Medication interaction hub

What Supplements Interact with Venlafaxine?

Venlafaxine brand names: Effexor XR, Effexor. Every interaction below applies to the brands too.

110 Interactions 8 Major 82 Moderate 20 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 Venlafaxine? 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 Venlafaxine 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.

Venlafaxine (Effexor, Effexor XR) is an antidepressant that raises serotonin, which is exactly where part of the danger on this page sits, and its 110 interactions deserve genuine respect. Eight carry a major rating, most tied to heart rhythm: several ingredients, grapefruit among them, can stretch the QT interval and add to a strain venlafaxine can already put on the heart. Twenty entries boost serotonin on their own, risking serotonin syndrome, an overload of the very chemical this drug increases.

The moderate tier is larger but quieter. About 60 of its 82 entries affect CYP2D6, the enzyme that clears venlafaxine, mostly slowing it, which can nudge blood levels higher. Twenty minors fill out the rest. Seventeen ingredients can also blunt absorption of oral medicines; activated charcoal is the strongest and belongs well apart from every dose, with spacing details in the full entries below.

— , Clinical Pharmacist · July 18, 2026

Major 8 Moderate 82 Minor 20 No known interaction 1,342

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

Venlafaxine: Top Interactions at a Glance

The Venlafaxine 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 110 interacting ingredients — plus 1,342 more checked with no known interaction. See the complete ranked list.

Start here

The Most-Checked Venlafaxine Combinations Today

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

Minor Likelihood Possible Ashwagandha + Venlafaxinei

Some animal studies have reported that ashwagandha can enhance serotonergic transmission by altering certain serotonin (5-HT) receptors.

Read the full interaction Major Likelihood Probable Grapefruit + Venlafaxinei

Grapefruit or grapefruit juice, especially if consumed in large amounts, can cause additive QT interval prolongation when taken with QT interval-prolonging drug...

Read the full interaction Minor Likelihood Unlikely Valerian + Venlafaxinei

Valerian does not seem to have a clinically relevant effect on levels of drugs metabolized by CYP2D6.

Read the full interaction Minor Likelihood Unlikely Theanine + Venlafaxinei

Clinical studies regarding the effects of L-theanine on serotonin levels are conflicting.

Read the full interaction Minor Likelihood Unlikely Eleuthero + Venlafaxinei

Theoretically, eleuthero might increase levels of drugs metabolized by CYP2D6.

Read the full interaction Moderate Likelihood Possible German Chamomile + Venlafaxinei

Theoretically, German chamomile might inhibit CYP2D6 and increase levels of drugs metabolized by these enzymes.

Read the full interaction
The complete list

Every Supplement Checked Against Venlafaxine

All 1,452 ingredients in our database, ranked by severity — 110 with a Venlafaxine interaction on file and 1,342 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 Venlafaxine?

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 Ashwagandha with Venlafaxine?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. Some animal studies have reported that ashwagandha can enhance serotonergic transmission by altering certain serotonin (5-HT) receptors.

Full Ashwagandha + Venlafaxine answer

Can you take Grapefruit with Venlafaxine?

Major Use real caution — this is a major-rated interaction, generally best avoided or used only under close supervision. Grapefruit or grapefruit juice, especially if consumed in large amounts, can cause additive QT interval prolongation when taken with QT inte...

Full Grapefruit + Venlafaxine answer

Can you take Valerian with Venlafaxine?

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 CYP2D6.

Full Valerian + Venlafaxine answer

Can you take Theanine with Venlafaxine?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. Clinical studies regarding the effects of L-theanine on serotonin levels are conflicting.

Full Theanine + Venlafaxine answer

Can you take Eleuthero with Venlafaxine?

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 CYP2D6.

Full Eleuthero + Venlafaxine answer

Can you take Activated Charcoal with Venlafaxine?

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 + Venlafaxine answer

Can you take Arsenic with Venlafaxine?

Major Use real caution — this is a major-rated interaction, generally best avoided or used only under close supervision. Arsenic trioxide can prolong the QT interval.

Full Arsenic + Venlafaxine answer

Can you take Cesium with Venlafaxine?

Major Use real caution — this is a major-rated interaction, generally best avoided or used only under close supervision. Theoretically, taking cesium concomitantly with other drugs that prolong the QT interval may increase the risk of ventricular arrhythmias an...

Full Cesium + Venlafaxine answer

Can you take Ephedra with Venlafaxine?

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 + Venlafaxine answer

Can you take Lithium with Venlafaxine?

Major Use real caution — this is a major-rated interaction, generally best avoided or used only under close supervision. Theoretically, taking lithium supplements with serotonergic drugs might both mask and increase the risk of serotonin syndrome.

