Guide
Blood Sugar Supplements and Diabetes Medicines: Interactions to Ask About
Blood sugar supplements can interact with diabetes medicines, other prescriptions and each other. Payarmin has 23 label lines, several of which may affect blood sugar, blood pressure, heart rate or how drugs are absorbed. Tell your doctor and pharmacist about every supplement. Keep taking prescribed medicine, and never swap it for a supplement.
Written by the Payarmin label deskUpdated
The short answer01
Can blood sugar supplements interact with prescription drugs?
Yes. Supplements can interact with prescription drugs, and the risk is higher with diabetes medicines because the effects can add up and push a reading too low (ADA, Vitamins and supplements).
The NCCIH says supplements may interact with your medicines or with other supplements (NCCIH, Diabetes and supplements). Natural does not always mean safe, and labels such as "standardized" do not guarantee quality (NCCIH, Using supplements wisely).
The FDA does not approve supplements before they are sold, so there is no premarket check of interactions (FDA, Dietary supplements Q and A). The check happens at your pharmacy counter, if you tell the pharmacist what you take.
Do not stop or change any medicine because of a supplement, and keep checking your blood sugar as your clinician told you. Changes to a plan belong to your care team.
Payarmin flags02
Which Payarmin ingredients should you flag to your doctor?
Chromium, gymnema, ginseng, green tea and African mango for blood sugar; guarana, licorice, coleus and arginine for heart rate or pressure; grapefruit for drug levels.
The label hides single amounts, so the doses are unknown, and a flag is a reason to ask, not a prediction. Chromium taken with insulin or sulfonylureas may lower blood sugar further (MSKCC, Chromium). The cancer center says African mango should not be taken with antidiabetic medicines, because rat studies suggest an added effect, and its human relevance is unknown (MSKCC, African mango).
Ginseng might lower blood sugar, and the NCCIH tells people with diabetes to consult a provider first (NCCIH, Asian ginseng). The table sets the flags out line by line.
| Label line | Why to ask |
|---|---|
| Chromium (picolinate) | May add to insulin or sulfonylureas; may reduce levothyroxine absorption (NIH ODS, Chromium) |
| African mango seed | Advised against with antidiabetic drugs, based on rat studies (MSKCC, African mango) |
| Guarana, green tea | Caffeine sources, amounts unknown (MSKCC, Guarana) (NCCIH, Green tea) |
| Green tea extract | Rare liver injury; may lower levels of some drugs (NIH LiverTox, Green tea) (NCCIH, Green tea) |
| Panax ginseng | Might lower blood sugar; may affect clotting (NCCIH, Asian ginseng) |
| Coleus (forskolin) | May lower blood pressure; may affect bleeding (MSKCC, Forskolin) |
| Glycyrrhizinate (licorice) | Heart rhythm and pressure risks in large or long-term amounts (NCCIH, Licorice root) |
| L-arginine | May add to blood pressure drugs (MSKCC, Arginine) |
| Grapefruit fruit | Grapefruit alters how many drugs are absorbed (FDA, Grapefruit and drugs) |
Our sources do not name a gymnema drug interaction, which is not proof of safety (NIH LiverTox, Gymnema). The gymnema page has the detail.
At the counter03
How do you tell your pharmacist what you take?
Bring the bottle, or a photo of the label, and list everything: prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins and supplements.
The full list matters more than the brand names. The Payarmin label prints all 23 lines, and a pharmacist can check each against your medicines. The sales page names only six, so do not rely on it alone.
Photograph the label
Include the Supplement Facts panel, the other ingredients and the directions.
Write your doses
Note how many droppers you take. The label does not say how much a dropper holds.
Name your medicines
Include insulin, pills, blood thinners and blood pressure or heart drugs.
Ask three questions
Could this raise or lower my blood sugar? Could it change how my medicines work? What should I watch for?
Low blood sugar04
Can a supplement make my diabetes medicine too strong?
It can happen. Insulin and pills such as sulfonylureas can already cause low blood sugar, and anything that lowers it further adds risk (NIDDK, Low blood glucose).
