Food and medicine interaction
Ashwagandha and immunosuppressants, such as drugs taken after a transplant or for autoimmune disease
TheoreticalEvidence level: theoretical. Suggested by how the food and the drug work, or by lab data. Not shown in people.
Last reviewed
What can happen
NCCIH lists immunosuppressants among medicines ashwagandha might interact with and says it is not recommended for people with autoimmune disorders. Whether it changes how these drugs work is not known.
- Why it happens
- NCCIH lists the interaction without a mechanism, and it has not been studied in people taking these drugs.
- At ordinary food amounts
- Ashwagandha is taken as a supplement, not a food; any regular use counts.
What to do
If you take an immunosuppressant, do not start ashwagandha without your prescriber or transplant team approving it. Do not change your immunosuppressant on your own.
Never stop or change a prescribed medicine without talking to the prescriber.
Common questions
Can I have ashwagandha while taking immunosuppressants?
If you take an immunosuppressant, do not start ashwagandha without your prescriber or transplant team approving it. Do not change your immunosuppressant on your own. Ashwagandha is taken as a supplement, not a food; any regular use counts.
Sources
Related
- RemedyAshwagandha: the full evidence pageAn Ayurvedic root sold as a stress supplement. Short trials point to lower stress scores and a small sleep benefit, but the studies are small and rare liver injury has been reported.
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