Drug & supplement interaction

Chicory + Glyburide, Metformin

Glyburide, Metformin brand name: Glucovance.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Chicory has a moderate interaction with Glyburide, Metformin. Theoretically, chicory might increase the risk of hypoglycemia when taken with antidiabetes drugs.

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

Chicory and Glyburide, Metformin

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

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Glyburide, Metformin

Glyburide, Metformin falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Chicory interacts with.

Theoretically, chicory might increase the risk of hypoglycemia when taken with antidiabetes drugs.
Animal and in vitro research shows that chicory extracts have antidiabetic effects.
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

Glucovance combines two diabetes medicines: glyburide, which nudges your body to release more insulin, and metformin, which lowers the sugar your liver makes. Both already work to bring your blood sugar down. The thought here is that chicory might gently push in the same direction, so in theory the combination could lower your blood sugar a little more than expected.

I want to be honest about how soft this evidence is. It comes only from lab and animal studies, not from people, so it's a theoretical concern. A cup of chicory coffee or a normal serving of inulin fiber is unlikely to cause trouble. If you use concentrated chicory supplements, just keep an eye out for low-sugar signs like shakiness, sweating, or feeling dizzy, and check in with your pharmacist or doctor.

References
  1. Street RA, Sidana J, Prinsloo G. Cichorium intybus: traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2013;2013:579319.
  2. Devi Kt R, Sivalingam N. Cichorium intybus attenuates Streptozotocin-induced pancreatic ß-cell damage by inhibiting NF-?B activation and oxidative stress. J Appl Biomed 2020;18(2-3):70-9. 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

Chicory Also Interacts With Other Medications

Chicory has 85 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Glyburide, Metformin one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Chicory

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Glyburide, Metformin

This page covers Chicory only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Glyburide, Metformin page lists 332 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Apple (major), Beer (major), Grapefruit (major) and Siberian Cocklebur (major).

By severity: 7 major · 281 moderate · 44 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Glyburide, Metformin page

“Glucovance combines glyburide and metformin to lower blood sugar, and its list of 332 interacting supplements deserves real care, starting with the seven rated major. Most entries, 239 of them, lower blood sugar on their own, so stacking one on top of a drug built to do exactly that can drop your glucose into dangerous territory.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Glyburide, Metformin interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 458 real supplement products containing Chicory, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Chicory. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Glyburide, Metformin too, on top of Chicory — 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 Chicory and Glyburide, Metformin 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 Chicory
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Glyburide, Metformin
Top half

#1,393 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 Chicory

What is Chicory?

Chicory
  • Constipation and digestive health
  • Source of prebiotic fiber (inulin)
  • Coffee substitute
  • Liver and gallbladder support
  • Appetite and blood sugar (traditional)

Chicory is best known as a caffeine-free coffee substitute and as a source of inulin, a soluble prebiotic fiber that may support digestion and regularity. Strong human evidence for most other traditional uses (like liver, gallbladder, or skin conditions) is limited. It is generally well tolerated, but the inulin can cause gas and bloating, and people allergic to ragweed or related plants should be cautious.

Read the full Chicory monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Chicory

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

0Major
85Moderate
0Minor
2,744No known interaction
Moderate

85 interactions

Showing 60 of 85 moderate interactions — see all 85 on the Chicory page.

No interaction 2,744 drugs checked — show the list
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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Chicory and Glyburide, Metformin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Chicory with Glyburide, Metformin?
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 Chicory and Glyburide, Metformin 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 Glyburide, Metformin and Chicory?

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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.