Supplements and Atenolol.
Atenolol, sold under the brand name Tenormin, is a beta-blocker: it reduces heart rate and cardiac output by antagonising beta-adrenergic receptors.
Atenolol is a beta-blocker. The class reduces heart rate and cardiac output. Depending on receptor selectivity, it can also carry bronchospasm risk in patients with asthma. Cardiac-selective agents (bisoprolol, atenolol, nebivolol) carry lower bronchospasm risk than the agents that block both receptors (propranolol, carvedilol). The supplement surface is mostly quiet. The class is not strongly CYP metabolised in most cases, so the CYP interactions seen with statins and SSRIs do not apply here. Additive bradycardia from CoQ10 is small and clinically minor. Additive hypotension from beetroot, hibiscus, garlic, and magnesium at higher doses can stack on top. The signal to watch in the early weeks of any agent in this class is a resting heart rate below 50 or symptomatic dizziness on standing. Both warrant a dose review with the GP.
Below are the 2 documented pairs we have explicitly assessed against Atenolol in the Distil database: 2 amber. The pairs cluster around 2 mechanisms: Additive bradycardia (slowed heart rate) and OATP transporter inhibition (reduced absorption). Every call is cited to either a clinical reference (PMID) or the British National Formulary. Anything not on this list is either still to be assessed or beyond our database scope. The checker beneath surfaces assessments by supplement, and the missing-item form at the bottom of the page routes any uncatalogued supplement into our next curation pass.
Documented interactions
Last reviewed 15 June 2026. Each interaction below is assessed against PubMed-indexed evidence.
Additive bradycardia (slowed heart rate)
Amber Does Huperzine A interact with ?
Huperzine A can slow the heart a little through its effect on the nervous system, and beta-blockers like atenolol also slow the heart. Together they may add up and make your pulse too slow or cause dizziness or fainting. If you take a beta-blocker and huperzine A, it is worth telling your doctor and watching for a slow pulse or light-headedness. Older adults are more vulnerable to a slow pulse and to falls, so this is worth a check if it applies to you.
Evidence: Based on an established mechanism, with no direct study of this exact combination yet.
Reviewer-flagged: awaiting clinical-reviewer sign-off.
OATP transporter inhibition (reduced absorption)
Amber Does Green Tea Extract interact with ?
Green tea catechins can lower how much atenolol your body absorbs, which may make the beta-blocker less effective at controlling blood pressure or heart rate. The clearest evidence is for a related beta-blocker called nadolol, where green tea cut absorption sharply; atenolol travels through the same gut transporter, so the same effect is plausible. A practical step is to separate green tea extract from your atenolol dose by a few hours and to keep your intake steady rather than starting or stopping it suddenly.
Evidence: Limited human data, based on case reports and a known mechanism.
Reviewer-flagged: awaiting clinical-reviewer sign-off.
What this list does not say. Pairs not flagged here are not implicitly safe. They are either not yet in our database, or fall outside our inclusion scope (food-supplement interactions only; for drug-drug interactions, the BNF is authoritative). Use the checker below to surface any supplement, and submit a missing item if you take something we have not catalogued.
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How we grade severity, choose what's in scope, and what we exclude.
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