Safety
Breathizen Side Effects: Ingredient Risks, Interactions and Allergies
Most people who react to Breathizen's ingredients report mild stomach upset, heartburn or a sore throat. The bigger risks are interactions: ginger, bromelain and cordyceps may raise bleeding risk with blood thinners, and bromelain can trigger allergies in people sensitive to pineapple, latex or grass pollen. Ask a doctor first if you take any prescription medicine.
Written by the Breathizen editorial teamUpdated
Short answer
Is Breathizen safe for most adults?
For a healthy adult who takes no medicine, the five ingredients in Breathizen have mostly mild side effects in the sources we checked. The real risks come from bleeding, drug interactions and allergy, not from the spray itself.
No safety study of the finished spray has been published, and the amount of each ingredient per dose is unknown. The sales page adds one warning: ask a doctor first if you are pregnant, nursing, under 18 or have a medical condition, especially if you take medicine for asthma, COPD or high blood pressure.
Breathizen is a dietary supplement, not a drug. Ask your doctor first if you use an inhaler or medicine for asthma, COPD or blood pressure, take blood thinners, diabetes medicine or immunosuppressants, have surgery planned, are pregnant or nursing, or are allergic to pineapple, latex or pollen. See side effects and interactions.
Ingredient by ingredient
Breathizen side effects by ingredient
| Ingredient | Side effects reported | Main caution | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mullein leaf extract 10:1 | Little safety data in people; no set dose | Avoid in pregnancy and breastfeeding | (RxList, Mullein) (Drugs.com, Mullein) |
| Ginger root extract | Heartburn, stomach upset, diarrhea, mouth or throat irritation | Bleeding risk with blood thinners; nifedipine interaction | (NCCIH, Ginger) (MSKCC, Ginger) (RxList, Ginger) |
| Bromelain powder | Stomach upset, diarrhea, gas, nausea, headache | Allergic reactions; bleeding risk; antibiotic interactions | (NCCIH, Bromelain) (MSKCC, Bromelain) (Leelakanok et al., 2023) |
| Organic lemon extract | None expected at flavoring levels | Skip it if you have a citrus allergy | (21 CFR 182.20) |
| Cordyceps militaris | Few reported in short studies | Bleeding risk; may add to diabetes drugs; autoimmune disease | (MSKCC, Cordyceps) (RxList, Cordyceps) |
Ginger is the ingredient most likely to cause a warm, burning feeling or a scratchy throat. Bromelain is the one most often tied to stomach complaints and allergy. Mullein has a long history of use, but modern trials have not measured its safety well.
Medicines
Which medicines can interact with Breathizen?
| Medicine | Ingredient involved | What could happen | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blood thinners (warfarin, apixaban, clopidogrel) and NSAID pain relievers | Ginger, bromelain, cordyceps | More bruising or bleeding | (MSKCC, Ginger) (MSKCC, Bromelain) (MSKCC, Cordyceps) |
| Nifedipine (a blood pressure and angina drug) | Ginger | Listed as an interaction; ask your prescriber | (RxList, Ginger) |
| Amoxicillin | Bromelain | May raise how much antibiotic the body absorbs | (RxList, Bromelain) |
| Tetracycline antibiotics | Bromelain | May raise tetracycline levels | (MSKCC, Bromelain) |
| Diabetes medicines | Cordyceps | Blood sugar could drop further | (MSKCC, Cordyceps) |
| Immunosuppressants (after a transplant or for autoimmune disease) | Cordyceps | May make these drugs work less well | (RxList, Cordyceps) |
| Asthma, COPD and blood pressure medicines | Whole product | The sales page warning names these; ask first | Sales page |
Show your pharmacist the label so they can check all five names.
Allergy
Can you be allergic to Breathizen?
Yes, some people can be. Bromelain is an enzyme taken from pineapple, and allergic reactions to it have been reported (MSKCC, Bromelain).
Pineapple allergy
Bromelain comes from the pineapple plant. If pineapple makes your mouth itch or swell, skip Breathizen.
Latex allergy
People allergic to latex may also react to bromelain (RxList, Bromelain). Ask an allergist before you try it.
Grass pollen, wheat, celery
The same monograph lists grass pollen, wheat and celery as possible cross-reactions (RxList, Bromelain).
Citrus allergy
Organic lemon extract is a citrus ingredient. A known citrus allergy is a reason to pass.
Watch for lip or tongue swelling, hives or wheezing. Throat swelling or trouble breathing is an emergency: call 911.
Ask first
Who should not take Breathizen without a doctor's OK?
