Based on PubMed | Does olive oil affect the absorption or effectiveness of fluoxetine, or is it safe to take my dose with a meal rich in olive oil?

Fluoxetine can be taken with or without food, and there is no specific evidence that olive oil or a high‑olive‑oil meal reduces its absorption or effectiveness. ^[1] Fluoxetine is well absorbed in both the fed and fasted states, which suggests typical dietary fat including olive oil does not meaningfully change how the drug enters the bloodstream. ^[2]

What official guidance says

• Dosing with meals is acceptable. Authoritative patient instructions note that fluoxetine may be taken with or without food, and at consistent times each day. ^{[1] [3]}
• No warning about oils/fats. Standard interaction warnings focus on certain prescription drugs, supplements, and MAO inhibitors, not on dietary fats or olive oil. ^{[4] [5]}
  This implies routine meals including those rich in olive oil are generally fine. ^{[1] [3]}

Food effect and pharmacokinetics

• Absorption in fed vs fasted states: Human clinical pharmacology data indicate fluoxetine is well absorbed whether taken with food or on an empty stomach. ^[2]
  This supports flexibility in timing relative to meals. ^[2]
• Half-life and steady exposure: Fluoxetine’s long half-life (about 1–3 days) and its active metabolite norfluoxetine (about 7–15 days) mean minor meal-to-meal variations are unlikely to create meaningful swings in effectiveness. ^[2]
  Consistency of daily dosing matters more than meal composition. ^[2]

Dietary fats in general

• General pharmacology of lipophilic drugs: Some lipophilic drugs can show increased exposure with fatty meals due to better solubilization, but this is not a documented clinical concern for fluoxetine. ^[6]
  For fluoxetine specifically, fed vs fasted absorption is already acceptable, so typical dietary fats like olive oil are not expected to cause harmful changes. ^{[2] [6]}

Practical tips

• Take at the same time daily. Maintaining a consistent schedule (morning is common) helps steady levels and symptom control. ^{[1] [7]}
• With or without food based on comfort. If you notice stomach upset, taking your dose with a meal (including meals that contain olive oil) can be a reasonable approach. ^{[1] [7]}
• Watch for known interactions, not oils. Focus on avoiding contraindicated medicines and certain supplements (e.g., MAO inhibitors, thioridazine, pimozide, St. John’s wort, tryptophan, and serotonergic migraine medicines) rather than worrying about olive oil. ^{[4] [8] [9] [5]}

---

Summary table

Topic	Key Point	Evidence
Food requirements	Fluoxetine may be taken with or without food.	[1] [3]
Olive oil/high-fat meals	No specific restriction; absorption is acceptable in fed and fasted states.	[2]
Pharmacokinetics	Long half-lives minimize small meal-related effects.	[2]
General fat effects	Fat can alter some drugs’ exposure, but not a documented issue for fluoxetine.	[6] [2]
Main safety focus	Avoid specific drug/supplement interactions, not dietary oil.	[4] [8] [9] [5]

---

Bottom line

Based on available guidance and pharmacokinetic data, it is generally safe to take fluoxetine with a meal rich in olive oil, and this is not expected to reduce its absorption or effectiveness. ^{[1] [2]} Keeping a consistent daily dosing time and avoiding known drug interactions are the key steps for safe and effective use. ^{[1] [4]}