Drug & supplement interaction

Chokeberry + Metformin, Sitagliptin

Metformin, Sitagliptin brand names: Janumet, Janumet XR.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Chokeberry has a moderate interaction with Metformin, Sitagliptin. Theoretically, chokeberry might increase the risk of hypoglycemia when taken with antidiabetes drugs.

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

Chokeberry and Metformin, Sitagliptin

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

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Metformin, Sitagliptin

Metformin, Sitagliptin falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Chokeberry interacts with.

Theoretically, chokeberry might increase the risk of hypoglycemia when taken with antidiabetes drugs.
Some clinical research shows that chokeberry decreases levels of blood glucose in some patients with diabetes. However, other clinical research suggests that chokeberry has no significant effect on blood glucose levels.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence B

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

Janumet pairs two diabetes medicines, metformin and sitagliptin, and both already work to bring your blood sugar down. The idea here is pretty simple: some studies suggest chokeberry may nudge blood sugar a little lower on its own. If that small effect stacks on top of your medication, your readings could dip more than expected.

To be fair, the research is mixed. A few studies found a modest drop in blood sugar, while others showed no real change, so this is more of a possible concern than a proven one. The occasional handful of berries or a little juice is unlikely to cause trouble. Concentrated chokeberry supplements are the bigger question mark. If you start one, just keep an eye out for low-sugar signs like shakiness, sweating, or dizziness, and check in with your pharmacist or doctor first.

References
  1. Simeonov SB, Botushanov NP, Karahanian EB, Pavlova MB, Husianitis HK, Troev DM. Effects of Aronia melanocarpa juice as part of the dietary regimen in patients with diabetes mellitus. Folia Med (Plovdiv). 2002;44(3):20-3.
  2. Milutinovic M, Velickovic Radovanovic R, Savikin K, et al. Chokeberry juice supplementation in type 2 diabetic patients - impact on health status. J Appl Biomed 2019;17(4):218-224. 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

Chokeberry Also Interacts With Other Medications

Chokeberry has 810 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Metformin, Sitagliptin 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 Chokeberry

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Metformin, Sitagliptin

This page covers Chokeberry only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Metformin, Sitagliptin page lists 257 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 2 major · 217 moderate · 38 minor.

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

“Many people prescribed metformin with sitagliptin (Janumet, Janumet XR) for type 2 diabetes also try herbs sold as blood sugar support, fenugreek among the most popular, and that habit is exactly where the risk on this page concentrates. Of 257 documented supplement interactions, 239 can push glucose in the same direction the medicatio…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Metformin, Sitagliptin interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 493 real supplement products containing Chokeberry, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Chokeberry. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Metformin, Sitagliptin too, on top of Chokeberry — 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 Chokeberry and Metformin, Sitagliptin 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 Chokeberry
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Metformin, Sitagliptin
Top half

#925 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 Chokeberry

What is Chokeberry?

Chokeberry
  • Antioxidant support
  • Heart and blood vessel health
  • Blood pressure support
  • Blood sugar support
  • Common cold symptoms
  • Anti-inflammatory support

Chokeberry (aronia) is a dark berry rich in antioxidants called polyphenols, and it's widely eaten as juice, jam, and supplements. Early research hints it may support heart health, blood pressure, and blood sugar, but the evidence is still limited and far from proven. It's generally well tolerated as a food, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using concentrated supplements.

Read the full Chokeberry monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Chokeberry

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

0Major
810Moderate
0Minor
2,019No known interaction
Moderate

810 interactions

Showing 60 of 810 moderate interactions — see all 810 on the Chokeberry page.

No interaction 2,019 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 Chokeberry and Metformin, Sitagliptin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Chokeberry with Metformin, Sitagliptin?
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 Chokeberry and Metformin, Sitagliptin 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

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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.