Interactions on record — worth a quick check against your medications. Based on 1 of 3 ingredients. Check your meds →
Dietary supplement

Carbo Gain Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by NOW Sports

Powder Category: Other Combinations
Most serious interaction: Moderate
The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

Carbo Gain is a dietary supplement by NOW Sports with 3 active ingredients. Its ingredients are commonly taken for replacing fluids and electrolytes, preventing dehydration during exercise or illness, treating low blood sodium (under medical care).Based on those ingredients, 205 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are Sodium. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Carbo Gain by NOW Sports

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

Partial disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Partial

Most active ingredients list an amount, but at least one is hidden in a blend or missing.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 1 of its 2 active ingredients.

Carbo Gain has 2 active ingredients. Sodium is an electrolyte essential for nerve and muscle function, though the product delivers it as a supplement rather than from food.

Maltodextrin is a carbohydrate used here as an energy source. There are no other inactive ingredients listed.

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: sustain energy levels during endurance exercise.
  • We looked for evidence on: Athletic performance, Muscular energy, Endurance.
  • Our graded evidence for these ingredients doesn't cover that particular purpose.

The evidence we hold rates sodium as likely effective for cystic fibrosis and possibly effective for reducing kidney damage from amphotericin B (an antifungal drug). For bipolar disorder and congestive heart failure, the evidence isn't strong enough to rate.

Since this product is positioned as a carbohydrate supplement for sports or general energy, those specific uses aren't addressed in the data we have.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Sodium

How safe is it?

Well-documented data
Safety Information · database check
Well characterized

Adverse-effect, pregnancy, and general safety data are on file for most of these ingredients.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 1 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.

Sodium is generally well tolerated at normal dietary amounts, but too much is linked to high blood pressure, heart strain, and worsening kidney disease. The safety data advises caution: normal dietary sodium is fine, but avoid sodium supplements or very high intake without talking it over with your doctor first.

Pregnancy and lactation ratings in our data are mixed — one entry marks it likely safe, another possibly unsafe — so this is something you'll need to discuss with your doctor or pharmacist if you're pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Sodium

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 — Sodium.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: lithium.
  • For scale: 205 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.

Before you start, double-check with your doctor or pharmacist if you take blood pressure medications, corticosteroids, lithium, didanosine, sodium phosphate bowel-prep solutions, tolvaptan, or any other sodium-containing drugs — all are documented to interact with sodium at Moderate severity.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glancePartially disclosed formula with no assessable stated purpose. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

If you're taking medications for blood pressure, mood, kidney function, or HIV, or using any sodium-containing drugs or supplements, check with your doctor or pharmacist before adding this product — sodium intake can shift how those medications work or raise your electrolyte levels too high. For most people without those concerns, normal dietary sodium is fine, but supplementing it calls for personalized medical advice.

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

Assessment coverage: 1 of 2 active ingredients matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Dec 24, 2013.

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 Carbo Gain, straight from the product label.

Brand NOW Sports
Barcode (UPC) 733739020208
Net contents 2 lbs; 907 Gram(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Dec 24, 2013
DSLD ID 28440
Product type Other Combinations
Supplement form Powder
Dietary claims / uses All Other, Structure/Function
Intended target group(s) Vegan, Vegetarian, Adult (18 - 50 Years), Gluten Free, Dairy 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 Carbo Gain by NOW Sports, 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:
67 Gram(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
134 Gram(s)
Servings per container
14
UPC/BARCODE
733739020208
IngredientAmount% DV
Calories250 {Calories}--
Total Carbohydrates63 Gram(s)21%
Sugar2 Gram(s)--
Sodium45 Gram(s)2%
Maltodextrin0 NP--

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.
General Statements

Maltodextrin is comprised of "glucose polymers," which are chains of glucose molecules that are easy for the body to digest and assimilate. Maltodextrin can help to sustain energy levels during endurance exercise by enhancing muscular energy stores. Furthermore, maltodextrin use during exercise can help the body cope with the biological stress produced by intense training, thereby supporting the post-workout recovery process. Carbo Gain represents a convenient way to fuel your body with the quick, but sustaining energy it needs during intense physical activity.*

Made in the USA

Complex Carbohydrate

For more product information visit www.nowfoods.com/2020

This product is sold by weight not volume.

Please Recycle.

FDA Disclaimer Statement

*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Seals/Symbols

No Aspartame - No Sucralose - No Acesulfame-K ALL NATURAL

GMP QUALITY ASSURED

FDA Statement of Identity

Dietary Supplement

Formulation

Vegetarian/Vegan

Not manufactured with yeast, wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish or tree nut ingredients.

