Interactions on record — worth a quick check against your medications. Based on 2 of 9 ingredients. Check your meds →
Dietary supplement

Essential Living Oils Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Dr. Ohhira's

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

Essential Living Oils is a dietary supplement by Dr. Ohhira's with 9 active ingredients. Its ingredients are commonly taken for candida and yeast overgrowth, gut health support, antimicrobial.Based on those ingredients, 348 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are Caprylic Acid, Oleic Acid. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Essential Living Oils by Dr. Ohhira's

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 9 of its 9 active ingredients.
  • No proprietary blends here — you can verify the dose of every single component.

Dr. Ohhira's Essential Living Oils is a 9-ingredient capsule formula built on fatty acids — compounds that make up the structure of fats and oils.

The two ingredients we have interaction data for are caprylic acid (a short-chain fat found in coconut oil) and oleic acid (a monounsaturated fat prominent in olive oil). The remaining active ingredients are capric acid, linoleic acid, gadoleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, palmitic acid, and vaccenic acid — all naturally occurring fatty acids.

The capsule also contains several inactive oils including flax seed, rice bran, sunflower seed, avocado, perilla, tea seed, olive, and borage oils, plus capsule materials.

Does it work?

Moderate evidence
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
Moderate

Some clinical evidence supports this product's ingredients for its stated purpose, but it isn't conclusive.

Why this rating?
  • The label markets this product for: vegan alternative to fish oils for complete balanced EFA.
  • We looked for evidence on: Coronary heart disease (CHD), Hypercholesterolemia, Hypertension, Stroke, cardiovascular health, omega fatty acids — and 1 related terms.
  • The strongest evidence on file: Oleic Acid is rated "Possibly Effective" for Coronary heart disease (CHD) (Natural Medicines).
  • Also on file: Oleic Acid is rated "Possibly Effective" for Hypercholesterolemia.
  • Also on file: Oleic Acid is rated "Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate" for Hypertension, Stroke.

For oleic acid, the data shows it's possibly effective for high cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia) and coronary heart disease — preliminary research suggests that diets rich in oleic acid from olive oil improve cholesterol markers. For caprylic acid, we hold insufficient evidence to rate its effectiveness for epilepsy or essential tremor; the studies so far don't give us a clear picture.

For the other seven ingredients, effectiveness data isn't established in what we hold on file.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Caprylic Acid Oleic Acid

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 2 matched ingredients.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 2 of 2.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 2 of 2.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Caprylic acid is generally well tolerated short-term when taken by mouth. The most common side effects are mild stomach discomfort and taste changes; rarely, some people report mild dizziness, headache, or fatigue.

Oleic acid is recognized as safe in normal food amounts from oils like olive oil, but we hold little safety data for concentrated supplement doses. For pregnancy and breastfeeding: caprylic acid occurs naturally in breast milk, but the safety of concentrated supplements during pregnancy or nursing is unknown — talk with your doctor or pharmacist for personalized advice.

For oleic acid, food amounts are considered safe, but concentrated supplement doses during pregnancy have not been well studied, so again — check with your doctor or pharmacist before use.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Caprylic Acid 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?
  • 2 of the 2 matched ingredients can interact with medications — Caprylic Acid, Oleic Acid.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: anticoagulant / antiplatelet drugs; diabetes medications.
  • For scale: 348 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.

Check your medications with us if you take any blood pressure medicines, NSAIDs like ibuprofen or naproxen, warfarin (Coumadin), or diabetes medications. These are the drug types this product's ingredients may interact with at Moderate severity.

No interactions are documented for the seven ingredients we could not check.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with some supporting evidence for its stated purpose. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

This product may be worth considering if you're interested in a fatty-acid formula, but it's not for everyone. If you take blood pressure medicine, NSAIDs, warfarin, or diabetes medication, you'll want to run your exact drugs through our interaction checker before you start.

Talk with your pharmacist before taking this, especially if you're pregnant, nursing, or on any regular medications.

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

Assessment coverage: 2 of 9 active ingredients matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Oct 10, 2014.

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 Essential Living Oils, straight from the product label.

