Airborne & Warfarin

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Thursday, February 1, 2007

PTINR.com Staff

Boasts of boosting immune systems leave patients wondering if a warfarin drug interactions are also part of the story

Airborne® is a popular, frequently advertised dietary supplement marketed to boost one’s immune system to fend off harmful germs. A recent inquiry into PTINR.com asked whether using this product may interact with warfarin (Coumadin ®). In order to answer the question we initially looked at the ingredients.

“Airborne contains 17 natural ingredients, including 7 herbal extracts, antioxidants, electrolytes and amino acids. Airborne provides added support to the body's immune system by providing needed nutrients and herbs, which play a specific role in strengthening the immune system.” _{airbornehealth.com}

The manufacturer does not recommend taking Airborne for an extended period of time. “Airborne is meant to be taken in short duration. If used properly, there is no concern of the higher dose vitamins.” Even at a short duration, Airborne exceeds the FDA’s recommended daily allowance (RDA) for three important vitamins:

Vitamins in high concentrations have an effect on patient INR test results. Despite even a short duration of use with Airborne – potential interactions exist in just three of the many ingredients of Airborne.

Vitamin A can increase bleeding risk at high doses. _{J Am Dietet Assoc. 1995;95:580–584.}

Vitamin C can reduce the bleeding risk or effect of warfarin. _{JAMA. 1971;215:1671}

Vitamin E can increase the risk of bleeding when used with warfarin although there is conflicting data. _{Am J Pathol. 1977;88:387–402.}

Repeated QAS requests to the Airborne company for more information and safety data for patients taking warfarin resulted in a standardized response.

“As with all over-the-counter dietary supplements, we recommend that you consult with your pharmacist or family physician as they know what is best for your health.” _{Airborne Consumer Support}

In addition to the vitamins A, C and E – Airborne contains 7 herbal extracts. Herbal products frequently interact with warfarin. As with all dietary supplements – patients should not start or stop Airborne without first consulting with their physician. Additional INR tests are likely necessary.