What Supplements Interact with Guaifenesin?
Guaifenesin brand names: Robitussin, Humibid LA, Amibid LA, Numobid, Muco-Fen 800, and others. Every interaction below applies to the brands too.
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 Guaifenesin? 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 Guaifenesin against your other medications, use the drug–drug interaction checker. Educational information from our licensed clinical databases, not medical advice. Our editorial policy
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.Guaifenesin (Robitussin, Humibid LA) loosens chest mucus, and by itself it is a mild medicine, but two of the 26 supplements on this list rate major, so those two deserve your attention first. Activated charcoal can bind the drug in your gut and blunt what it does, and grapefruit raises blood levels of dextromethorphan, the cough suppressant paired with guaifenesin in Robitussin DM and many combination products.
The 15 moderate entries split into two groups. Fibers and gums such as glucomannan and slippery elm can slow or reduce absorption of whatever you swallow, so keep them well separated from your dose. Berberine herbs like goldenseal push dextromethorphan levels higher, which can show up as extra drowsiness or confusion, and 5-HTP adds a serotonin risk on top. The nine minors are mostly milder absorption effects. Check your label, since plain guaifenesin without dextromethorphan sidesteps roughly a third of this list.
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 ↓
Guaifenesin: Top Interactions at a Glance
The most significant Guaifenesin supplement & herbal interactions, colored by severity. Tap any ingredient to open the full report for that pair.
Showing the 12 highest-ranked of 26 interacting ingredients — plus 1,426 more checked with no known interaction. See the complete ranked list.
The Major Interactions to Know About
The most clinically significant Guaifenesin + supplement combinations in our database, best-documented first. Open any card for the full report.
Activated charcoal reduces systemic exposure to many drugs, including those that undergo enterohepatic recirculation, regardless of the route of administration.
Read the full interaction Major Likelihood Probable Grapefruit + GuaifenesiniGrapefruit juice can increase blood levels of dextromethorphan, potentially increasing the effects and adverse effects of dextromethorphan.
Read the full interactionEvery Supplement Checked Against Guaifenesin
All 1,452 ingredients in our database, ranked by severity — 26 with a Guaifenesin interaction on file and 1,426 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 ↓
No ingredients match “”.
Activated CharcoalActivated Carbon, animal Charcoal, carbo Vegetabilis, +13 more Probable
What it is: Activated charcoal is a highly porous form of carbon that can bind certain substances in the gut, and it is used in hospitals to treat some...
Activated charcoal reduces systemic exposure to many drugs, including those that undergo enterohepatic recirculation, regardless of the route of administration.
Read the full Activated Charcoal + Guaifenesin interactionGrapefruitCitrus Paradisi Probable
What it is: Grapefruit is a nutritious citrus fruit rich in vitamin C and other nutrients, and it is generally safe to eat.
Grapefruit juice can increase blood levels of dextromethorphan, potentially increasing the effects and adverse effects of dextromethorphan.
Read the full Grapefruit + Guaifenesin interactionCoffee CharcoalCafé Arabica, café Carbonisé, café Robusta, +5 more Probable
What it is: Coffee charcoal is made by roasting green coffee beans until they turn black, creating a charcoal-like material used traditionally for diarr...
Coffee charcoal can reduce the absorption of orally administered drugs and should be separated from oral drug administration by at least two hours.
Read the full Coffee Charcoal + Guaifenesin interactionEuropean MandrakeMandragora Officinarum, alraunwurzel, mandragora, +7 more Probable
What it is: European mandrake is a highly toxic plant from the nightshade family that was used in ancient and medieval times as a sedative and pain reli...
Theoretically, concurrent use might increase absorption of some drugs because of inhibited gastrointestinal (GI) motility caused by European mandrake.
Read the full European Mandrake + Guaifenesin interactionGlucomannanGlucomanano, glucomannane, konjac, +1 more Probable
What it is: Glucomannan is a soluble fiber from the konjac root that swells into a gel in your stomach, which may help with mild weight loss, constipati...
Theoretically, glucomannan may decrease absorption of drugs taken orally.
