Is Fucus vesiculosus (bladderwrack) Safe with venlafaxine?
Free · No account · based on published sources including NIH ODS, FDA drug labels, and peer-reviewed literature
Avoid taking Fucus vesiculosus (bladderwrack) supplements while on venlafaxine. If currently using both, consult your prescriber promptly and report any respiratory or cardiac symptoms such as shortness of breath, cough, or irregular heartbeat.
Why this interaction occurs
Fucus vesiculosus has known potential to inhibit cytochrome P450 enzymes including CYP2D6, impairing venlafaxine metabolism and potentially causing toxic drug accumulation. This may result in severe cardiopulmonary adverse effects such as interstitial pneumonitis and dilated cardiomyopathy.
Evidence
Evidence level: limited.
Data source
PubMed - PMID 25029655
Reported safety data
The FDA’s adverse event reporting system (FAERS) has received 92,249 reports mentioning venlafaxine. This reflects reported cases involving the medication in general — not confirmed causation, and not specific to the venlafaxine + supplement combination on this page.
FAERS reports are voluntary and cannot prove that a drug caused an event. Do not use report counts to assess the safety of this specific drug-supplement pair.
Frequently asked questions
Related interactions
All Fucus vesiculosus (bladderwrack) interactions → · All venlafaxine interactions →
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Educational only — not medical advice.
Always confirm with your doctor or pharmacist.