Drug & supplement interaction

Fo-ti + Canagliflozin

Canagliflozin brand name: Invokana.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Fo-ti has a moderate interaction with Canagliflozin. Theoretically, fo-ti 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?
Know someone taking this? Share
Interaction report

Fo-ti and Canagliflozin

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

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Canagliflozin

Canagliflozin falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Fo-ti interacts with.

Theoretically, fo-ti might increase the risk of hypoglycemia when taken with antidiabetes drugs.
Fo-ti reportedly has hypoglycemic 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

Here's the simple version: Fo-ti has been reported to nudge blood sugar a little lower on its own. Since canagliflozin (Invokana) is already working to bring your sugar down by helping your kidneys flush out glucose, adding Fo-ti could in theory push your numbers lower than intended. That might show up as shakiness, sweating, dizziness, headache, or feeling unusually tired or hungry.

I want to be honest about how solid this is. It's a theoretical concern based on how Fo-ti behaves, not strong human studies, so it may never cause you trouble. Canagliflozin alone rarely causes true lows unless paired with insulin or a sulfonylurea. Still, keep an eye on your readings, and chat with your pharmacist or doctor before adding Fo-ti, especially given its possible effects on the liver.

References
  1. Foster S, Tyler VE. Tyler's Honest Herbal: A Sensible Guide to the Use of Herbs and Related Remedies. 3rd ed., Binghamton, NY: Haworth Herbal Press, 1993.
  2. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.

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

Fo-ti Also Interacts With Other Medications

Fo-ti has 1,256 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Canagliflozin 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 Fo-ti

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Canagliflozin

This page covers Fo-ti only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Canagliflozin page lists 256 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 · 215 moderate · 39 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Canagliflozin page

“Canagliflozin (Invokana) lowers blood sugar, and that is precisely why this list deserves genuine care. Nearly every ingredient on it works on glucose one way or another: most can push it too low when stacked with the drug, while a few, niacin among them, raise it and work against the medicine.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Canagliflozin interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Fo-ti as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 976 real supplement products containing Fo-ti, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Fo-ti. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Canagliflozin too, on top of Fo-ti — 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 Fo-ti and Canagliflozin 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 Fo-ti
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Canagliflozin
Steady interest

#1,861 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 Fo-ti

What is Fo-ti?

  • Anti-aging and longevity
  • Hair graying and hair loss
  • General tonic for vitality
  • Constipation
  • High cholesterol

Fo-ti (He Shou Wu) is a root used in traditional Chinese medicine, often promoted for healthy aging and hair. High-quality human evidence for these benefits is limited, and processed Fo-ti has been linked to reports of liver injury, so caution and professional guidance are important.

Read the full Fo-ti monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Canagliflozin

What Is Canagliflozin Used For?

Brand name: Invokana

Invokana (canagliflozin) is used alongside diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults and children aged 10 and older with type 2 diabetes. It is not for type 1 diabetes.

In adults with type 2 diabetes, Invokana is also used to lower the risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death in those with established cardiovascular disease, and to reduce the risk of serious kidney complications — including end-stage kidney disease, cardiovascular death, and hospitalization for heart failure — in those with diabetic kidney disease and high levels of protein in the urine.

See full Canagliflozin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Fo-ti

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

0Major
1,256Moderate
0Minor
1,573No known interaction
Moderate

1,256 interactions

Showing 60 of 1,256 moderate interactions — see all 1,256 on the Fo-ti page.

No interaction 1,573 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

Keep exploring
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Fo-ti and Canagliflozin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Fo-ti with Canagliflozin?
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 Fo-ti and Canagliflozin 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 Canagliflozin and Fo-ti?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.