Precautions

Not manufactured with yeast, wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish or tree nut ingredients. Produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens.

Caution: For adults only.

Consult physician if pregnant/nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition.

Keep out of reach of children.

Storage

Store in a cool, dry place after opening.

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

SUGGESTED USAGE: Mix 2/3 cup of Carbo Gain in 24 oz. of water or juice. Consume before, during and after intense exercise for best results. Double this recipe if engaging in prolonged exertion of 2 hours or more.

Formula

NOW(R) Carbo Gain is a 100% pure maltodextrin, an easily digestible complex carbohydrate derived from corn.

General

CODE 2020B V3

See for yourself

Carbo Gain by NOW Sports label

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

What’s inside

The Ingredients in Carbo Gain by NOW Sports

These are the 3 active ingredients this product is made of. Select any to open its full monograph.

Serving size67 Gram(s) Dosage formPowder Servings per container14 Amounts shown are per serving.

Most supplement products combine several ingredients, and a medication can interact with the product through any one of them. Each ingredient below shows whether it has known drug interactions.

Sugar

2 Gram(s) per serving

Sodium

Interacts with
205 drugs
45 Gram(s) per serving

Sodium is an essential mineral and electrolyte your body needs to balance fluids, support nerves, and help muscles work. Most people in modern diets g...

Sodium monograph & interactions

Maltodextrin

0 NP per serving Form: Corn
Interaction report

Carbo Gain by NOW Sports Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Carbo Gain?

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
205Drugs
205 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Sodium 205

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Carbo Gain 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.

Sodium7 drug types · 205 drugs

Antihypertensive Drugs

Theoretically, a high intake of dietary sodium might reduce the effectiveness of antihypertensive drugs.
High intake of dietary sodium can increase systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Also, high intake of sodium may necessitate increased use of antihypertensive medications to achieve blood pressure control in some patients, such as those with chronic kidney disease.

Likelihood Probable Evidence A
Corticosteroids

Concomitant use of mineralocorticoids and some glucocorticoids with sodium supplements might increase the risk of hypernatremia.
Mineralocorticoids and some glucocorticoids (corticosteroids) cause sodium retention. This effect is dose-related and depends on mineralocorticoid potency. It is most common with hydrocortisone, cortisone, and fludrocortisone, followed by prednisone and prednisolone.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Didanosine (Videx)

Concomitant use of didanosine with additional sodium from dietary or supplemental sources may increase the risk of hypernatremia.
Didanosine formulations contain a significant amount of sodium.

Likelihood Probable Evidence C
Lithium

Altering dietary intake of sodium might alter the levels and clinical effects of lithium.
High sodium intake can reduce plasma concentrations of lithium by increasing lithium excretion. Reducing sodium intake can significantly increase plasma concentrations of lithium and cause lithium toxicity in patients being treated with lithium carbonate. Stabilizing sodium intake is shown to reduce the percentage of patients with lithium level fluctuations above 0.8 mEq/L. Patients taking lithium should avoid significant alterations in their dietary intake of sodium.

Likelihood Probable Evidence B
Sodium Phosphates

Theoretically, concomitant use of sodium phosphate with sodium supplements might increase the risk of hypernatremia.
Use of high doses (> 45 mL in 24 hours) of sodium phosphate, such as those used for bowel cleansing before surgery, can lead to serious electrolyte disturbances, including hypernatremia. The risk of hypernatremia is highest in the elderly and people with other risk factors for electrolyte disturbances.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Sodium-Containing Drugs

Concomitant use of sodium-containing drugs with additional sodium from dietary or supplemental sources may increase the risk of hypernatremia and long-term sodium-related complications.
The Chronic Disease Risk Reduction (CDRR) intake level of 2.3 grams of sodium daily indicates the intake at which it is believed that chronic disease risk increases for the apparently healthy population. Some medications contain high quantities of sodium. When used in conjunction with sodium supplements or high-sodium diets, the CDRR may be exceeded. Additionally, concomitant use may increase the risk for hypernatremia; this risk is highest in the elderly and people with other risk factors for electrolyte disturbances.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Tolvaptan (Samsca)

Theoretically, concomitant use of tolvaptan with sodium might increase the risk of hypernatremia.
Tolvaptan is a vasopressin receptor 2 antagonist that is used to increase sodium levels in patients with hyponatremia. Patients taking tolvaptan should use caution with the use of sodium salts such as sodium chloride.

