Drug & supplement interaction

Coconut Oil + Insulin (rDNA)

Insulin (rDNA) brand names: Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humulin R, Humulin N, Humulin L, and others.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Coconut Oil and Insulin (rDNA) in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the label for Insulin (rDNA) states a food rule worth keeping to, and the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Coconut Oil and Insulin (rDNA)

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Insulin (rDNA) and Coconut Oil in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Coconut Oil at all — not against Insulin (rDNA), and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Coconut Oil safety at a glance

Coconut Oil overall Use caution Generally safe as a food, but it is high in saturated fat, so heavy dietary use may affect cholesterol.
Pregnancy Use caution Normal food amounts are likely fine, but avoid large medicinal doses without medical advice.
Breastfeeding Use caution Normal food amounts are likely fine; talk to your doctor before using large amounts as a supplement.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Insulin (rDNA) and Coconut Oil? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Coconut Oil and Insulin (rDNA) May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. 2 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • A severe allergic reaction / An allergic reaction Worth acting on Additional detail

    Coconut Oil

    “Several cases of allergic reactions have been reported for patients who consumed coconut fruit. In some of the cases, the patients were previously diagnosed with sensitivity to other tree nuts, including peanuts, so cross-sensitivity is suspected. In a separate case report, a 17-year-old male was found to be sensitized to both coconut and buckwheat, indicating a possible cross-sensitivity between the two allergens.”

    Coconut Oil · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in allergic rhinitis (hay fever).

    5 sources cited
    1. 95808. Michavila Gomez A, Amat Bou M, Gonzalez Cortés MV, Segura Navas L, Moreno Palanques MA, Bartolomé B. Coconut anaphylaxis: Case report and review. Allergol Immunopathol (Madr). 2015;43(2):219-20. PubMed
    2. 12359. Teuber SS, Peterson WR. Systemic allergic reaction to coconut (Cocos nucifera) in 2 subjects with hypersensitivity to tree nut and demonstration of cross-reactivity to legumin-like seed storage proteins: new coconut and walnut food allergens. J Allergy Cl PubMed
    3. 12360. Tella R, Gaig P, Lombardero M, et al. A case of coconut allergy. Allergy 2003;58:825-6. PubMed
    4. 95806. Anagnostou K. Coconut Allergy Revisited. Children (Basel). 2017;4(10). pii: E85. PubMed
    5. 14408. Fries JH, Fries MW. Coconut: a review of its uses as they relate to the allergic individual. Ann Allergy 1983;51:472-81.

    Insulin (rDNA)

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Insulin (rDNA). Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Itching Additional detail

    Coconut Oil

    “In one case report, a 6-year-old child developed urticaria and hives from applying coconut oil to the skin. The child had been exposed to coconut oil consistently since 2 weeks of age, indicating sensitization over the course of regular exposure. In clinical research, one patient reported localized pruritus immediately after applying a combination of coconut oil, anise oil, and ylang ylang.”

    Coconut Oil · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in pruritus.

    2 sources cited
    1. 95806. Anagnostou K. Coconut Allergy Revisited. Children (Basel). 2017;4(10). pii: E85. PubMed
    2. 13483. Mumcuoglu KY, Miller J, Zamir C, et al. The in vivo pediculicidal efficacy of a natural remedy. Isr Med Assoc J 2002;4:790-3.

    Insulin (rDNA)

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Insulin (rDNA). Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Swelling Additional detail

    Coconut Oil

    Recorded for Coconut Oil in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under A severe allergic reaction / An allergic reaction above.

    Insulin (rDNA)

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Insulin (rDNA). Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Coconut Oil but not commonly for Insulin (rDNA): a heart attack, stomach pain, hives and diarrhea.

