Drug & supplement interaction

Apple + Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide

Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide brand name: Xultophy 100/3.6.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Apple has a moderate interaction with Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide. Theoretically, consuming apple juice with antidiabetes drugs might interfere with blood glucose control.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Apple and Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide

Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Apple interacts with.

Theoretically, consuming apple juice with antidiabetes drugs might interfere with blood glucose control.
Clinical research suggests that consuming apples or drinking apple juice can raise blood glucose levels, with the effects of drinking apple juice being more significant than consuming apples.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the simple version: Xultophy combines a long-acting insulin (degludec) with liraglutide, and both work to keep your blood sugar in a healthy range. This isn't a true chemical clash. The concern is just that apple juice can raise your blood sugar fairly quickly because the natural sugars are concentrated and the fiber is mostly removed. A whole apple has its fiber intact, so it bumps blood sugar much more gently.

So this is really about diet, not a dangerous interaction. Enjoying a whole apple is totally fine. Drinking large glasses of juice could just make your numbers harder to control and may push your medicine to work less smoothly. Keep an eye on your readings, and chat with your pharmacist or doctor before changing anything.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Asp, N. G., Agardh, C. D., Ahren, B., Dencker, I., Johansson, C. G., Lundquist, I., Nyman, M., Sartor, G., and Schersten, B. Dietary fibre in type II diabetes. Acta Med Scand Suppl 1981;656:47-50. PubMed

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Apple Also Interacts With Other Medications

Apple has 47 major, 252 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 47 Moderate 252 No known interaction 2,531 (incl. Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Apple

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Apple. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About Apple or Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Apple or Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide

This page covers Apple only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide page lists 239 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Siberian Cocklebur (major), Acai (moderate), African Wild Potato (moderate), Agaricus Mushroom (moderate) and Agmatine (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 208 moderate · 30 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide page

“Every ingredient on this page acts on blood sugar one way or the other, which is why this list deserves genuine care from anyone using Xultophy (insulin degludec and liraglutide), a combination injection for type 2 diabetes. Most of the entries add to the pen's glucose-lowering effect and raise the odds of hypoglycemia, while a smaller…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Apple as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 2,841 real supplement products containing Apple, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Apple. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide too, on top of Apple — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Apple and Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Apple
Top 10%

#105 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide
Steady interest

#1,679 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Apple

What is Apple?

Apple
  • General nutrition and fiber intake
  • Heart and cholesterol health
  • Blood sugar and weight management
  • Digestive regularity
  • Antioxidant support

Apples are a nutritious whole food that provides fiber, vitamins, and antioxidant plant compounds, and eating them regularly fits well into a healthy diet. While research suggests apples may support heart and digestive health, most claims about concentrated apple supplements or extracts are not strongly proven, so enjoy apples as food and talk with your pharmacist before using high-dose products.

Read the full Apple monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Apple

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Apple — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

47Major
252Moderate
0Minor
2,530No known interaction
47 Major 252 Moderate 2,530 No interaction
Major

47 interactions

Moderate

252 interactions

Showing 60 of 252 moderate interactions — see all 252 on the Apple page.

No interaction 2,530 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Apple against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,530 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Apple list.

See the full Apple interactions page
See every supplement checked against Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide, ranked by severity
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

Keep exploring
Apple monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Apple and Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide Together: Common Questions

Can you take Apple with Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Apple and Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Insulin Degludec, Liraglutide and Apple?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.