Likelihood Probable Evidence C
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Carbo Gain, from the product label.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Carbo Gain by NOW Sports: Common Questions

Does Carbo Gain by NOW Sports interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Carbo Gain has a known interaction with 205 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Carbo Gain contains 3 active ingredients, and an interaction can come from any of them. We check every ingredient, combine the results into one list per medication, and show which ingredient and mechanism is 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.
Is sodium in this product actually necessary?
Sodium is essential for nerve and muscle function, and you normally get it from food. This product adds supplemental sodium, which you'll want to discuss with your doctor — especially if you already take medications or have high blood pressure, kidney issues, or heart disease.
What's maltodextrin and does it do anything?
Maltodextrin is a carbohydrate used as an energy source in sports and fitness products. We don't have interaction data on file for it.
Can I take this while pregnant or breastfeeding?
The safety data we have is mixed — one rating says it's likely safe, another says possibly unsafe. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist; they can weigh your individual situation and advise you.
Is too much sodium really a problem?
Yes. High sodium intake is linked to high blood pressure, heart strain, kidney disease, and increased gastric cancer risk in population studies. The safety notes advise keeping to normal dietary amounts and avoiding supplements without medical guidance.
What if I'm on blood pressure medication?
High sodium can make blood pressure drugs work less well, so you may need dose adjustments. Check with your doctor or pharmacist before using this product.

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

Not sure if Carbo Gain 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.

Carbo Gain label
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Carbo Gain'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 38 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.

