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St. John's Wort and Birth Control Pills
St. John's wort and birth control pills do not mix well. NCCIH, FDA and Memorial Sloan Kettering all list the pill among medicines the herb can weaken. If you use hormonal birth control, ask your doctor or pharmacist before taking any product that names St. John's wort.
By the MemoPryl label deskUpdated · 4 min read
Does St. John's wort affect birth control pills?
Yes. Birth control pills appear on the lists of medicines that St. John's wort can weaken (NCCIH, St. John's Wort safety).
FDA names birth control pills among several medicine types the herb can make less effective (FDA, Mixing Meds and Supplements). NIH's consumer fact sheet gives the same warning, with antidepressants (NIH ODS, Supplements Need To Know).
A weaker pill is a risk to the thing the pill is for. That is why the question belongs with a pharmacist, who can look at your exact product and tell you what to do.
Which sources list birth control as an interaction?
Four public health sources list it, and none of them treats the herb as harmless.
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| NCCIH, safety page | Lists birth control pills among medicines the herb can weaken (NCCIH, St. John's Wort safety) |
| Memorial Sloan Kettering | Lists birth control pills among affected drugs (MSK, St. John's Wort) |
| FDA consumer update | Names birth control pills among medicines made less effective (FDA, Mixing Meds and Supplements) |
| NIH ODS fact sheet | Says it can reduce some medicines, including birth control pills (NIH ODS, Supplements Need To Know) |
None of these pages gives a number or a safe waiting time, so we give none.
Is St. John's wort in MemoPryl?
St. John's wort is named on a sibling MemoPryl pack, but that is unconfirmed for the bottle you receive. No amount is printed on any image we have.
Neither bottle image shows a Supplement Facts panel or a warning line. So the bottle in your hand is the only place to check. Look for the herb by name, and read any warning about medicines.
MemoPryl: capsules in 2, 3 or 6 bottlesRead the bottle · check medicines first · 60-day window (confirm)
See packsWhat should I do if I use birth control?
Ask your doctor or pharmacist before you start, and keep taking your prescribed medicine exactly as directed.
Do not stop your pill to make room for a supplement. Follow these steps in order.
- 01
Read the bottle you receive
Look at the safety seal, the capsule count (30 or 60), the directions and the Supplement Facts panel. None of our images shows a panel, so the bottle is the source.
- 02
Check your medicines first
St. John's wort makes many medicines weaker, and ginkgo can raise bleeding risk. Before the first capsule, show the bottle to your pharmacist.
- 03
Take it as the bottle directs
None of our images prints a dose. Go by your bottle and never take a dose from a website, including this one.
- 04
Write a date and a note
Jot down what you notice and when. See a doctor if memory or thinking worries you; a supplement is no way to wait.
Thinking about MemoPryl?Check your medicines with a pharmacist first. The checkout confirms prices and the 60-day window.
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Get 6 bottlesUntil the seller confirms its list, prices stay as fill-in fields. The checkout shows the final total.
More on the herb is on the St. John's wort page, with the medicine guide and the side effects page.
FAQ01
Questions people ask about MemoPryl
Should I use a backup method if I take St. John's wort?
Ask your doctor or pharmacist. Our sources say the herb can weaken birth control pills but give no rule on backup methods. Only a clinician who knows your pill and your health can say whether you need another method.
Is St. John's wort safe while pregnant?
NCCIH says it may be unsafe in pregnancy because it may raise the risk of birth defects. MSK advises that pregnant or breastfeeding women should not take it. Ask your clinician before using any supplement that names it.
Does a natural label mean a supplement is safe with my pill?
No. NCCIH warns that natural does not always mean safe, and it uses St. John's wort as its example of a supplement that makes many medicines less effective. Check the exact ingredients with a pharmacist.
Who wrote this02
Written and reviewed by
Each page draws on the bottle images, the seller's product notes and linked NIH, FDA, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . See our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by MemoPryl USA retail, not by the manufacturer or the distributor of the bottle. We are paid a commission when you buy through our order links.
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