The supplements that don't play nicely with your medicines
"It's natural" doesn't mean "it's free of consequences." A few common supplements have real effects on prescription medicines.
The usual suspects
St John's wort can blunt the pill, some antidepressants and blood thinners. High-dose fish oil and vitamin E nudge bleeding risk. Calcium and iron can stop certain antibiotics and thyroid tablets from absorbing.
Timing fixes some of it
Several clashes are about absorption, not chemistry — spacing a supplement a couple of hours from the medicine is often enough. Others mean picking one or the other.
Bring the bottles
Drop your supplements in next time you collect a script. A two-minute check is far cheaper than a problem, and we won't tell you to bin things that are genuinely helping.