Official product information
Supplements and Blood Thinners: What to Ask Before You Mix Them
Supplements and blood thinners can clash, so ask your doctor or pharmacist before combining them. Glucosamine and chondroitin have been linked to more bleeding risk in people taking warfarin, and glucosamine may raise blood glucose. Nervecept contains both, plus shellfish. (NCCIH, Glucosamine and Chondroitin)
Written by the Nervecept label deskUpdated
The short answer01
Can you take supplements with blood thinners?
Only after your doctor or pharmacist agrees. Supplements and blood thinners can interact, and some supplements may increase bleeding risk. (NCCIH, Using Supplements Wisely)
Warfarin is the example NCCIH uses. Glucosamine and chondroitin have been associated with increased bleeding risk in people taking it. (NCCIH, Glucosamine and Chondroitin)
Keep taking prescribed medicine exactly as directed. Never stop or change a blood thinner because of a supplement.
Why does bleeding risk matter? A blood thinner is dosed with care, and if something else nudges the same system, the balance can shift. Tell your prescriber early about any unusual bleeding.
Your prescriber sets the dose for a reason. If a supplement worries you, call before you take it, not after you feel unwell.
Ingredient by ingredient02
Which supplement ingredients have been linked to bleeding?
Glucosamine and chondroitin are the two named in the sources we checked, with warfarin. (NCCIH, Glucosamine and Chondroitin)
For turmeric, Boswellia and bromelain, the sources name no specific blood thinner. That means the interaction question is open, not answered. (NCCIH, Turmeric) (NCCIH, Boswellia) (NCCIH, Bromelain)
NCCIH still advises talking to a provider before using any of them if you take medicine.
| Ingredient | What the sources say | Per capsule |
|---|---|---|
| Glucosamine sulfate | Associated with increased bleeding risk in people taking warfarin; may raise blood glucose. (NCCIH, Glucosamine and Chondroitin) | 500 mg |
| Chondroitin sulfate | Associated with increased bleeding risk in people taking warfarin. (NCCIH, Glucosamine and Chondroitin) | 50 mg |
| Turmeric root | Names no blood thinner; talk to a provider if you take medicine. (NCCIH, Turmeric) | 50 mg |
| Boswellia | Talk to a provider if you take medication. (NCCIH, Boswellia) | 67 mg |
| Bromelain | Names no specific drug interactions; some herbs and medicines interact harmfully. (NCCIH, Bromelain) | 8 mg |
Read the last three rows as gaps in what we could find, not as a clean bill of health. Ask your pharmacist.
Quick reference03
Which medicines and conditions should you raise with a clinician?
Raise blood thinners, diabetes medicines, a shellfish allergy and any coming surgery with a clinician before a joint-type supplement.
The cards below summarize each one in a line, with a source.
Blood thinners
Glucosamine and chondroitin have been linked to more bleeding risk, including with warfarin. Tell the prescriber. (NCCIH, Glucosamine and Chondroitin) (NCCIH, Using Supplements Wisely)
Diabetes medicines
Glucosamine may raise blood glucose in some people, so anyone who tracks blood sugar should tell their care team. (NCCIH, Glucosamine and Chondroitin) (NCCIH, Diabetes and Supplements)
Shellfish allergy
The label says CONTAINS: Shellfish (Crayfish). Shellfish is a major allergen under FDA labeling rules. (FDA, Food Allergies)
Surgery
List every supplement for your surgeon and anesthesia team ahead of time. (NCCIH, Using Supplements Wisely)
Turmeric and the liver
Liver injury has been reported with highly bioavailable curcumin products, and turmeric can upset the stomach. Root powder differs from those extracts. (NCCIH, Turmeric)
Bromelain and frankincense
The sources we checked list no doses or named drug interactions for bromelain, and little is known about frankincense in pregnancy. Ask your pharmacist. (NCCIH, Bromelain) (NCCIH, Boswellia)
Diabetes medicines04
Can supplements affect diabetes medicines or blood sugar?
Yes, some can. NCCIH says supplements can interact with medicines and with each other, and glucosamine may raise blood glucose in some people. (NCCIH, Diabetes and Supplements) (NCCIH, Glucosamine and Chondroitin)
For diabetes, most supplements have no evidence of benefit for the disease or its complications, and they should never substitute for prescribed care. (NCCIH, Diabetes and Supplements)
In practice, tell your care team before you start a supplement and ask whether to check your blood sugar more often. Do not lower, skip or add a diabetes medicine on your own. Our guide to diabetic neuropathy and foot care explains the daily routine that matters more than any capsule.
Nervecept: from $49 a bottlePacks of 2, 3 or 6 bottles · 30 capsules each · refund window 60 days
See packsOperations and dental work05
Should you stop supplements before surgery?
