What Teas Can You Have While on Prednisone?

Prednisone belongs to the corticosteroid family of medicines. It is sometimes prescribed for conditions such as serious allergies, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, and lupus to suppress the immune system and reduce inflammation.

While taking prednisone, it's important to ask your doctor about any foods or drinks, including teas, that could either make the prednisone less effective or cause a dangerous reaction when mixed with the drug.

Potentially Problematic Teas

Some botanical products, and teas made from those botanicals, can interfere with drugs from the corticosteroid family of medicines. For example, the Merck Manual warns against taking ginseng alongside corticosteroids because of possible interactions.

Cleveland Clinic notes that echinacea may interact with steroids such as prednisone.

The Arthritis Foundation cautions against using cat’s claw with any drugs that suppress the immune system, which would include prednisone.

Similarly, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health warns that astragalus may interact with drugs that suppress the immune system and additionally notes that interactions between corticosteroids and licorice root have been reported.

According to MedlinePlus, St. John’s wort can interact with prednisone, and you should let your doctor know if you’re taking it before you start prednisone.

Traditional Teas

Black, oolong, and green teas are not known to interact with prednisone. All these teas come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. How the plant's leaves are processed, including fermentation methods, determine what type of tea it will become.

It’s worth noting, however, that traditional teas — black, oolong, and green tea — contain caffeine, and some of the side effects of caffeine, including insomnia and feelings of anxiety, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), are also possible side effects of prednisone, according to Cleveland Clinic.

For this reason, you may want to limit your caffeine intake while taking prednisone. In addition to keeping tabs on your regular tea consumption, check the labels of any herbal teas you drink to see if they contain regular tea or other caffeine-containing ingredients.

General Recommendations

Every person reacts differently to individual and combined substances.

If you’ve been prescribed prednisone, talk to your doctor about all the teas you normally drink, as well as any supplements in your regular routine. Your physician can let you know of any possible interactions between these products and prednisone.

Always ask your doctor about specific herbal and traditional teas, even if they have a reputation for mild effects. If you buy tea blends, look at all the ingredients listed on the package.

If you’re taking prednisone, don’t start drinking herbal teas or taking any dietary supplements without consulting your doctor first.