Pregnant or nursing
Mullein should be avoided in pregnancy and breastfeeding (RxList, Mullein), and cordyceps in pregnancy (RxList, Cordyceps).
Surgery or dental work coming up
Stop bromelain 2 weeks before surgery (RxList, Bromelain). Ginger and cordyceps also carry before-surgery cautions (MSKCC, Ginger) (RxList, Cordyceps).
Bleeding or autoimmune disorders
Cordyceps should be avoided with autoimmune disease and bleeding disorders (RxList, Cordyceps). Ginger and bromelain add to the bleeding concern.
Check yourself in five questions
Try Breathizen for 60 days4 pumps a day · from $49 a bottle · free U.S. shipping on 3 or 6 bottles
Order nowWarning signs
Which breathing symptoms need a doctor, not a supplement?
Sudden breathing trouble, or breathing so hard it is difficult to talk, needs 911 (MedlinePlus, Breathing difficulty). Chest pain, breathlessness at rest or at night, and new wheezing need a provider soon.
A cough that lasts more than 8 weeks, coughing up blood, fever, weight loss or night sweats (MedlinePlus, Cough). Breathlessness after little effort, mucus for a month or chest pain with no clear cause (American Lung Association).
Breathizen is not an asthma or COPD medicine and never stands in for an inhaler. See supplements and asthma medicines.
What is missing
Why are Breathizen side effects hard to predict?
The main reason is the missing Supplement Facts panel. Without amounts, nobody can tell how much bromelain or ginger a dose holds.
- No ingredient amounts are published on the sales page or in the pack shots.
- Other ingredients (carrier, flavors, preservatives) are not listed, so hidden allergens cannot be ruled out.
In its favor, the daily dose is small and all five names are public. For what the pack shots show, see our label notes.
If you react
What should you do if you react to Breathizen?
Stop the spray
Skip the next dose and keep the bottle.
Call your doctor
Say what you felt and when. Call 911 for throat swelling.
Report it to the FDA
Use the FDA's MedWatch program on fda.gov to report a supplement reaction.
Call the order desk
Ring +1 (302) 200-3480 with your order ID to ask about a refund.
FAQ
Breathizen safety questions people search
Is Breathizen safe?
For most healthy adults who take no medicine, Breathizen's ingredients have mostly mild side effects, such as stomach upset or heartburn. The risks rise with blood thinners, diabetes medicine, immunosuppressants, pregnancy and pineapple or latex allergy. No safety study of the finished spray exists, so ask a doctor if you have any condition.
Is mullein safe?
Mullein has a long record of traditional use, but modern safety studies are lacking, and no dose has been set (RxList, Mullein). Avoid it in pregnancy and breastfeeding. Breathizen uses a mullein leaf extract with no published amount, so the mullein in each dose is unknown.
Does mullein interact with any medications?
No well-studied drug interactions for mullein appear in the monographs we checked, but that reflects a lack of research rather than proof of safety (RxList, Mullein) (Drugs.com, Mullein). In Breathizen, the bigger interaction concerns come from ginger, bromelain and cordyceps, so share the full ingredient list with your pharmacist.
Can you take mullein with blood thinners like Eliquis?
Mullein itself has no listed bleeding warning, but Breathizen also contains ginger, bromelain and cordyceps, and all three carry bleeding cautions with blood thinners (MSKCC, Ginger) (MSKCC, Bromelain) (MSKCC, Cordyceps). If you take Eliquis (apixaban), warfarin or a similar drug, ask your prescriber before using Breathizen.
Does bromelain interact with any medications?
Yes. Bromelain may raise bleeding risk with blood thinners, may increase tetracycline levels and may increase how much amoxicillin the body absorbs (MSKCC, Bromelain) (RxList, Bromelain). It should also be stopped 2 weeks before surgery. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you take any of these.
Does bromelain lower blood pressure?
None of the sources we rely on show that bromelain lowers blood pressure, so we do not treat it as a benefit. If you take blood pressure medicine, the Breathizen sales page itself says to consult a doctor first. Ginger, another ingredient, is listed as interacting with nifedipine (RxList, Ginger).
Does cordyceps interact with any medications?
Yes. Cordyceps may raise bleeding risk with blood thinners and may add to the effect of diabetes medicines, pushing blood sugar lower (MSKCC, Cordyceps). It may also make immunosuppressants work less well (RxList, Cordyceps). Anyone on these drugs should check with a doctor before using Breathizen.
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
Plain-language pages built from the label, the sales page and linked public health sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by an authorized U.S. shop, not by the manufacturer. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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