Effects for Insulin (rDNA) come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Coconut Oil come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

How to take them

Some Insulin (rDNA) Products Have a Food Rule — Coconut Oil Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Insulin (rDNA) says to take it with food. If you take Coconut Oil on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Insulin (rDNA) with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Insulin (rDNA) products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

( 2.1 , 2.2 , 2.3 , 2.4 ) Subcutaneous injection ( 2.2 ): Administer HUMALOG ® U-100 or U-200 by subcutaneous injection into the abdominal wall, thigh, upper arm, or buttocks within 15 minutes before a meal or immediately after a meal.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Insulin (rDNA) — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

Overlapping uses

What Insulin (rDNA) Is Prescribed For, and What Coconut Oil Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Insulin (rDNA) is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Coconut Oil is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Insulin (rDNA) is prescribed for: Insulin lispro injection is used to improve glycemic control (blood sugar management) in people with diabetes mellitus. It is a rapid-acting insulin analog approved for use in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Admelog is specifically indicated to improve glycemic control in patients with diabetes mellitus. Humalog Mix75/25 is indicated to improve glycemic control in adults with diabetes mellitus; it is a fixed-ratio mixture of insulin lispro and insulin lispro protamine, and its fixed proportions do not allow for separate adjustment of basal (background) and prandial (mealtime) doses.

Coconut Oil has been studied for:

  • Diabetes studied, not established Coconut Oil has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Coconut Oil for diabetes

    It is unclear if oral coconut oil is beneficial for diabetes.

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Insulin (rDNA) on your own; if you are taking Coconut Oil for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Insulin (rDNA)

This page covers Coconut Oil only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Insulin (rDNA) page lists 242 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 2 major · 211 moderate · 29 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Insulin (rDNA) page

“A weed called Siberian cocklebur has caused severe low blood sugar in humans and is the one ingredient to avoid outright while using insulin (rDNA) products like Humalog or Humulin. This list deserves real respect.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Insulin (rDNA) interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 408 real supplement products containing Coconut Oil, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Coconut Oil. Even though Coconut Oil itself has no known interaction with Insulin (rDNA), another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Coconut Oil and Insulin (rDNA) 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 Coconut Oil
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Insulin (rDNA)
Top 25%

#612 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.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Coconut Oil reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Coconut Oil and Insulin (rDNA) records this page draws on were last updated July 11, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Coconut Oil

What is Coconut Oil?

  • Cooking and food preparation
  • Skin moisturizer
  • Hair conditioning
  • Oral health (oil pulling)
  • Weight management
  • Heart health (popularly claimed)

Coconut oil is a popular fat used in cooking, skin care, and hair care, and many people believe it has special health benefits. The evidence for most health claims is limited or mixed, and because coconut oil is very high in saturated fat, eating large amounts may raise LDL ('bad') cholesterol. Use it in moderation and talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using it for a specific health condition.

Cocos nucifera · Arecaceae · Oil extracted from the dried or fresh meat (kernel) of the coconut · Cooking oil (virgin and refined), capsules, skin and hair products, MCT oil derived from coconut

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Coconut Oil is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Coconut Oil record says about it on its own.

Coconut Oil: dosing

There is no official or standardized dose of coconut oil for any health condition. It is most often used simply as a cooking oil or food ingredient.Because it is high in saturated fat and calories, it is best used in moderation as part of a balanced diet. If you are using a coconut oil supplement or MCT product, follow the directions on the product label.For skin or hair use, a small amount applied to the area is typical.

From our Coconut Oil monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Coconut Oil monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Insulin Lispro Injection

What Is Insulin Lispro Injection Used For?

Brand names: Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humulin R, Humulin N, Humulin L, Humulin 50/50, Humulin 70/30, Humulin U, NovoLog, Velosulin, Novolog Mix 70/30, Actrapid, Humulin S, Insuman Rapid

Insulin lispro injection is used to improve glycemic control (blood sugar management) in people with diabetes mellitus. It is a rapid-acting insulin analog approved for use in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Admelog is specifically indicated to improve glycemic control in patients with diabetes mellitus. Humalog Mix75/25 is indicated to improve glycemic control in adults with diabetes mellitus; it is a fixed-ratio mixture of insulin lispro and insulin lispro protamine, and its fixed proportions do not allow for separate adjustment of basal (background) and prandial (mealtime) doses.

See full Insulin Lispro Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Coconut Oil

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

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
2,829 No interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Coconut Oil list.