Sodium 38 references
  1. Garabedian-Ruffalo SM, Ruffalo RL. Drug and nutrient interactions. Am Fam Physician 1986;33:165-74.
  2. Food and Drug Administration Science Background: Safety of Sodium Phosphates Oral Solution. September 17, 2001. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/safety/sodiumphospate.htm
  3. Coton T, Mallaret C, Coilliot C, Carre D, Guisset M. Severe acute ulcerated gastritis induced by salt. Presse Med 2009;38(3):499-500. PubMed
  4. Frings-Meuthen P, Buehlmeier J, Baecker N, et al. High sodium chloride intake exacerbates immobilization-induced bone resorption and protein losses. J Appl Physiol 2011;111(2):537-542. PubMed
  5. Frings-Meuthen P, Baecker N, Heer M. Low-grade metabolic acidosis may be the cause of sodium chloride-induced exaggerated bone resorption. J Bone Miner Res 2008;23(4):517-524. PubMed
  6. Alam S, Johnson AG. A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCT) among healthy normotensive and essential hypertensive elderly patients to determine the effect of high salt (NaCl) diet of blood pressure. J Hum Hypertens 1999;13(6):367-74.
  7. Boudville N, Ward S, Benaroia M, House AA. Increased sodium intake correlates with greater use of antihypertensive agents by subjects with chronic kidney disease. Am J Hypertens 2005;18(10):1300-5. PubMed
  8. Bennett WM. Drug interactions and consequences of sodium restriction. Am J Clin Nutr 1997;65(2 Suppl):678S-681S. PubMed
  9. Okusa MD, Crystal LJ. Clinical manifestations and management of acute lithium intoxication. Am J Med 1994;97(4):383-9. PubMed
  10. Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Dietary reference intakes for water, potassium, sodium, chloride, and sulfate. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2005. Available at: http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=10925. DOI
  11. D'Elia L, Rossi G, Ippolito R, Cappuccio FP, Strazzullo P. Habitual salt intake and risk of gastric cancer: a meta-analysis of prospective studies. Clin Nutr 2012;31(4):489-98. PubMed
  12. Goldsmith SR. Hyponatremia in heart failure: time for a trial. J Card Fail 2013;19(6):398-400. PubMed
  13. Willocks L, Brettle R, Keen J, Valentine C, Pinching AJ. Formulations of didanosine (ddI) and salt overload. Lancet 1992;339(8786):190.
  14. Chen L, Zhang Z, Chen W, Whelton PK, Appel LJ. Lower Sodium Intake and Risk of Headaches: Results From the Trial of Nonpharmacologic Interventions in the Elderly. Am J Public Health. 2016;106(7):1270-5. PubMed
  15. Cook NR, Appel LJ, Whelton PK. Lower levels of sodium intake and reduced cardiovascular risk. Circulation. 2014;129(9):981-9. PubMed
  16. Cook NR, Appel LJ, Whelton PK. Sodium Intake and All-Cause Mortality Over 20 Years in the Trials of Hypertension Prevention. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2016;68(15):1609-1617. PubMed
  17. Mente A, O'Donnell M, Rangarajan S, et al. Associations of urinary sodium excretion with cardiovascular events in individuals with and without hypertension: a pooled analysis of data from four studies. Lancet. 2016;388(10043):465-75. PubMed
  18. Moosavian SP, Haghighatdoost F, Surkan PJ, Azadbakht L. Salt and obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2017;68(3):265-277. PubMed
  19. O'Donnell M, Mente A, Rangarajan S, et al. Urinary sodium and potassium excretion, mortality, and cardiovascular events. N Engl J Med. 2014;371(7):612-23. DOI
  20. Poggio R, Gutierrez L, Matta MG, Elorriaga N, Irazola V, Rubinstein A. Daily sodium consumption and CVD mortality in the general population: systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies. Public Health Nutr. 2015;18(4):695-704. PubMed
  21. Stallings VA, Harrison M, Oria M; Committee to Review the Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium, Food and Nutrition Board, Health and Medicine Division, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Washington (DC): National Acad
  22. Mahtani KR, Heneghan C, Onakpoya I, et al. Reduced Salt Intake for Heart Failure: A Systematic Review. JAMA Intern Med. 2018 Dec 1;178(12):1693-1700. PubMed
  23. Yancy CW. Sodium Restriction in Heart Failure: Too Much Uncertainty-Do the Trials. JAMA Intern Med. 2018 Dec 1;178(12):1700-1701. PubMed
  24. He FJ, Campbell NRC, Ma Y, MacGregor GA, Cogswell ME, Cook NR. Errors in estimating usual sodium intake by the Kawasaki formula alter its relationship with mortality: implications for public health. Int J Epidemiol. 2018;47(6):1784-1795. PubMed
  25. Murthy K, Ondrey GJ, Malkani N, et al. THE EFFECTS OF HYPONATREMIA ON BONE DENSITY AND FRACTURES: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS. Endocr Pract. 2019;25(4):366-378. PubMed
  26. Messerli FH, Hofstetter L, Syrogiannouli L, et al. Sodium intake, life expectancy, and all-cause mortality. Eur Heart J 2021;42(21):2103-2112. PubMed
  27. Graudal NA, Hubeck-Graudal T, Jurgens G. Effects of low sodium diet versus high sodium diet on blood pressure, renin, aldosterone, catecholamines, cholesterol, and triglyceride. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2020;12(12):CD004022. PubMed
  28. Giatti S, Santos RB, Aielo AN, et al. Association of sodium with obstructive sleep apnea. The ELSA-Brasil study. Ann Am Thorac Soc 2021;18(3):502-510. PubMed
  29. Nan X, Lu H, Wu J, et al. The interactive association between sodium intake, alcohol consumption and hypertension among elderly in northern China: a cross-sectional study. BMC Geriatr 2021;21(1):135. PubMed
  30. Kyozuka H, Fukusda T, Murata T, et al. Impact of preconception sodium intake on hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: The Japan Environment and Children's study. Pregnancy Hypertens 2021;23:66-72. PubMed
  31. Zhao L, Ogden CL, Yang Q, et al. Association of usual sodium intake with obesity among US children and adolescents, NHANES 2009-2016. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2021;29(3):587-594. PubMed
  32. Ma Y, He FJ, Sun Q, et al. 24-Hour urinary sodium and potassium excretion and cardiovascular risk. N Engl J Med 2022;386(3):252-263. PubMed
  33. Liu J, Yang X, Zhang P, et al. Association of urinary sodium excretion and left ventricular hypertrophy in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A cross-sectional study. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021;12:728493. PubMed
  34. Filippini T, Malavolti M, Whelton PK, Vinceti M. Sodium intake and risk of hypertension: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of observational cohort studies. Curr Hypertens Rep 2022;24(5):133-144. PubMed
  35. Wang DD, Li Y, Nguyen XT, et al. Dietary sodium and potassium intake and risk of non-fatal cardiovascular diseases: The million veteran program. Nutrients 2022;14(5):1121. PubMed
  36. Kwak JH, Park CH, Eun CS, et al. The associations of dietary intake of high sodium and low zinc with gastric cancer mortality: A prospective cohort study in Korea. Nutr Cancer 2022;74(10):3501-3508. PubMed
  37. George S, Maiti R, Mishra BR, Jena M, Mohapatra D. Effect of regulated add-on sodium chloride intake on stabilization of serum lithium concentration in bipolar disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Bipolar Disord 2023;25(1):66-75. PubMed
  38. Zhou TL, Schütten MTJ, Kroon AA, et al. Urinary Sodium Excretion and Salt Intake Are Not Associated With Blood Pressure Variability in a White General Population. J Am Heart Assoc 2023;12(1):e026578. PubMed

See these in context on the Sodium 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

Keep exploring