Is Green Tea Safe With Eliquis?

Answer

Thanks for reaching out! You specifically mentioned 'green tea diet pills' in your question but didn't say if you were considering a specific product (which may or may not contain additional ingredients). So, I'll write about whether or not green tea itself, or an extract, is safe with Eliquis.

If you have a specific product in mind you want to ask about, please be sure to reach out to us again.

Green Tea With Eliquis

First and foremost, there are going to be many over-the-counter dietary supplements that have a theoretical interaction with Eliquis (apixaban) simply because Eliquis is an anticoagulant drug and countless herbals and supplements are purported to have at least mild anticoagulant effects.

That is what we see when we look at combining green tea with Eliquis.

Green tea, both as a liquid or when used as an extract in dietary supplements marketed for weight loss, may have mild anticoagulant effects. This, in theory, increases the risk of bleeding.

It has to be said though, that evidence regarding the anticoagulant effects (i.e., blood-thinning effects) of green tea is quite conflicting. Some studies have shown it may have very mild effects on blood clotting caused by a few compounds found in green tea, namely catechins and caffeine, but most studies report that the interaction is likely clinically insignificant when consuming usual amounts of green tea (and not extremely high doses).

It also must be noted that most studies that have evaluated the anticoagulant effects of green tea have only been done in a lab setting (i.e., in vitro) and human evidence is lacking.

So, overall, although there is likely only a very small risk of a clinically significant interaction, it's always important to be on the lookout for signs and symptoms of bleeding, especially when taking a drug like Eliquis. Symptoms to look out for include easy bruising and bleeding, bleeding gums, and black/tarry stools.

Also, be sure to let your doctor know about all the medication you are taking so you can be appropriately monitored.

Be Cautious With Any Blood-Thinning Medication

As mentioned, although green tea is unlikely to have strong anticoagulant/antiplatelet effects, you should be cautious about combining it with certain medications. That, of course, includes the drug in question here, Eliquis, but also other blood-thinning medications, such as:

• Coumadin
• Pradaxa
• Eliquis
• Xarelto
• Lovenox
• Brilinta
• Effient
• Aspirin
• Cilostazol

Always watch for signs of easy bruising or bleeding when taking blood-thinning medication.

Final Words

Thanks again for contacting us! Feel free to contact us again anytime, and be sure to use our free 'drug-herbal interaction checker' as well!