Brand Dr. Ohhira's
Barcode (UPC) 695927121329
Net contents 60 Capsule(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Oct 10, 2014
DSLD ID 36916
Product type Fat/fatty Acid
Supplement form Capsule
Dietary claims / uses Nutrient, All Other, Structure/Function
Intended target group(s) Vegan, Vegetarian, Adult (18 - 50 Years)
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 Essential Living Oils by Dr. Ohhira's, 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:
2 Capsule(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
2 Capsule(s)
Servings per container
30
UPC/BARCODE
695927121329
IngredientAmount% DV
Calories6.5 {Calories}--
Stearic Acid29.7 mg3.3%
Calories from Fat5.5 {Calories}--
Total Fat0.61 Gram(s)1%
Caprylic Acid9 mg1%
Capric Acid1.8 mg0.2%
Linoleic Acid143.1 mg15.9%
Oleic Acid115 mg12.7%
Gadoleic Acid0.9 mg0.1%
Alpha-Linolenic Acid551.5 mg61.5%
Palmitic Acid41.4 mg4.6%
Vaccenic Acid4.5 mg0.5%

Other ingredients: Flax Seed Oil, Rice Bran oil, Sunflower Seed Oil, Avocado oil, Perilla oil, Tea seed oil, Olive Oil, Borage oil, Capsule ingredients:

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.
Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Suggested Use: 2 capsules daily with a meal or as directed by a health care professional.

Precautions

Keep out of reach of children.

Storage

Store in a cool, dry place.

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.

Formulation

VEGAN ALTERNATIVE TO FISH OILS

Certified Vegan American Vegetarian Association AVA

General Statements

COMPLETE AND BALANCED EFA

PRODUCT OF JAPAN

972-255-6648 (Fax)

Formulated by award-winning scientist Iichiroh Ohhira, Ph.D., Essential Living Oils provides a certified vegan source of Omega-3, -6 and -9 essential fatty acids in the proper ratio 4:1:1. The cold-pressed oils are derived from eight non-GMO plants and seeds organically grown to Japanese Agricultural Standards. This blend provides all the good fats in an ideal balance to support whole health.

ALA, GLA, vitamin E, antioxidants and micronutrients are naturally occurring constituents.

NET WT. 27G

FDA Statement of Identity

DIETARY SUPPLEMENT

See for yourself

Essential Living Oils by Dr. Ohhira's label

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

What’s inside

The Ingredients in Essential Living Oils by Dr. Ohhira's

These are the 9 active ingredients this product is made of. Select any to open its full monograph.

Serving size2 Capsule(s) Dosage formCapsule Servings per container30 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.

Stearic Acid

29.7 mg per serving

Caprylic Acid

Interacts with
262 drugs
9 mg per serving

Caprylic acid is a medium-chain fatty acid found in coconut oil and palm kernel oil that is popularly used for yeast overgrowth and gut health. While...

Caprylic Acid monograph & interactions

Capric Acid

1.8 mg per serving

Linoleic Acid

143.1 mg per serving

Oleic Acid

Interacts with
86 drugs
115 mg per serving

Oleic acid is a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat found mainly in olive oil, canola oil, avocados, and nuts. As part of a Mediterranean-style diet, it...

Oleic Acid monograph & interactions

Gadoleic Acid

0.9 mg per serving

Alpha-Linolenic Acid

551.5 mg per serving

Palmitic Acid

41.4 mg per serving

Vaccenic Acid

4.5 mg per serving

Other (inactive) ingredients: Flax Seed Oil, Rice Bran oil, Sunflower Seed Oil, Avocado oil, Perilla oil, Tea seed oil, Olive Oil, Borage oil, Capsule ingredients:. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

Essential Living Oils by Dr. Ohhira's Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Essential Living Oils?

