Deferoxamine

Also indexed as: Desferal®

Deferoxamine is a drug that binds to some metals and carries them out of the body. It is used to treat acute iron intoxication, chronic iron overload, and aluminum accumulation in people with kidney failure.

Summary of Interactions with Vitamins, Herbs, and Foods
(for details about the summarized interactions, read the full article)

Avoid Avoid: Adverse interaction—Avoid these supplements when taking this medication because taking them together may cause undesirable or dangerous results.

Iron

Depletion or interference

None known

Side effect reduction/prevention

None known

Supportive interaction

None known

Reduced drug absorption/bioavailability

None known

An asterisk (*) next to an item in the summary indicates that the interaction is supported only by weak, fragmentary, and/or contradictory scientific evidence.

Interactions with Dietary Supplements

Iron
People treated with deferoxamine for dangerously high levels of iron should not take iron supplements, because iron exacerbates their condition, further increasing the need for the deferoxamine. They should read all labels carefully for iron content. All people treated with deferoxamine should consult their prescribing doctor before using any iron-containing products.