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Dietary supplement

Black Currant Oil 500 mg Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by The Vitamin Shoppe

Softgel Capsule Category: Fat/fatty Acid
Most serious interaction: Moderate
The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

Black Currant Oil 500 mg is a dietary supplement by The Vitamin Shoppe with 1 active ingredient. Its ingredients are commonly taken for dry eyes and eye strain, joint pain and inflammation, immune and general wellness support.Based on those ingredients, 226 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are Black Currant Oil. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Black Currant Oil 500 mg by The Vitamin Shoppe

Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.

From our pharmacy team — supplement deep dive

What’s inside

Full disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Full

Every active ingredient lists its own amount on the label.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 5 of its 5 active ingredients.
  • “Black Currant Oil” is listed as a grouped ingredient — the label gives one combined amount (500 mg) without saying how much of each component you get.

Black Currant Oil 500 mg delivers five active fatty acid components: gamma-linolenic acid, linoleic acid, oleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, and stearidonic acid. These are omega fatty acids naturally present in black currant seed oil, and the product is formulated in a softgel capsule with gelatin, glycerin, and purified water as inactive ingredients.

Does it work?

Couldn't assess
Evidence for Intended Use · database check
By FDA rules, dietary supplements can’t claim to treat, cure, or prevent disease — so labels speak in careful marketing language. We discern each product’s intended use from its name, label claims, and label statements, then grade the clinical evidence for that use. How these ratings are computed
Not assessable

We hold no graded evidence for this product's ingredients for its stated purpose.

Why this rating?
  • The label markets this product for: Women's health and healthy skin.
  • We looked for evidence on: Atopic dermatitis (eczema), Dysmenorrhea, Menopausal symptoms, Premenstrual syndrome (PMS), Joint inflammation, Dry skin — and 2 related terms.
  • Our graded evidence for these ingredients doesn't cover that particular purpose.

Oleic acid, one of the active ingredients here, is rated possibly effective for high cholesterol and coronary heart disease. Evidence for the other fatty acid components — gamma-linolenic acid, linoleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, and stearidonic acid — isn't established in the data we hold.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Black Currant Oleic Acid

How safe is it?

Some data gaps
Safety Information · database check
Some gaps

Safety data exists for these ingredients, but with some important gaps.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 0 of the 1 matched ingredient.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 1 of 1.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 1 of 1.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Oleic acid is generally recognized as safe when eaten in normal food amounts, like from olive oil. Concentrated supplement doses haven't been well studied in pregnancy or breastfeeding, so the safety data advises caution if you're pregnant or nursing — talk with your doctor or pharmacist about whether this product is right for you.

No adverse effects are documented in our data for this product.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Black Currant Oleic Acid

Meds to double-check

Moderate interaction found
Known Interaction Concern · database check
Moderate identified

The most serious documented interaction for these ingredients is Moderate. Check your medications for a personalized result.

Why this rating?
  • 1 of the 1 matched ingredient can interact with medications — Oleic Acid.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: diabetes medications.
  • For scale: 86 individual medications appear in the full list. A big number alone doesn't make a product dangerous — what matters is whether YOUR medication is on it, so run yours through the interaction checker on this page.

If you take antidiabetes drugs or blood sugar medications, check them against this product before starting — oleic acid may increase their effects, and your doctor may need to monitor your blood sugar more closely or adjust your dose.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with no assessable stated purpose. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and some safety-information gaps remain.

Black Currant Oil may appeal to you if you're interested in omega fatty acids and possibly effective support for cholesterol and heart health. If you take blood sugar medications, check with your doctor or pharmacist before starting — this product could affect how they work.

Three of the five active ingredients couldn't be checked against our interaction database, so a full review with your own healthcare provider is important.

Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI

Assessment coverage: 1 of 5 active ingredients matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Apr 23, 2020.

This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed

At a glance

General information

Key facts about Black Currant Oil 500 mg, straight from the product label.

