Tangeretin for Health & Longevity - Quick Reference Sheet

Tangeretin for Health & Longevity

Created on 09/23/2026 – Quick Reference based on Evidence Review created using AI4L / Opus 5.5 Audit

Tangeretin, a citrus-peel plant compound sold as a dietary supplement, draws interest for laboratory and animal effects on inflammation, blood sugar, brain cells and lifespan. Human evidence is thin: small, short trials suggest a calmer stress-hormone response to hard training, less exercise-triggered airway narrowing, fewer night-time trips to urinate and possibly better blood sugar, none confirmed independently. Risks are uncertain rather than documented, centering on specific drug combinations. (Full Review)

Protocol

Single-agent dosing
200 mg/day orally
For 4 weeks; the only dose studied alone in humans; no longevity-specific dose established
Nobiletin–tangeretin mixture
50 mg/day
For 6 weeks; mix from Citrus depressa (shiikuwasa) peel, tolerated by older adults
Time of day
With the largest fat-containing meal
Trials did not compare timing; a practical default consistent with its fat solubility
Time to effect
Exercise-induced airway narrowing
4 weeks
Tangeretin plus whey protein in athletes
Night-time voids
6 weeks
Nobiletin–tangeretin mix in older adults with nocturia
Blood sugar control
6 weeks
Enriched orange juice in adults with obesity; shorter periods unlikely to show an effect

Benefits

Contraindications
  • Selective estrogen receptor modulators (tamoxifen, toremifene; precautionary)
  • Hormone receptor-positive breast cancer on tamoxifen or other endocrine therapy
  • Chemotherapy, unless the oncology team approves
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding (beyond food amounts)
  • Bleeding disorders or platelet count below 100 × 10⁹/L
  • Warfarin with an unstable INR (outside the prescribed range, e.g., above 3.0)
  • Organ transplant recipients taking cyclosporine or tacrolimus
  • Liver cirrhosis (Child-Pugh Class B or C)
  • Within 2 weeks of scheduled surgery
  • Children and adolescents under 18
Key Interactions
  • Anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs (warfarin, apixaban, rivaroxaban, clopidogrel): caution
  • Narrow-margin CYP3A4 substrates (cyclosporine, tacrolimus, simvastatin, midazolam): monitor
  • CYP1A2 substrates (theophylline, clozapine, tizanidine, caffeine): caution
  • P-gp substrates and chemotherapy (digoxin, dabigatran, paclitaxel, doxorubicin): caution
  • Glucose-lowering drugs (metformin, glipizide, insulin): monitor
  • NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen) and aspirin: caution
  • Fexofenadine and loperamide (P-gp substrates): monitor
  • Other citrus flavones and extracts (nobiletin, sinensetin, Sytrinol-type blends, bergamot) and grapefruit juice: monitor
  • Supplements with additive anticoagulant or antiplatelet effects (fish oil, vitamin E, ginkgo, nattokinase, curcumin): caution
  • Supplements with additive glucose-lowering effects (berberine, chromium, cinnamon extract): monitor
  • Surgery and dental procedures: caution

Risk & Side Effects

  • High:
  • Medium:
  • Low: Altered drug absorption and metabolism; low platelet count with citrus flavonoid supplements
  • Speculative: Weakened tamoxifen effect in breast cancer; increased bleeding tendency; reduced anticancer immune activity; excess blood sugar lowering with diabetes drugs

Monitoring

Marker Target Why
Platelet count 200–350 × 10⁹/L Bleeding safety
ALT Under 25 U/L Liver strain
AST Under 25 U/L Liver or muscle strain
eGFR Above 90 mL/min/1.73 m² Kidney clearance
Fasting glucose 75–90 mg/dL Blood sugar effect
HbA1c Under 5.4% Three-month sugar trend
LDL-C Under 100 mg/dL; under 70 mg/dL with elevated cardiovascular risk Cholesterol claim
hs-CRP Under 1.0 mg/L Inflammation trend
INR (warfarin users only) Prescriber's range (usually 2.0–3.0) Bleeding risk
Morning cortisol (optional) No established target; change from own baseline Stress-hormone response

Cadence: Baseline before starting; blood count, liver enzymes, fasting glucose, HbA1c and lipids repeated at 8–12 weeks, then every 6–12 months if use continues; INR within 1 week of starting or stopping (warfarin users); drug levels 1–2 weeks after any change (narrow-margin drugs)

Qualitative Assessment

  • Sleep continuity: night-time awakenings and voids
  • Recovery after hard training: soreness and perceived fatigue
  • Energy levels and cognitive clarity
  • Bruising, nosebleeds or bleeding gums (safety)
  • Digestive comfort