Can You Take Fo-Ti (He Shou Wu) and Vitamin B3 Together?

Use extra care with this pair

The short answer

Both Fo-Ti (He Shou Wu) and high-dose Niacin (B3) can cause liver injury. Fo-Ti's anthraquinones cause idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity, while sustained-release niacin is dose-dependently hepatotoxic. Combined use may compound liver damage risk.

How to arrange timing

Avoid combining. If niacin is needed for cholesterol, use immediate-release form and avoid Fo-Ti. Monitor liver function tests.

Reference

Reference noted for this combination: Lei X et al., J Ethnopharmacol 2015; Guyton JR, Am J Cardiol 1998; LiverTox (NIH/NLM)

Important context

Whether supplements suit you together also depends on dose, product formulation, health conditions, and medication use. Ask a doctor or pharmacist first if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a chronic condition.