Drug & supplement interaction

Fucus Vesiculosus + pioglitazone, metformin

pioglitazone, metformin brand name: ActoPlus Met.

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

pioglitazone, metformin falls into 2 drug categories that Fucus Vesiculosus can interact with; the most serious is rated minor. Theoretically, concomitant use of Fucus vesiculosus with CYP3A4 substrates might increase the risk for adverse effects.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMinor
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Fucus Vesiculosus and pioglitazone, metformin

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Fucus Vesiculosus interacts with whole categories of medication. pioglitazone, metformin falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Fucus Vesiculosus in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Minor).

Minor

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

1 of 2

Why this applies to pioglitazone, metformin

pioglitazone, metformin falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES — the group Fucus Vesiculosus interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use of Fucus vesiculosus with CYP3A4 substrates might increase the risk for adverse effects.
In vitro research shows that fucoidan, a constituent of Fucus vesiculosus, inhibits CYP3A4. This interaction has not been reported in humans.
Severity Minor 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 honest picture with bladderwrack (Fucus vesiculosus) and your ActoPlus Met. Only the pioglitazone half is handled by the liver enzyme called CYP3A4. In a test tube, a seaweed compound called fucoidan slowed that enzyme down a bit. If that happened in your body, pioglitazone could build up slightly, which might mean more fluid retention, swelling, weight gain, or a higher chance of low blood sugar when paired with other diabetes meds. Metformin isn't broken down this way, so it isn't really part of this.

The big caveat: this is lab-only data and has never actually been seen in people, so I wouldn't lose sleep over it. The bigger concern is the high, unpredictable iodine in bladderwrack affecting your thyroid and blood sugar. Please run it by your pharmacist or doctor before starting it.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Mathew L, Burney M, Gaikwad A, et al. Preclinical evaluation of safety of fucoidan extracts from Undaria pinnatifida and Fucus vesiculosus for use in cancer treatment. Integr Cancer Ther 2017;16(4):572-84.
Minor

CYTOCHROME P450 2C8 (CYP2C8) SUBSTRATES

2 of 2

pioglitazone, metformin also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 2C8 (CYP2C8) SUBSTRATES.

Theoretically, concomitant use of Fucus vesiculosus with CYP2C8 substrates might increase the risk for adverse effects.
In vitro research shows that fucoidan, a constituent of Fucus vesiculosus, inhibits CYP2C8. This interaction has not been reported in humans.
Severity Minor 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 gist for your ActoPlus Met (that's pioglitazone plus metformin). The pioglitazone half is cleared by a liver enzyme called CYP2C8. In test-tube studies, a compound in bladderwrack called fucoidan appears to slow that enzyme down. If that happened in the body, pioglitazone could build up a bit, which might mean more of its usual effects, like fluid retention, mild swelling in the ankles, weight gain, or a higher chance of low blood sugar when combined with other diabetes meds.

That said, this is only lab data and has never actually been seen in people, so I wouldn't lose sleep over it. The bigger real-world concern is that bladderwrack's iodine can throw off your thyroid, which matters when you're managing diabetes. Please run it by your pharmacist or doctor before adding it.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Mathew L, Burney M, Gaikwad A, et al. Preclinical evaluation of safety of fucoidan extracts from Undaria pinnatifida and Fucus vesiculosus for use in cancer treatment. Integr Cancer Ther 2017;16(4):572-84.

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

Fucus Vesiculosus Also Interacts With Other Medications

Fucus Vesiculosus has 23 moderate, 867 minor known drug interactions in our database — the pioglitazone, metformin one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 23 Minor 867 No known interaction 1,940 (incl. pioglitazone, metformin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Fucus Vesiculosus

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With pioglitazone, metformin

This page covers Fucus Vesiculosus only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the pioglitazone, metformin page lists 357 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Grapefruit (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major) and St. John's Wort (major).

By severity: 6 major · 311 moderate · 40 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the pioglitazone, metformin page

“ActoPlus Met pairs pioglitazone with metformin for type 2 diabetes, and the size of this list, 357 supplements in all, reflects how many herbs lower blood sugar on their own. Stacked with the drug, they can push glucose too low; most of the 311 moderate entries work exactly that way.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the pioglitazone, metformin interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Fucus Vesiculosus and pioglitazone, 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 Fucus Vesiculosus
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication pioglitazone, metformin
Top half

#939 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 Fucus Vesiculosus

What is Fucus Vesiculosus?

Fucus Vesiculosus
  • Thyroid support
  • Iodine source
  • Weight management
  • Joint and skin care (topical)
  • Constipation and digestive support

Fucus vesiculosus (bladderwrack) is a brown seaweed rich in iodine that has been used traditionally for thyroid concerns, weight, and skin. There is little solid human evidence to support most of these uses, and its high and variable iodine content can actually harm the thyroid. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you have a thyroid condition.

Read the full Fucus Vesiculosus monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Fucus Vesiculosus

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

0Major
23Moderate
867Minor
1,939No known interaction
23 Moderate 867 Minor 1,939 No interaction
Moderate

23 interactions

Minor

867 interactions

Showing 60 of 867 minor interactions — see all 867 on the Fucus Vesiculosus page.

No interaction 1,939 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,939 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Fucus Vesiculosus list.

See the full Fucus Vesiculosus interactions page
See every supplement checked against pioglitazone, metformin, 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
Fucus Vesiculosus monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place pioglitazone, metformin supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against pioglitazone, metformin, 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 Fucus Vesiculosus and pioglitazone, metformin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Fucus Vesiculosus with pioglitazone, metformin?
There is only a minor interaction, which is usually not serious. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Fucus Vesiculosus and pioglitazone, metformin?
pioglitazone, metformin belongs to more than one drug category, and Fucus Vesiculosus interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Fucus Vesiculosus and pioglitazone, metformin interaction?
We rate it Minor. This interaction is generally not clinically significant, but it remains worth noting and discussing with your pharmacist.

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.