Supplements and Naproxen.
Naproxen, sold under the brand names Naprosyn, Aleve, is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID): it inhibits cyclooxygenase enzymes, with documented gastrointestinal and renal long-term risks.
Naproxen is the second most prescribed NSAID in England after ibuprofen. It is the COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitor of choice when a longer plasma half life is useful, with 12-hour dosing rather than 6 to 8. It blocks both cyclooxygenase enzymes, reducing inflammation and pain driven by prostaglandins. But it also reduces the protective gastric and renal prostaglandin signalling that drives the NSAID side effect profile. Sustained NSAID use carries gastric ulceration risk (mitigated when a PPI is co-prescribed), reduced antihypertensive effect of ACE inhibitors and ARBs, additive renal stress in CKD, and additive antiplatelet effect with aspirin. The supplement story splits in two. First, anti-inflammatory supplements (curcumin, boswellia, omega-3 EPA) overlap mechanism with naproxen in the COX pathway. Additive effects exist but rarely clinically problematic at OTC doses. Second, ginkgo, garlic extract, and fish oil at high doses add to bleeding risk when stacked with naproxen, especially around dental work or surgery.
Below are the 7 documented pairs we have explicitly assessed against Naproxen in the Distil database: 7 amber. The pairs cluster around 4 mechanisms: Additive hyperkalaemia (raised potassium), Additive renal stress, Additive antiplatelet effect, and Reduced renal lithium clearance. 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 17 June 2026. Each interaction below lists the evidence its assessment drew on: some rest on studies of the exact pair, others on mechanism evidence, where a citation may support one part of the reasoning rather than the exact combination. The evidence line on each entry says which.
Additive hyperkalaemia (raised potassium)
Amber Does Potassium interact with ?
Anti-inflammatory painkillers like naproxen can make the kidneys hold on to a little more potassium. On their own the effect is usually small, but added to a potassium supplement, and especially if your kidneys are not working at full strength or you take a blood-pressure medicine that also raises potassium, it can nudge your potassium higher. If you take naproxen regularly, mention any potassium supplement to your GP or pharmacist.
Evidence: Supported by human study data.
Additive renal stress
Amber Does Creatine Monohydrate interact with ?
The caution with creatine and naproxen is for taking naproxen often over a long stretch, or if you already have reduced kidney function: naproxen lowers blood flow through the kidneys, and that is the situation where adding creatine's extra workload is worth a doctor's eye. On its own, creatine is safe for the kidneys in healthy people, and occasional naproxen is fine alongside it. One more practical point: creatine naturally pushes up a blood marker called creatinine, the same marker used to check your kidneys, so tell your GP or the lab you take creatine before any kidney blood test on naproxen, or the result can look worse than it really is.
Evidence: Based on an established mechanism, with no direct study of this exact combination yet.
Reviewer-flagged: awaiting clinical-reviewer sign-off.
Additive antiplatelet effect
Amber Does Bromelain interact with ?
Bromelain has mild blood-thinning activity that can add to the bleeding risk of anti-inflammatory painkillers like naproxen. Stop high-dose bromelain about two weeks before any planned surgery. Short-term use of the combination is usually fine as long as you notice no unusual bruising or bleeding.
Evidence: Limited human data, based on case reports and a known mechanism.
Reviewer-flagged: awaiting clinical-reviewer sign-off.
Amber Does Garlic Extract interact with ?
High-dose garlic extract has its own mild antiplatelet effect on top of naproxen's. For occasional pain relief at standard doses, this is rarely a problem. For chronic NSAID use or pre-surgery, the combined effect can mean more bleeding and bruising.
Evidence: Limited human data, based on case reports and a known mechanism.
Amber Does Ginkgo Biloba interact with ?
Both ginkgo and naproxen can slow blood clotting. Used together for short periods at standard doses, the combined effect is usually mild. Used at high doses for long periods, the combined effect can mean more bleeding and bruising. Stop ginkgo at least two weeks before any planned surgery.
Evidence: Limited human data, based on case reports and a known mechanism.
Amber Does Omega-3 EPA interact with ?
High-dose omega-3 has a mild antiplatelet effect that adds to naproxen's. At typical supplement doses and short-course NSAID use, the combined effect is usually mild. At high doses or for chronic NSAID use, the additive bleeding tendency is worth knowing about.
Evidence: Limited human data, based on case reports and a known mechanism.
Reduced renal lithium clearance
Amber Does Lithium Orotate interact with ?
Anti-inflammatory painkillers such as naproxen can make the kidneys hold on to lithium, which raises the lithium level in the blood. With prescription lithium this is a recognised caution. At the small amount of lithium in a typical lithium orotate supplement (around 5 mg) the effect is expected to be very small; it matters more for higher-strength products (around 20 mg) and for anyone whose kidney function is reduced. If you take regular anti-inflammatories, check with your pharmacist or GP before using a lithium supplement.
Evidence: Based on an established mechanism, with no direct study of this exact combination yet.
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.
Every call on this page is reasoned. We publish the full rubric for severity tiers, the medication inclusion logic, the evidence grades we accept, and what we deliberately leave out. About three thousand words. Worth reading once if you use this tool more than occasionally.
Read the full methodologyA full supplement review, built around you, not a generic stack.
The free checker answers one interaction question at a time. A Distil report reviews the bigger picture: your goals, diet, medications, current supplements and any blood results you provide, then shows what appears worth keeping, changing, adding or leaving out.
- what your diet already covers, so you are not adding a capsule for something food is already handling
- which evidence-graded compounds are worth considering for your goals, and which were considered but left out
- what to keep, change or stop from what you already take, plus the order to introduce anything new
- how your medications and complete supplement stack fit together, with daily timing and a clear point for reassessment
The interaction check is one section of the full report. You also get the reasoning behind each recommendation and the evidence references used.
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