Does Turmeric Interfere With BP Or Cholesterol Medicines?

Posted on Sun, 11 Oct 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sun, 11 Oct 2015 Answered on

Wed, 28 Oct 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : I heard somewhere tumeric interferes with some medicines, ie BP meds or cholesterol meds. Is this true?

Answered by Dr. Ilir Sharka (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
It doesn't interfere with these drugs.

Detailed Answer:
Hello!

Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM!

I would explain that this is a herbal drug that is used in several disorders :
dyspepsia, abdominal pain, hemorrhage, diarrhea, flatulence, abdominal bloating, loss of appetite, jaundice, hepatitis, and liver and gallbladder complaints, headaches, bronchitis, colds, respiratory infections, fibromyalgia, leprosy, fever, amenorrhea, and cancer, etc.

But, it has been proven to be effective only in dyspepsia and there is insufficient data based evidence for its efficacy in other disorders.

There are many discussions about its interactions with other drugs, but the only proved interaction, based on clinical data is cinnamon. When administered concomitantly with turmeric, they both increase anticoagulation.

There is no data evidence for any other possible interactions, even with heparine and anticoagulants.

So it would be safe to take turmeric and blood pressure medicine or cholesterol medicine.

Hope to have been of help!

Best wishes,

Dr. Iliri

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar