongs to the genus Eupatorium, and many species of this genus contain hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs).

Full Boneset + Efavirenz answer

Can you take Indian Long Pepper with Efavirenz?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, Indian long pepper might increase the effects and adverse effects of CYP3A4 substrates.

Full Indian Long Pepper + Efavirenz answer

Can you take Groundsel with Efavirenz?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, taking CYP3A4 inducers with groundsel might increase the risk of pyrrolizidine alkaloid toxicity, such as hepatotoxicity.

Full Groundsel + Efavirenz answer

Can you take Gravel Root with Efavirenz?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) are substrates of cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4).

Full Gravel Root + Efavirenz answer

Can you take Corydalis Yanhusuo with Efavirenz?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, Corydalis yanhusuo might increase serum levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.

Full Corydalis Yanhusuo + Efavirenz answer

Can you take Vitamin E with Efavirenz?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, vitamin E might induce metabolism of CYP3A4, possibly reducing the levels CYP3A4 substrates.

Full Vitamin E + Efavirenz answer

Can you take White Pepper with Efavirenz?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. In vitro evidence suggests that piperine, a constituent of white pepper, inhibits cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4).

Full White Pepper + Efavirenz answer

Can you take Wild Cherry with Efavirenz?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. In vitro research suggests that wild cherry can inhibit cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) enzymes.

Full Wild Cherry + Efavirenz answer

Can you take Yohimbe with Efavirenz?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, CYP3A4 inhibitors might increase the levels and adverse effects of yohimbine, a constituent of yohimbe bark.

Full Yohimbe + Efavirenz answer

Can you take Zedoary with Efavirenz?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, zedoary might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4.

Full Zedoary + Efavirenz answer

Can you take Thyroid Extract with Efavirenz?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. Food and medications can interfere with thyroid hormone absorption.

Full Thyroid Extract + Efavirenz answer

Can you take Aegeline with Efavirenz?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. Aegeline inhibits cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) activity in vitro.

Full Aegeline + Efavirenz answer

Can you take Agar with Efavirenz?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. Agar forms a thick gel, which may disrupt the absorption of nutrients and medications.

Full Agar + Efavirenz answer

Can you take Algin with Efavirenz?

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

Full Algin + Efavirenz answer

Can you take Ashwagandha with Efavirenz?

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

Full Ashwagandha + Efavirenz answer

Can you take Atractylodes with Efavirenz?

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

Full Atractylodes + Efavirenz answer

Can you take Bael with Efavirenz?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. Bael and its constituents marmelosin and marmesinin inhibited cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) activity in vitro.

Full Bael + Efavirenz answer

Can you take Black Psyllium with Efavirenz?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. Theoretically, psyllium might increase, decrease, or have no effect on the absorption of oral drugs.

Full Black Psyllium + Efavirenz answer

Can you take Blond Psyllium with Efavirenz?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. Theoretically, psyllium might increase, decrease, or have no effect on the absorption of oral drugs.

Full Blond Psyllium + Efavirenz answer

Can you take Breadfruit with Efavirenz?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. Theoretically, breadfruit might inhibit cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) and increase levels of drugs metabolized by these enzymes; until more i...

Full Breadfruit + Efavirenz 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) Efavirenz is classified into the pharmacology categories it belongs to, (2) every supplement interaction documented against any of those categories is inherited by Efavirenz, 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.

Efavirenz sits in 8 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 Efavirenz through this category.

Cytochrome P450 3A4 (Cyp3A4) Inducers 19 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.

19 of the supplement ingredients on this page reach Efavirenz 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 Efavirenz 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 Efavirenz through this category.

Cytochrome P450 2C9 (Cyp2C9) Inhibitors 4 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.

4 of the supplement ingredients on this page reach Efavirenz through this category.

Cytochrome P450 2C19 (Cyp2C19) Inhibitors 2 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.

2 of the supplement ingredients on this page reach Efavirenz through this category.

Efavirenz (Sustiva) 2 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.

2 of the supplement ingredients on this page reach Efavirenz through this category.

Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (Nnrtis) 1 ingredient

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.

1 of the supplement ingredient on this page reaches Efavirenz through this category.

About Efavirenz

Efavirenz is an antiretroviral medication used in combination with other HIV medicines to treat HIV-1 infection in adults and children.

Generic name: Efavirenz  ·  Brand name: Sustiva.

See the full Efavirenz drug information

Related: does Efavirenz deplete any nutrients?

Efavirenz has 1 reported nutrient association in the research literature — see the Efavirenz nutrient depletion report.

Check a real product

Take a Supplement Product? Check the Whole Bottle Against Efavirenz

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 Efavirenz.

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Efavirenz & Supplements: Common Questions

What supplements interact with Efavirenz?
More than you might expect — 159 in total, though they are far from equal: 3 are rated major, 117 moderate, and 39 minor. The ranked list on this page puts the ones that genuinely matter first, and every entry opens a full report on that exact pair. The highest-ranked right now: Grapefruit, St. John's Wort, Activated Charcoal.
Which Efavirenz supplement interactions are the most serious?
Focus on the major group: Grapefruit, St. John's Wort and Activated Charcoal. A major rating means the combination can be clinically significant, not that harm is guaranteed — but it's exactly the kind of thing to run past your pharmacist before your next dose, not after. Jump to the ranked list.
Can I take vitamins or supplements while on Efavirenz?
Usually yes — most people on Efavirenz can take most supplements. The catch is the exceptions, and they aren't always the exotic ones (St. John's Wort trips up more prescriptions than almost anything sold next to it). Look up each ingredient you actually take in the list above, and treat "no known interaction" as a green-ish light, not a guarantee. Try the label scanner or the interaction checker.
Do brands like Sustiva have the same supplement interactions as Efavirenz?
Yes — Sustiva all contain Efavirenz, 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 Efavirenz deplete any vitamins or nutrients?
It might — Efavirenz has 1 reported nutrient-depletion association 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 Efavirenz nutrient depletion report for the specifics and what to discuss with your pharmacist.
What about Efavirenz and my other medications?
This page covers Efavirenz against supplements and herbal ingredients. Checking Efavirenz 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 Efavirenz drug information.

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

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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 22, 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.