Brand The Vitamin Shoppe
Barcode (UPC) 766536022199
Net contents 90 Softgel(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Apr 23, 2020
DSLD ID 217730
Product type Fat/fatty Acid
Supplement form Softgel Capsule
Dietary claims / uses Nutrient, All Other, Structure/Function
Intended target group(s) Adult Female (18 - 50 Years), Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Sugar Free
From the label
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.

Supplement Facts

The label details for Black Currant Oil 500 mg by The Vitamin Shoppe, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Daily Value (DV) Target Group(s):
Adults and children 4 or more years of age
Minimum serving Sizes:
1 Softgel(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
1 Softgel(s)
UPC/BARCODE
766536022199
IngredientAmount% DV
Gamma-Linolenic Acid70 mg--
Linoleic Acid215 mg--
Oleic Acid40 mg--
Alpha-Linolenic Acid60 mg--
Stearidonic Acid10 mg--
Black Currant Oil500 mg--

Other ingredients: Gelatin, Glycerin, purified Water

Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.

Label statements
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
Formula

Natural source of GLA

Women's health

Omega Fatty Acids

Formulation

Healthy skin

Gluten-free Dairy-free Soy-free Nut-free

FDA Statement of Identity

Dietary Supplement

Seals/Symbols

Quality Promise Tested & Trusted

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Does not contain: Gluten, sugar, salt, preservatives, artificial colors or flavors.

Directions: Take one (1) softgel up to twice daily, preferably with meals.

FDA Disclaimer Statement

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Precautions

Warning: Consult your healthcare provider prior to use if you are pregnant, nursing, taking any medication or have any medical conditions.

Tamper evident Do not use if outer seal is broken or missing.

Storage

Store in a cool, dry place.

See for yourself

Black Currant Oil 500 mg by The Vitamin Shoppe label

The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.

What’s inside

The Ingredients in Black Currant Oil 500 mg by The Vitamin Shoppe

This is the 1 active ingredient this product is made of. Select it to open its full monograph.

Serving size1 Softgel(s) Dosage formSoftgel Capsule Amounts shown are per serving.

Black Currant Oil

Interacts with
140 drugs
500 mg per serving

Black currant is a nutritious berry that is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, and its seed oil contains the omega-6 fatty acid GLA. While it is enjo...

Black Currant Oil monograph & interactions
  • › Gamma-Linolenic Acid
  • › Linoleic Acid
  • › Oleic Acid
  • › Alpha-Linolenic Acid
  • › Stearidonic Acid

Other (inactive) ingredients: Gelatin, Glycerin, Purified Water. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

Black Currant Oil 500 mg by The Vitamin Shoppe Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Black Currant Oil 500 mg?

Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.

Go to the checker
226Drugs
226 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Black Currant Oil 500 mg with known interactions, here are the types of medications it can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

Black Currant Oil2 drug types · 140 drugs

Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet Drugs

Theoretically, black currant seed oil might increase the risk of bleeding if used in combination with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), a constituent of black currant seed oil, appears to have antiplatelet effects.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Phenothiazines

Theoretically, black currant seed oil might increase the risk of seizure in patients receiving phenothiazines.
Black currant seed oil contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). There is some concern that taking supplements containing GLA might cause seizures, or lower the seizure threshold, when taken with phenothiazines, although there is no evidence that black currant seed oil causes seizures. In one report, three patients with schizophrenia who had received phenothiazines developed EEG changes suggestive of temporal lobe epilepsy after starting treatment with GLA, although none experienced an actual seizure. In another report, two patients with schizophrenia who were stabilized on phenothiazines developed seizures when evening primrose 4 grams daily, which contains GLA, was added. One of these patients had a prior history of seizures.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Black Currant Oil 500 mg, from the product label.

