Drug interactions
Doxycycline + Iron
Severity: Moderate
Doxycycline and Iron: moderate interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Oral iron reduces doxycycline absorption, and doxycycline may in turn reduce iron absorption. This may lead to subtherapeutic antibiotic levels.
What this interaction means in plain words
Doxycycline and Iron can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.
Doxycycline belongs to Anti Bacterial; Iron belongs to Gastrointestinal Tract.
Why it happens
Chelation of doxycycline by iron in the gastrointestinal tract, forming poorly absorbed complexes.
What to do
Separate doses by at least 2 to 3 hours, giving doxycycline first. Intravenous iron avoids the interaction.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Should I take them at different times of day?
- Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
- Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?
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Other interactions of Iron
- Acetohydroxamic acid + Iron Moderate
- Aluminum hydroxide + Iron Moderate
- Baloxavir marboxil + Iron Moderate
- Calcium acetate + Iron Moderate
- Calcium carbonate + Iron Moderate
- Calcium citrate + Iron Moderate
Other interactions of Doxycycline
- Acitretin + Doxycycline Contraindicated
- Aminolevulinic acid + Doxycycline Major
- Cholera vaccine + Doxycycline Major
- Doxycycline + Isotretinoin Major
- Doxycycline + Methoxyflurane Major
- Doxycycline + Microbiota Major
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Doxycycline with Iron?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Doxycycline and Iron can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. Oral iron reduces doxycycline absorption, and doxycycline may in turn reduce iron absorption. This may lead to subtherapeutic antibiotic levels.
How serious is the interaction between Doxycycline and Iron?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Separate doses by at least 2 to 3 hours, giving doxycycline first. Intravenous iron avoids the interaction.
What other medicines interact with Iron?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Iron with, for example, Acetohydroxamic acid, Aluminum hydroxide, Baloxavir marboxil. The full list is on the Iron page.
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