Full Lithium + Venlafaxine answer

Can you take Sida Cordifolia with Venlafaxine?

Major Use real caution — this is a major-rated interaction, generally best avoided or used only under close supervision. Theoretically, Sida cordifolia might increase the risk of additive QT interval prolongation when taken with QT interval-prolonging drugs.

Full Sida Cordifolia + Venlafaxine answer

Can you take American Hellebore with Venlafaxine?

Major Use real caution — this is a major-rated interaction, generally best avoided or used only under close supervision. American hellebore, also known as Veratrum viride, contains alkaloids that can potentially prolong the QT interval on an electrocardiogram (...

Full American Hellebore + Venlafaxine answer

Can you take Ayahuasca with Venlafaxine?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, ayahuasca might increase plasma concentrations of CYP2D6 substrates.

Full Ayahuasca + Venlafaxine answer

Can you take Coffee Charcoal with Venlafaxine?

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 + Venlafaxine answer

Can you take European Mandrake with Venlafaxine?

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 + Venlafaxine answer

Can you take Glucomannan with Venlafaxine?

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 + Venlafaxine answer

Can you take Goldenseal with Venlafaxine?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Goldenseal might increase serum levels of drugs metabolized by CYP2D6.

Full Goldenseal + Venlafaxine answer

Can you take Syrian Rue with Venlafaxine?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, Syrian rue might increase the levels and clinical effects of drugs metabolized by CYP2D6.

Full Syrian Rue + Venlafaxine answer

Can you take 1,3-dmaa with Venlafaxine?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. 1,3-DMAA strongly inhibits cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) enzymes in vitro.

Full 1,3-dmaa + Venlafaxine answer

Can you take 5-htp with Venlafaxine?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Combining serotonergic drugs with 5-HTP might cause additive serotonergic effects.

Full 5-htp + Venlafaxine 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) Venlafaxine is classified into the pharmacology categories it belongs to, (2) every supplement interaction documented against any of those categories is inherited by Venlafaxine, 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.

Venlafaxine sits in 8 interaction categories. Open any one to see what the group means:

Cytochrome P450 2D6 (Cyp2D6) Substrates 60 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.

60 of the supplement ingredients on this page reach Venlafaxine through this category.

Serotonergic Drugs 20 ingredients

Medications that raise serotonin activity. Combining them with serotonin-active supplements can, in rare cases, push serotonin too high.

20 of the supplement ingredients on this page reach Venlafaxine 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 Venlafaxine 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 Venlafaxine through this category.

Seizure Threshold Lowering Drugs 6 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.

6 of the supplement ingredients on this page reach Venlafaxine through this category.

Antidepressant Drugs 3 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.

3 of the supplement ingredients on this page reach Venlafaxine through this category.

Venlafaxine (Effexor) 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 Venlafaxine through this category.

Serotonergic Drugs 1 ingredient

Medications that raise serotonin activity. Combining them with serotonin-active supplements can, in rare cases, push serotonin too high.

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

About Venlafaxine

Venlafaxine is an SNRI antidepressant used to treat depression, anxiety disorders, and panic disorder.

Generic name: Venlafaxine  ·  Brand names: Effexor XR, Effexor.

See the full Venlafaxine drug information

Related: does Venlafaxine deplete any nutrients?

Venlafaxine has 2 reported nutrient associations in the research literature — see the Venlafaxine nutrient depletion report.

Check a real product

Take a Supplement Product? Check the Whole Bottle Against Venlafaxine

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 Venlafaxine.

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Venlafaxine & Supplements: Common Questions

What supplements interact with Venlafaxine?
Our database currently documents 110 ingredients with a known Venlafaxine interaction (8 major, 82 moderate, 20 minor). The practical move: scan the major group first, then look up the exact supplements you take rather than reading all 110. The highest-ranked right now: Activated Charcoal, Arsenic, Cesium.
Which Venlafaxine supplement interactions are the most serious?
Focus on the major group: Activated Charcoal, Arsenic, Cesium, Ephedra and Grapefruit, among others. 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 Venlafaxine?
Plenty of supplements coexist fine with Venlafaxine; 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 Effexor XR have the same supplement interactions as Venlafaxine?
Yes — Effexor XR, Effexor all contain Venlafaxine, 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 Venlafaxine deplete any vitamins or nutrients?
It might — Venlafaxine has 2 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 Venlafaxine nutrient depletion report for the specifics and what to discuss with your pharmacist.
What about Venlafaxine and my other medications?
This page covers Venlafaxine against supplements and herbal ingredients. Checking Venlafaxine 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 Venlafaxine 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 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.