The Vitamin Shoppe

See all The Vitamin Shoppe products
Name
Vitamin Shoppe, Inc.
City
Secaucus
State
NJ
ZipCode
07094
Phone Number
1-866-293-3367
Web Address
www.vitaminshoppe.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Black Currant Oil 500 mg by The Vitamin Shoppe: Common Questions

Does Black Currant Oil 500 mg by The Vitamin Shoppe interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Black Currant Oil 500 mg has a known interaction with 226 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Black Currant Oil 500 mg contains a single active ingredient, and that one ingredient can interact with many different medications on its own. We check it against each medication and show the mechanism responsible.
Where does this information come from?
The product label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD); the interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database and reviewed by HelloPharmacist pharmacists.
Will Black Currant Oil help my cholesterol or heart health?
Oleic acid, one of the active ingredients, is rated possibly effective for high cholesterol and coronary heart disease. The other fatty acid components don't have established evidence in our data. Talk with your doctor about whether this fits your health plan.
Can I take this if I'm pregnant or nursing?
Concentrated supplement doses of oleic acid haven't been well studied in pregnancy or breastfeeding. Food amounts are considered fine, but we don't have enough data to know if this product is safe at supplement levels. Check with your doctor or pharmacist for personalized advice.
What are gamma-linolenic acid and alpha-linolenic acid?
They're omega fatty acids that occur naturally in black currant seed oil. We don't hold detailed interaction or effectiveness data for them in our current database.
Are there any side effects listed for this product?
No adverse effects are documented in our data for Black Currant Oil 500 mg.
What's the difference between this product and fish oil or flax seed supplements?
Black currant oil is a plant-based source of omega fatty acids. We can't compare it to other supplements using our data — ask your pharmacist for a side-by-side look at which one fits your needs.

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

Not sure if Black Currant Oil 500 mg is safe with your meds?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.

Black Currant Oil 500 mg label
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Black Currant Oil 500 mg's label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

