Drug class·Benzodiazepines·Reviewed June 9, 2026
Benzodiazepines and supplements: sedation stacks.
The benzodiazepine story is additive sedation: valerian, kava, melatonin, and other calming supplements deepen the same CNS-depressant effect, which matters for next-day function and is the pattern most worth flagging. Per-drug documentation below.
Benzodiazepines at a glance.
A quick, data-grounded summary. The per-drug tables are below.
Across the 4 benzodiazepines in the NutriStack database (Alprazolam, Diazepam, Lorazepam, and Clonazepam), 11 substances have a documented interaction, 5 of them flagged to avoid or as a serious conflict. Interactions are documented per drug, and members of a class do not all behave the same, so check your exact medication below. None of this replaces your prescriber's advice.
The benzodiazepines we track.
Open any medication for its own full interaction and depletion guide.
Substances that interact with benzodiazepines.
Merged across the class, highest severity first. The 'Documented for' column shows which members carry the interaction record; an absent drug means no documented record, not proven safety.
| Substance | Interaction | Documented for | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | Contraindicated | All 4 benzodiazepines | Alprazolam: Alcohol can sharply amplify alprazolam's sedating and coordination-impairing effects. The combination increases risk of blackouts, falls,... |
| Hydrocodone | Contraindicated | Alprazolam | FDA Black Box Warning: The combination of hydrocodone and alprazolam carries severe risk of fatal respiratory depression. This is among... |
| Morphine | Contraindicated | Diazepam | FDA Black Box Warning: Concurrent opioid and benzodiazepine use can result in profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, and death.... |
| Oxycodone | Contraindicated | Alprazolam | FDA Black Box Warning: Concurrent use of opioids and benzodiazepines can result in profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, and... |
| St. John's Wort | Conflict | Alprazolam, Diazepam | Diazepam: St. John's Wort induces CYP3A4 and CYP2C19, both of which metabolize diazepam. This can reduce diazepam levels, causing breakthrough... |
| Valerian Root | Caution | All 4 benzodiazepines | Alprazolam: Valerian root has GABAergic sedative properties that can potentiate alprazolam's CNS depressant effects. The combination may cause... |
| Melatonin | Caution | Alprazolam, Lorazepam, Clonazepam | Alprazolam: Melatonin has mild sedative properties that can add to alprazolam's CNS depressant effects. While the interaction is generally less... |
| Passionflower | Caution | Alprazolam, Lorazepam, Clonazepam | Alprazolam: Passionflower has measurable anxiolytic and GABA-related CNS activity. Alprazolam is a benzodiazepine sedative, so the combination may... |
| GABA | Caution | Alprazolam, Lorazepam | Alprazolam: Supplemental GABA may have mild sedative and anxiolytic effects, though its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier is debated. If any... |
| Apigenin | Caution | Diazepam | Apigenin has benzodiazepine-receptor and GABA(A)-modulating activity in preclinical studies. One receptor study specifically found that... |
| Bacopa Monnieri | Caution | Alprazolam | Bacopa Monnieri extract inhibited CYP3A4 in vitro, and alprazolam exposure is clinically increased by CYP3A inhibition. Human data proving... |
Common benzodiazepines questions.
Quick answers drawn from the tables above.
What supplements should I avoid with benzodiazepines?
Across the class, 5 substance pairings are flagged to avoid or as a serious conflict, including Alcohol, Hydrocodone, Morphine, Oxycodone, and St. John's Wort. The exact risk depends on which medication in the class you take, so check your specific drug's page and confirm with your prescriber.
Do all benzodiazepines interact with supplements the same way?
No. Interactions are documented per drug, and the 4 benzodiazepines in the database differ in how they are absorbed and cleared. The class table above shows which members carry each record; a drug without a record is undocumented, not proven safe.
Is it safe to take Alcohol with benzodiazepines?
NutriStack classifies the Alcohol and Alprazolam pairing as contraindicated: Alcohol can sharply amplify alprazolam's sedating and coordination-impairing effects. The combination increases risk of blackouts, falls, motor vehicle crashes,... The interaction is documented for 4 of the 4 benzodiazepines, and severity differs by drug. Always confirm with your prescriber.
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