Read the full Glucomannan + Guaifenesin interactionBerberineAlcaloïde De Berbérine, berberina, berbérine, +5 more Possible
What it is: Berberine is a yellow plant compound that has shown promise for lowering blood sugar and cholesterol in some studies, but the quality of res...
Theoretically, berberine may increase serum levels of dextromethorphan.
Read the full Berberine + Guaifenesin interactionBitter OrangeCitrus Aurantium, aurantii Fructus, aurantium, +17 more Possible
What it is: Bitter orange is a citrus fruit whose extracts contain synephrine, a mild stimulant often added to weight-loss and energy supplements.
Bitter orange might increase blood levels of dextromethorphan.
Read the full Bitter Orange + Guaifenesin interactionCorydalis Yanhusuo Possible
What it is: Corydalis yanhusuo is a traditional Chinese herb used mainly for pain.
Theoretically, Corydalis yanhusuo may increase serum levels of dextromethorphan.
Read the full Corydalis Yanhusuo + Guaifenesin interactionGoldensealHydrastis Canadensis, chinese Goldenseal, eye Balm, +14 more Possible
What it is: Goldenseal is a popular North American herb that contains berberine, a compound studied for antimicrobial effects.
Theoretically, goldenseal might increase serum levels of dextromethorphan.
Read the full Goldenseal + Guaifenesin interactionGriffonia SimplicifoliaBandeiraea Simplicifolia Possible
What it is: Griffonia simplicifolia is a West African shrub whose seeds are a natural source of 5-HTP, a building block of the brain chemical serotonin.
Theoretically, taking Griffonia simplicifolia seed extract with dextromethorphan might increase the risk of serotonergic adverse effects, such as serotonin syndrome and cerebral vasoconstrictive disorders such as Call-Fleming syndrome.
Read the full Griffonia Simplicifolia + Guaifenesin interactionGuar GumDietary Fiber, farine De Guar, fibre Alimentaire, +10 more Possible
What it is: Guar gum is a soluble, gel-forming fiber from the guar bean that may modestly help with cholesterol, blood sugar, and bowel regularity.
Guar gum might reduce the absorption of some oral drugs, potentially decreasing their effectiveness.
Read the full Guar Gum + Guaifenesin interactionGum ArabicAcacia, acacia Gum, arabic Gum, +16 more Possible
What it is: Gum arabic is a soluble dietary fiber from the acacia tree that is widely used as a safe food additive and is sometimes taken as a supplemen...
Theoretically, gum arabic can alter the absorption of oral drugs due to its fiber content.
Read the full Gum Arabic + Guaifenesin interactionJob's Tears Possible
What it is: Job's Tears is a grain-like seed long used as a food and in traditional medicine, especially in East Asia.
Animal research suggests that Job's tears might enhance absorption of dextromethorphan in the small intestine.
Read the full Job's Tears + Guaifenesin interactionPhellodendronPhellodendron Amurense, amur Cork Bark, amur Cork Tree, +7 more Possible
What it is: Phellodendron is a traditional Chinese medicine bark (Huang Bai) that contains berberine and other plant compounds with antimicrobial and an...
Theoretically, phellodendron may increase serum levels of dextromethorphan.
Read the full Phellodendron + Guaifenesin interactionSlippery ElmIndian Elm, moose Elm, olmo Americano, +7 more Possible
What it is: Slippery elm is a traditional herbal remedy made from the inner bark of a North American elm tree, used mainly to soothe sore throats and ir...
Theoretically, slippery elm may slow the absorption and reduce serum levels of oral drugs.
Read the full Slippery Elm + Guaifenesin interactionTragacanthAdragante, astragale Adragant, astragale De Marseille, +14 more Possible
What it is: Tragacanth is a plant gum used mainly as a thickener and emulsifier in foods, cosmetics, and medicines, and traditionally to soothe the thro...
Theoretically, tragacanth might alter absorption of oral drugs.