Tell your surgeon and anesthesia team about every supplement well before surgery, and let them decide what to pause. Some supplements may increase bleeding risk or change how you respond to anesthesia. (NCCIH, Using Supplements Wisely)
Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own. Your team will tell you which ones to continue.
Make the list now
Write every supplement, vitamin and herb, with the amount and how often you take it.
Share it early
NCCIH says to tell providers well before surgery. Do it at the first planning visit. (NCCIH, Using Supplements Wisely)
Follow the instructions you are given
Your team will say what to stop and when. Ask them to write it down.
At the counter06
What should you tell your pharmacist about a supplement?
Tell your pharmacist the product name, every ingredient with its amount, how often you take it and for how long. The Supplement Facts panel lists these. (NIH ODS, Supplements: What to Know)
Mention allergies too. Pharmacists check interactions across everything you take.
- The exact name on the bottle, and a photo of the Supplement Facts panel.
- Your blood thinner or diabetes medicine, and its dose.
- Any shellfish allergy, and any upcoming surgery.
The NIH advises telling your doctors, pharmacists and dietitians about every supplement you take, and consulting them before using a supplement in place of prescribed medicines. (NIH ODS, Supplements: What to Know)
Nervecept check07
Is Nervecept right for you if you take a blood thinner?
Not without your prescriber's agreement. Nervecept contains 500 mg of glucosamine sulfate and 50 mg of chondroitin sulfate per capsule, the two lines linked to bleeding risk with warfarin. (NCCIH, Glucosamine and Chondroitin)
It also says CONTAINS: Shellfish (Crayfish) on the label, and the label asks anyone with a known medical condition to consult a physician.
The check is a prompt, not advice. It cannot know your doses. Our side effects page and who-it-is-for page cover the same cautions in more detail. Nervecept is a dietary supplement and no trial of the capsules has been found.
FAQ08
What do people ask about supplements and blood thinners?
A common question first: Can I take supplements with warfarin? It and 5 more are answered below.
Every answer gives the short reply first and the reasoning after, with a source when we have one.
Can I take supplements with warfarin?
Only after your prescriber or pharmacist says it is fine. Some supplements may increase bleeding risk, and glucosamine and chondroitin have been associated with that risk in people taking warfarin. Never skip or change a warfarin dose on your own. (NCCIH, Glucosamine and Chondroitin) (NCCIH, Using Supplements Wisely)
Which supplement ingredients affect bleeding?
In the sources we checked, glucosamine and chondroitin are the ones named for added bleeding risk with warfarin. The pages for turmeric, Boswellia and bromelain name no blood thinner, which means unknown, not safe. (NCCIH, Glucosamine and Chondroitin) (NCCIH, Turmeric) (NCCIH, Boswellia) (NCCIH, Bromelain)
Does glucosamine affect INR?
The sources we checked say glucosamine and chondroitin have been associated with increased bleeding risk in people taking warfarin. They give no INR figures. If you take warfarin, tell the clinic that monitors your INR about any new supplement. (NCCIH, Glucosamine and Chondroitin)
Should I stop supplements before surgery?
Tell your surgeon and anesthesia team about every supplement well before the operation, because some may increase bleeding risk or change your response to anesthesia. Let them decide what to pause and when. Do not stop prescribed medicine on your own. (NCCIH, Using Supplements Wisely)
What should I tell my pharmacist about my supplements?
Give the product name, each ingredient with its amount, how often you take it and how long. The Supplement Facts panel lists these. Also mention any allergy, since pharmacists check interactions across everything you take. (NIH ODS, Supplements: What to Know)
Can supplements change my blood sugar?
Some can. Glucosamine may raise blood glucose in some people, and NCCIH warns that supplements can interact with diabetes medicines. If you track your sugar at home, tell your care team before you start anything new. (NCCIH, Glucosamine and Chondroitin) (NCCIH, Diabetes and Supplements)
Who wrote this09
Who is behind this Nervecept write-up?
The Nervecept label desk drafted it from the bottle, the sales page and the public sources linked in the text.
Once a clinician has reviewed it, the reviewer's name appears in the box below.
Drafted from the bottle, the sales page and the NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and journal sources named in the text.
Most recent update: . How we work is set out in the editorial standards and the review rules. This website belongs to a USA authorized Nervecept retailer. It is neither the maker of the capsules nor the distributor named on the label. Purchases made through our order links earn us a commission.
Keep reading
Where should you go next with Nervecept?
Three good next stops are side effects, who it's for, faq.
They build on what you just read and cite their own sources.
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Read the label, the shellfish line and your own medicine list first. Then choose a pack: the bigger ones cost less per bottle and ship free inside the US, and the 60-day refund clock starts on the purchase date.
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