For many people with diabetes, low means a reading under 70 mg/dL, though your own number may differ. Signs include shakiness, hunger, sweating, dizziness, confusion and a fast heartbeat (NIDDK, Low blood glucose).
No trial has tested Payarmin with any diabetes drug, so the size of any added effect is unknown.
Payarmin: from $49 a bottle30 mL drops · 2, 3 or 6 bottles · free shipping on 3 or 6 · 60-day guarantee
See packsWhat to do05
What should you do if you feel shaky after adding a supplement?
Check your blood sugar right away. If it is under 70 mg/dL, treat it as your care team taught you, then call your clinician.
The NIDDK advice is 15 to 20 grams of fast carbohydrate, a recheck after 15 minutes, and a repeat if needed. Examples are four glucose tablets or 4 to 6 ounces of juice (NIDDK, Low blood glucose).
If the person is faint, confused or cannot swallow, call 911.
Not a swap06
Can you use a supplement instead of metformin?
No. The NCCIH says it is very important not to replace medical treatment for diabetes with an unproven health product (NCCIH, Diabetes and supplements).
The FTC acted against the sellers of one diabetes pill sold as a way to replace insulin and other drugs, saying the claims lacked reliable evidence (FTC, Diabetes treatment claims). The FDA warns that products promising to replace treatment for chronic conditions are a red flag, and that some contain hidden drugs (FDA, Tainted products).
Reasonable
- Asking about a supplement before you start
- Bringing the full label to your pharmacist
- Keeping your usual checks and visits
Not reasonable
- Skipping or halving a dose of medicine
- Treating a supplement as a stand-in
- Hiding a supplement from your doctor
Before a procedure07
Should you stop supplements before surgery?
Tell your surgical team about every supplement well ahead of time, and let them decide. Do not stop on your own.
The NCCIH says some supplements can raise bleeding risk or affect anesthesia, which is why the team needs the list early (NCCIH, Using supplements wisely). Several Payarmin lines have bleeding or heart notes: ginseng, coleus and guarana (NCCIH, Asian ginseng) (MSKCC, Forskolin) (MSKCC, Guarana).
Take the check below, then bring your answers to the visit. It is a checklist, not medical advice.
More on cautions is on the side effects page, and the who it is for page explains who should skip the drops.
FAQ08
Supplements and diabetes medicine questions
Can blood sugar supplements interact with prescription drugs?
Yes. Supplements can change how medicines work or add to their effects, and the risk of a low reading is higher with diabetes drugs. Tell your doctor and pharmacist about every supplement, and keep taking your prescribed medicine.
Should I tell my doctor about every supplement I take?
Yes, every one, including vitamins, herbs and drops. The NCCIH advises telling all your providers, ideally well before surgery. Bring the bottle or a photo of the label so the full ingredient list is clear.
Can a supplement make my diabetes medicine too strong?
It can. Several ingredients, such as chromium and ginseng, may lower blood sugar a little, which could add to insulin or sulfonylureas. No study tests Payarmin with these drugs, so ask your doctor first.
Should I stop supplements before surgery?
Ask your surgical team, and do not decide alone. Some supplements affect bleeding or anesthesia, so the team needs the full list ahead of time. They will tell you what to do, and when.
How do I tell my pharmacist what I take?
Bring the bottles or label photos and list every medicine, vitamin and supplement. Note how often you take each one. Then ask whether anything could change your blood sugar or how your medicines work.
Can I use a supplement instead of metformin?
No. The NCCIH says not to replace medical treatment for diabetes with an unproven product. A supplement is not a stand-in for metformin or any medicine. Talk to your doctor before any change.
What should I do if I feel shaky after adding a supplement?
Check your blood sugar. If it is under 70 mg/dL, treat it as your care team taught you and call your clinician. If the person is faint or confused, call 911.
Who wrote this09
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by Gopayarmin, a Payarmin U.S. shop, not by the manufacturer or the distributor. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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