Read the full Tragacanth + Guaifenesin interactionTree Turmeric Possible
What it is: Tree turmeric (Berberis aristata) is a shrub used in traditional Indian (Ayurvedic) medicine, valued mainly for its berberine content.
Theoretically, tree turmeric might increase levels of dextromethorphan and potentially increase the risk of adverse effects including drowsiness, confusion, and irritability.
Read the full Tree Turmeric + Guaifenesin interactionThyroid Extract Likely
What it is: Thyroid extract supplements are made from dried animal thyroid gland and may contain real thyroid hormones (T3 and T4), but the amounts in o...
Food and medications can interfere with thyroid hormone absorption.
Read the full Thyroid Extract + Guaifenesin interactionAgarAgar-agar, agarose, agarose Gel, +17 more Possible
What it is: Agar is a plant-based gel made from red seaweed that is widely used as a vegetarian alternative to gelatin and as a source of dietary fiber.
Agar forms a thick gel, which may disrupt the absorption of nutrients and medications.
Read the full Agar + Guaifenesin interactionAlginAlginate, alginate De Calcium, alginate De Magnésium, +12 more Possible
What it is: Algin (alginate) is a fiber-like substance from brown seaweed that is widely used as a thickener, gel, and binder in foods and medicines.
Theoretically, algin can alter the absorption of oral drugs.
Read the full Algin + Guaifenesin interactionBlack PsylliumAfrican Plantain, brown Psyllium, dietary Fiber, +16 more Possible
What it is: Black psyllium is a soluble-fiber supplement made from the seeds of a Plantago plant, used mostly to ease constipation and support digestive...
Theoretically, psyllium might increase, decrease, or have no effect on the absorption of oral drugs.
Read the full Black Psyllium + Guaifenesin interactionBlond PsylliumPlantago Ovata, balle De Psyllium, blond Plantago, +14 more Possible
What it is: Blond psyllium is a soluble fiber from the seed husks of Plantago ovata, and it is one of the better-studied fiber supplements.
Theoretically, psyllium might increase, decrease, or have no effect on the absorption of oral drugs.
Read the full Blond Psyllium + Guaifenesin interactionCarobCeratonia Siliqua, algarrobo, carob Flour, +16 more Possible
What it is: Carob is a Mediterranean tree whose pods are widely used as a caffeine-free, naturally sweet cocoa alternative and as a thickener (carob gum...
Theoretically, carob might also impair the absorption of oral drugs.
Read the full Carob + Guaifenesin interactionKaraya GumBassora Tragacanth, goma Karaya, gomme Karaya, +14 more Possible
What it is: Karaya gum is a natural plant gum from the Sterculia tree that is mostly used as a bulk-forming laxative and as a thickener or adhesive in f...
Co-administration of oral drugs with bulk forming laxatives such as karaya gum may decrease, increase, or have no effect on the absorption of drugs.
Read the full Karaya Gum + Guaifenesin interactionMarshmallowAlthaea Officinalis, altea, alteia, +16 more Possible
What it is: Marshmallow root is a traditional herb rich in soothing, gel-like fibers called mucilage, which is why it has long been used for coughs, sor...
Theoretically, mucilage in marshmallow might impair absorption of oral drugs.
Read the full Marshmallow + Guaifenesin interactionXanthan GumBacterial Polysaccharide, corn Sugar Gum, goma Xantana, +7 more Possible
What it is: Xanthan gum is a fermentation-made fiber widely used to thicken and stabilize foods and to thicken liquids for people with swallowing diffic...
Theoretically, xanthan gum can alter the absorption of oral drugs due to its fiber qualities.
Read the full Xanthan Gum + Guaifenesin interactionCan You Take It With Guaifenesin?
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 Guaifenesin?
Major Use real caution — this is a major-rated interaction, generally best avoided or used only under close supervision. Grapefruit juice can increase blood levels of dextromethorphan, potentially increasing the effects and adverse effects of dextromethorphan.
Full Grapefruit + Guaifenesin answerCan you take Thyroid Extract with Guaifenesin?
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 + Guaifenesin answerCan you take Agar with Guaifenesin?