See the full Coconut Oil interactions page
See every supplement checked against Insulin (rDNA), ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Coconut Oil References

The 20 references that drive our Coconut Oil monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Teuber SS, Peterson WR. Systemic allergic reaction to coconut (Cocos nucifera) in 2 subjects with hypersensitivity to tree nut and demonstration of cross-reactivity to legumin-like seed storage proteins: new coconut and walnut food allergens. J Allergy Cl PubMed
  2. Tella R, Gaig P, Lombardero M, et al. A case of coconut allergy. Allergy 2003;58:825-6. PubMed
  3. Reiser R, Probstfield JL, Silvers A, et al. Plasma lipid and lipoprotein response of humans to beef fat, coconut oil and safflower oil. Am J Clin Nutr 1985;42:190-7. PubMed
  4. Mumcuoglu KY, Miller J, Zamir C, et al. The in vivo pediculicidal efficacy of a natural remedy. Isr Med Assoc J 2002;4:790-3.
  5. Kumar PD. The role of coconut and coconut oil in coronary heart disease in Kerala, south India. Trop Doct 1997;27:215-7. PubMed
  6. Fries JH, Fries MW. Coconut: a review of its uses as they relate to the allergic individual. Ann Allergy 1983;51:472-81.
  7. Cox C, Sutherland W, Mann J, et al. Effects of dietary coconut oil, butter and safflower oil on plasma lipids, lipoproteins and lathosterol levels. Eur J Clin Nutr 1998;52:650-4. PubMed
  8. Feranil AB, Duazo PL, Kuzawa CW, Adair LS. Coconut oil is associated with a beneficial lipid profile in pre-menopausal women in the Philippines. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2011;20:190-5.
  9. Cox C, Mann J, Sutherland W, et al Effects of coconut oil, butter, and safflower oil on lipids and lipoproteins in persons with moderately elevated cholesterol levels. J Lipid Res 1995;36:1787-95. DOI
  10. Voon PT, Ng TK, Lee VK, Nesaretnam K. Diets high in palmitic acid (16:0), lauric and myristic acids (12:0 + 14:0), or oleic acid (18:1) do not alter postprandial or fasting plasma homocysteine and inflammatory markers in healthy Malaysian adults. Am J Cli PubMed
  11. Anagnostou K. Coconut Allergy Revisited. Children (Basel). 2017;4(10). pii: E85. PubMed
  12. Michavila Gomez A, Amat Bou M, Gonzalez Cortés MV, Segura Navas L, Moreno Palanques MA, Bartolomé B. Coconut anaphylaxis: Case report and review. Allergol Immunopathol (Madr). 2015;43(2):219-20. PubMed
  13. Vijayakumar M, Vasudevan DM, Sundaram KR, et al. A randomized study of coconut oil versus sunflower oil on cardiovascular risk factors in patients with stable coronary heart disease. Indian Heart J. 2016 Jul-Aug;68(4):498-506. PubMed
  14. Khaw KT, Sharp SJ, Finikarides L, et al. Randomised trial of coconut oil, olive oil or butter on blood lipids and other cardiovascular risk factors in healthy men and women. BMJ Open. 2018;8(3):e020167. PubMed
  15. Neelakantan N, Seah JYH, van Dam RM. The effect of coconut oil consumption on cardiovascular risk factors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials. Circulation. 2020;141(10):803-814. PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Coconut Oil and Insulin (rDNA) Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Coconut Oil with Insulin (rDNA)?
We do not list a known interaction between Coconut Oil and Insulin (rDNA). That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Coconut Oil and Insulin (rDNA) have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 4 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Should I take Coconut Oil and Insulin (rDNA) at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Insulin (rDNA) says to take it with food. If you take Coconut Oil on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Insulin (rDNA) with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Insulin (rDNA) products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
Are Coconut Oil and Insulin (rDNA) used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Coconut Oil in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Insulin (rDNA) is being adjusted to a target.
Does Insulin (rDNA) interact with any supplements?
Yes. Insulin (rDNA) has documented interactions with 242 supplements in our database — Coconut Oil is not one of them. The Insulin (rDNA) interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Where next

Keep Exploring

Coconut Oil monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Insulin Lispro Injection drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Insulin (rDNA) supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Insulin (rDNA), 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 References The 20 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Insulin (rDNA) and Coconut Oil?

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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.