From the Guidelines
Turmeric can interact with several medications, and it is recommended to hold turmeric supplements for at least 2 weeks before surgery or when taking certain medications, due to its potential to increase the risk of bleeding and interact with various drugs. Turmeric may increase the risk of bleeding when taken with blood thinners like warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel, and other anticoagulants or antiplatelet drugs, as it inhibits platelet aggregation via thromboxane metabolism and calcium channel inhibition 1. It can also enhance the effects of diabetes medications such as insulin and sulfonylureas, potentially causing hypoglycemia, as shown in a study where patients given 2,000 mg/d of turmeric for 4 weeks had a significant decrease in fasting glucose and HbA1c 1. When combined with acid-reducing medications like omeprazole, famotidine, or ranitidine, turmeric might decrease their effectiveness. Additionally, turmeric may interact with certain chemotherapy drugs, potentially interfering with their action. The compound curcumin in turmeric inhibits certain enzymes involved in drug metabolism, which can increase blood levels of medications like statins, antidepressants, and some antibiotics, as it has been shown to inhibit 25%-75% activity of CYP1A2, CYP2D6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP3A4 1. If you're taking any prescription medications, it's essential to consult with your healthcare provider before adding turmeric supplements to your regimen, especially at doses higher than those typically used in cooking.
Some key points to consider when taking turmeric supplements include:
- Holding turmeric supplements for at least 2 weeks before surgery to minimize the risk of bleeding 1
- Monitoring blood sugar levels when taking turmeric with diabetes medications, as it may enhance their effects 1
- Being cautious when combining turmeric with acid-reducing medications, as it may decrease their effectiveness
- Consulting with a healthcare provider before taking turmeric supplements with chemotherapy drugs or other medications that may interact with turmeric
- Being aware of the potential for turmeric to increase blood levels of certain medications, such as statins, antidepressants, and some antibiotics, due to its inhibition of certain enzymes involved in drug metabolism 1
From the FDA Drug Label
Botanical (Herbal) Medicines Caution should be exercised when botanical medicines (botanicals) are taken concomitantly with warfarin sodium tablets. Few adequate, well-controlled studies exist evaluating the potential for metabolic and/or pharmacologic interactions between botanicals and warfarin sodium tablets Specific botanicals reported to affect warfarin sodium tablets therapy include the following: Bromelains, danshen, dong quai (Angelica sinensis), garlic, Ginkgo biloba, ginseng, and cranberry products are associated most often with an INCREASE in the effects of warfarin sodium tablets. Turmeric is not mentioned
The FDA drug label does not answer the question.
From the Research
Turmeric Interactions with Other Medications
There are no research papers to assist in answering this question, as the provided studies do not mention turmeric.
Interactions Between Other Medications
- Warfarin has interactions with several medications, including:
- Antiplatelet regimens, which increase the risk of clinically relevant bleeding 2
- Antimicrobials, which increase the risk of clinically relevant bleeding 2
- NSAIDs, including COX-2 NSAIDs, which increase the risk of clinically relevant bleeding 2
- SSRIs, which increase the risk of clinically relevant bleeding 2
- Mirtazapine, which increases the risk of clinically relevant bleeding 2
- Loop diuretics, which increase the risk of clinically relevant bleeding 2
- The combination of aspirin, clopidogrel, and warfarin may increase the risk of bleeding events 3
- Statins, such as simvastatin, atorvastatin, and rosuvastatin, may increase the international normalized ratio (INR) in warfarin users, although the magnitude of this change is likely of limited clinical relevance 4
- The use of triple therapy with aspirin, clopidogrel, and warfarin is associated with an increased risk of bleeding 5