The 25 references behind this product’s interaction data

Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Oleic Acid 19 references
  1. Madigan C, Ryan M, Owens D, et al. Dietary unsaturated fatty acids in type 2 diabetes: higher levels of postprandial lipoprotein on a linoleic acid-rich sunflower oil diet compared with an oleic acid-rich olive oil diet. Diabetes Care 2000;23:1472-7. PubMed
  2. Gillingham, L. G., Gustafson, J. A., Han, S. Y., Jassal, D. S., and Jones, P. J. High-oleic rapeseed (canola) and flaxseed oils modulate serum lipids and inflammatory biomarkers in hypercholesterolaemic subjects. Br J Nutr 2011;105(3):417-427. PubMed
  3. Jones PJ, Senanayake VK, Pu S, Jenkins DJ, Connelly PW, Lamarche B, Couture P, Charest A, Baril-Gravel L, West SG, Liu X, Fleming JA, McCrea CE, Kris-Etherton PM. DHA-enriched high-oleic acid canola oil improves lipid profile and lowers predicted cardiova
  4. Cater, N. B., Heller, H. J., and Denke, M. A. Comparison of the effects of medium-chain triacylglycerols, palm oil, and high oleic acid sunflower oil on plasma triacylglycerol fatty acids and lipid and lipoprotein concentrations in humans. Am.J Clin.Nutr PubMed
  5. Mozaffarian D, Clarke R. Quantitative effects on cardiovascular risk factors and coronary heart disease risk of replacing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils with other fats and oils. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2009;63(Suppl 2):S22-33. PubMed
  6. Cao Y, Hou L, Wang W. Dietary total fat and fatty acids intake, serum fatty acids and risk of breast cancer: A meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Int J Cancer. 2016;138(8):1894-904. doi: 10.1002/ijc.29938. PubMed
  7. FDA completes review of qualified health claim petition for oleic acid and the risk of coronary heart disease. November 2018. Available at: www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/ucm624758.htm. Accessed January 25, 2019.
  8. Liu X, Kris-Etherton PM, West SG, et al. Effects of canola and high-oleic-acid canola oils on abdominal fat mass in individuals with central obesity. Obesity. 2016;24(11):2261-2268. PubMed
  9. Bowen KJ, Kris-Etherton PM, West SG, et al. Diets enriched with conventional or high-oleic acid canola oils lower atherogenic lipids and lipoproteins compared to a diet with a western fatty acid profile in adults with central adiposity. J Nutr. 2019;149(3 PubMed
  10. Steffen BT, Duprez D, Szklo M, Guan W, Tsai MY. Circulating oleic acid levels are related to greater risks of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. J Clin Lipidol. 2018;12(6):1404-1412. PubMed
  11. Banim PJ, Luben R, Khaw KT, Hart AR. Dietary oleic acid is inversely associated with pancreatic cancer - Data from food diaries in a cohort study. Pancreatology. 2018;18(6):655-660. PubMed
  12. Morin SJ, Gaziano JM, Djoussé L. Relation between plasma phospholipid oleic acid and risk of heart failure. Eur J Nutr. 2018;57(8):2937-2942. PubMed
  13. Samieri C, Féart C, Proust-Lima C, et al. Olive oil consumption, plasma oleic acid, and stroke incidence: the Three-City Study. Neurology. 2011;77(5):418-25. PubMed
  14. Compher CW, Kinosian BP, Rubesin SE, Ratcliffe SJ, Metz DC. Energy absorption is reduced with oleic acid supplements in human short bowel syndrome. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2009;33(1):102-8. PubMed
  15. Ben Fradj MK, Ouanes Y, Hadj-Taieb S, et al. Decreased oleic acid and marine n?-?3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in Tunisian patients with urothelial bladder cancer. Nutr Cancer. 2018;70(7):1043-1050.
  16. de Silva PS, Luben R, Shrestha SS, Khaw KT, Hart AR. Dietary arachidonic and oleic acid intake in ulcerative colitis etiology: a prospective cohort study using 7-day food diaries. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2014;26(1):11-8. PubMed
  17. Higashi K, Shige H, Ito T, et al. Effect of a low-fat diet enriched with oleic acid on postprandial lipemia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Lipids. 2001;36(1):1-6. PubMed
  18. Lin HC, van Citters GW, Heimer F, Bonorris G. Slowing of gastrointestinal transit by oleic acid: a preliminary report of a novel, nutrient-based treatment in humans. Dig Dis Sci. 2001;46(2):223-9. PubMed
  19. Li D, Tong Y, Li Y. Associations between dietary oleic acid and linoleic acid and depressive symptoms in perimenopausal women: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. Nutrition. 2020 Mar;71:110602. PubMed

See these in context on the Oleic Acid monograph →

Black Currant 6 references
  1. Guivernau M, Meza N, Barja P, Roman O. Clinical and experimental study on the long-term effect of dietary gamma-linolenic acid on plasma lipids, platelet aggregation, thromboxane formation, and prostacyclin production. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty A PubMed
  2. Fa-lin Z, Zhen-yu W, Yan H, et al. Efficacy of blackcurrant oil soft capsule, a Chinese herbal drug, in hyperlipidemia treatment. Phytother Res 2010;24 Suppl 2:S209-13. PubMed
  3. Holman CP and Bell AF. A trial of evening primrose oil in the treatment of chronic schizophrenia. J Orhtomolecular Psych 1983;12:302-304.
  4. Vaddadi KS. The use of gamma-linolenic acid and linoleic acid to differentiate between temporal lobe epilepsy and schizophrenia. Prostaglandins Med 1981;6(4):375-379. PubMed
  5. Norred, C. L. and Brinker, F. Potential coagulation effects of preoperative complementary and alternative medicines. Alt Ther 2001;7(6):58-67.
  6. Puri BK. The safety of evening primrose oil in epilepsy. Prostaglandins Leukotrienes Essential Fatty Acids 2007;77:101-3. PubMed

See these in context on the Black Currant monograph →

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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