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
348Drugs
348 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Essential Living Oils with known interactions, here are the types of medications they can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

Caprylic Acid3 drug types · 262 drugs

Antihypertensive Drugs

Theoretically, caprylic acid might increase the risk of hypotension when used with antihypertensive drugs.
Animal research suggests that caprylic acid might have positive inotropic effects, resulting in reduced arterial pressure and vascular resistance and increased cardiac output.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (Nsaids)

Theoretically, caprylic acid might increase plasma concentrations of NSAIDs.
In vitro research suggests that caprylic acid might displace NSAIDs from binding sites on albumin. This effect has not been reported in humans.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Warfarin (Coumadin)

Theoretically, caprylic acid might increase plasma concentrations of warfarin.
In vitro research suggests that high doses of caprylic acid might displace warfarin from albumin binding sites. This effect has not been reported in humans.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Oleic Acid1 drug type · 86 drugs

Antidiabetes Drugs

Theoretically, oleic acid might increase the effects of antidiabetes drugs. Preliminary clinical research in patients with type 2 diabetes taking oral hypoglycemic drugs shows that eating a diet rich in oleic acid from olive oil decreases fasting blood glucose levels when compared to eating a diet rich in linoleic acid from sunflower oil. It is unknown if taking oleic acid supplements would have this effect or if this change is clinically significant. Until more is known, use caution. Dose adjustment may be necessary. Some antidiabetes drugs include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, metformin (Glucophage), pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), and others.

Likelihood Possible Evidence B
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Essential Living Oils, from the product label.

Dr. Ohhira's

See all Dr. Ohhira's products
Name
Essential Formulas Incorporated
Street Address
PO Box 166139
City
Irving
State
TX
ZipCode
75016-6139
Phone Number
972-255-3918
Web Address
www.EssentialFormulas.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Essential Living Oils by Dr. Ohhira's: Common Questions

Does Essential Living Oils by Dr. Ohhira's interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Essential Living Oils has a known interaction with 348 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Essential Living Oils contains 9 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.
What are these fatty acids supposed to do?
Oleic acid — one of the ingredients we could check — has preliminary research behind it for high cholesterol and heart disease. The others are naturally occurring fats, but we don't hold evidence for what the other ingredients are meant to do in supplement form.
Can I take this if I'm pregnant?
There isn't enough data to know either way for these fatty acids in concentrated supplement doses during pregnancy. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking it — they can give you personalized advice.
Can I take this while breastfeeding?
Caprylic acid naturally appears in breast milk, but we don't have good safety data for concentrated supplements while nursing. Oleic acid also lacks well-studied safety data at supplement doses during breastfeeding. Check with your doctor or pharmacist for advice tailored to your situation.
What are the side effects?
Caprylic acid is generally well tolerated short-term. Most common are mild stomach discomfort and taste changes. Rarely, people report mild dizziness, headache, or fatigue. We hold no adverse-effect data for the other ingredients.
Does this contain any fillers or inactive ingredients?
Yes — the capsule contains several inactive oils including flax seed, rice bran, sunflower seed, avocado, perilla, tea seed, olive, and borage oils, plus capsule materials.
Will this lower my blood sugar if I take diabetes medication?
Oleic acid may theoretically increase the effects of diabetes medications — preliminary research shows diets rich in oleic acid can lower fasting blood sugar. This is a reason to check your exact diabetes drug with us before starting and to talk with your pharmacist.

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

Not sure if Essential Living Oils 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.

Essential Living Oils label
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Essential Living Oils'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 24 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.

Caprylic Acid 5 references
  1. Massolini G, Aubry AF, McGann A, Wainer IW. Determination of the magnitude and enantioselectivity of ligand binding to rat and rabbit serum albumins using immobilized-protein high performance liquid chromatography stationary phases. Biochem Pharmacol 1993 PubMed
  2. Kristev A, Mitkov D, Lukanov Y, Chapkynov P. The effect of octanoic fatty acid on the cardiovascular system of the guinea pig. Cor Vasa 1989;31(4):321-7.
  3. Hayball PF, Holman JW, Nation RL. Influence of octanoic acid on the reversible protein binding of ketorolac enantiomers to human serum albumin (HSA): comparative liquid chromatographic studies using a HSA chiral stationary phase. J Chromatogr B Biomed App PubMed
  4. Noctor TA, Wainer IW, Hage DS. Allosteric and competitive displacement of drugs from human serum albumin by octanoic acid, as revealed by high-performance liquid affinity chromatography, on a human serum albumin-based stationary phase. J Chromatogr 1992;5 PubMed
  5. Voller B, Lines E, McCrossin G, et al. Dose-escalation study of octanoic acid in patients with essential tremor. J Clin Invest. 2016;126(4):1451-7. PubMed

See these in context on the Caprylic Acid monograph →

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 →

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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