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 + Guaifenesin answerCan you take Algin with Guaifenesin?
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 + Guaifenesin answerCan you take Black Psyllium with Guaifenesin?
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 + Guaifenesin answerCan you take Blond Psyllium with Guaifenesin?
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 + Guaifenesin answerCan you take Carob with Guaifenesin?
Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. Theoretically, carob might also impair the absorption of oral drugs.
Full Carob + Guaifenesin answerCan you take Karaya Gum with Guaifenesin?
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 + Guaifenesin answerCan you take Marshmallow with Guaifenesin?
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 + Guaifenesin answerCan you take Xanthan Gum with Guaifenesin?
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 + Guaifenesin answerCan you take Activated Charcoal with Guaifenesin?
Major Use real caution — this is a major-rated interaction, generally best avoided or used only under close supervision. Activated charcoal reduces systemic exposure to many drugs, including those that undergo enterohepatic recirculation, regardless of the rout...
Full Activated Charcoal + Guaifenesin answerCan you take Coffee Charcoal with Guaifenesin?
Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Coffee charcoal can reduce the absorption of orally administered drugs and should be separated from oral drug administration by at least two...
Full Coffee Charcoal + Guaifenesin answerCan you take European Mandrake with Guaifenesin?
Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, concurrent use might increase absorption of some drugs because of inhibited gastrointestinal (GI) motility caused by European...
Full European Mandrake + Guaifenesin answerCan you take Glucomannan with Guaifenesin?
Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, glucomannan may decrease absorption of drugs taken orally.
Full Glucomannan + Guaifenesin answerCan you take Berberine with Guaifenesin?
Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, berberine may increase serum levels of dextromethorphan.
Full Berberine + Guaifenesin answerCan you take Bitter Orange with Guaifenesin?
Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Bitter orange might increase blood levels of dextromethorphan.
Full Bitter Orange + Guaifenesin answerCan you take Corydalis Yanhusuo with Guaifenesin?
Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, Corydalis yanhusuo may increase serum levels of dextromethorphan.
Full Corydalis Yanhusuo + Guaifenesin answerCan you take Goldenseal with Guaifenesin?
Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, goldenseal might increase serum levels of dextromethorphan.
Full Goldenseal + Guaifenesin answerCan you take Griffonia Simplicifolia with Guaifenesin?
Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, taking Griffonia simplicifolia seed extract with dextromethorphan might increase the risk of serotonergic adverse effects, su...
Full Griffonia Simplicifolia + Guaifenesin answerCan you take Guar Gum with Guaifenesin?
Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Guar gum might reduce the absorption of some oral drugs, potentially decreasing their effectiveness.
Full Guar Gum + Guaifenesin answerWhat 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) Guaifenesin is classified into the pharmacology categories it belongs to, (2) every supplement interaction documented against any of those categories is inherited by Guaifenesin, 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.
Guaifenesin sits in 2 interaction categories. Open any one to see what the group means:
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 Guaifenesin through this category.
Dextromethorphan (Robitussin Dm, Others) 9 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.
9 of the supplement ingredients on this page reach Guaifenesin through this category.
About Guaifenesin
Guaifenesin is an expectorant used to relieve chest congestion by helping you cough up mucus.
Generic name: Guaifenesin · Brand names: Robitussin, Humibid LA, Amibid LA, Numobid, Muco-Fen 800, Bidex, Organidin, X-pect, Mucinex.
See the full Guaifenesin drug informationTake a Supplement Product? Check the Whole Bottle Against Guaifenesin
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 Guaifenesin.
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Products that contain Guaifenesin-interacting ingredients
Real supplements from the NIH label database that contain the top interacting ingredients on this page — each one is worth a full label check before combining with Guaifenesin.
Guaifenesin & Supplements: Common Questions
What supplements interact with Guaifenesin?
Which Guaifenesin supplement interactions are the most serious?
Can I take vitamins or supplements while on Guaifenesin?
Do brands like Robitussin have the same supplement interactions as Guaifenesin?
Where do these interaction ratings come from?
What about Guaifenesin and my other medications?
Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy
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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 Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS, 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.