Drug & supplement interaction

Glucomannan + Fluvastatin

Fluvastatin brand names: Lescol, Lescol XL.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Glucomannan has a moderate interaction with Fluvastatin. Theoretically, glucomannan may decrease absorption of drugs taken orally.

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

Glucomannan and Fluvastatin

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

Moderate

ORAL DRUGS

Why this applies to Fluvastatin

Fluvastatin falls under ORAL DRUGS — the group Glucomannan interacts with.

Theoretically, glucomannan may decrease absorption of drugs taken orally.
Due to its viscosity and bulking effects, there is concern that glucomannan can decrease the absorption of oral drugs. A small clinical study in healthy volunteers shows that taking glyburide 2.5 mg plus glucomannan 3.9 grams with breakfast reduces plasma levels of glyburide when compared with breakfast and glyburide alone. In addition, animal research demonstrates this effect on amoxicillin, but shows increased absorption of metronidazole. This mouse model also demonstrates that metronidazole elimination is prolonged, but amoxicillin elimination is enhanced by 38%; glucomannan may also affect the distribution of some drugs. To avoid changes in absorption, take glucomannan 30-60 minutes after taking oral drugs.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence B

Interaction 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..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the gist with fluvastatin and glucomannan: this fiber forms a thick gel in your gut, and that gel can grab onto medicines and slow or reduce how much your body soaks up. The concern is that less fluvastatin gets absorbed, which could make it a little less effective at lowering your LDL (bad cholesterol). We're not worried about it building up or causing more muscle aches, the worry runs the other way, toward a weaker effect.

The good news is timing fixes this easily. A simple habit is to take your fluvastatin first, then wait about 30 to 60 minutes before your glucomannan. The evidence here is fairly modest, mostly based on other oral drugs, but spacing them apart is an easy, smart move. Run it by your pharmacist or doctor before you start.

References
  1. Shima K, Tanaka A, Ikegami H, et al. Effect of dietary fiber, glucomannan, on absorption of sulfonylurea in man. Horm Metab Res 1983;15:1-3. PubMed
  2. Zhang Y, Aldamarany WAS, Song G, et al. Influence of konjac glucomannan and its derivatives on the oral pharmacokinetics of antimicrobial agent in antibiotics cocktails: Keep vigilant on dietary fiber supplement. Int J Biol Macromol 2023;251:126306. 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

Glucomannan Also Interacts With Other Medications

Glucomannan has 2,021 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Fluvastatin 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 Glucomannan

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Fluvastatin

This page covers Glucomannan only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Fluvastatin page lists 128 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 · 97 moderate · 24 minor.

Open the Fluvastatin interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 467 real supplement products containing Glucomannan, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Glucomannan. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Fluvastatin too, on top of Glucomannan — 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 Glucomannan and Fluvastatin 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 Glucomannan
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Fluvastatin
Top half

#993 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 Glucomannan

What is Glucomannan?

Glucomannan
  • Weight loss and appetite control
  • Constipation
  • High cholesterol
  • Blood sugar support
  • Digestive health

Glucomannan is a soluble fiber from the konjac root that swells into a gel in your stomach, which may help with mild weight loss, constipation, and modestly lowering cholesterol. It is generally well tolerated when taken with plenty of water, but it must be taken carefully because it can swell and cause choking or blockage if not swallowed properly. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before starting it, especially if you have a health condition or take medicines.

Read the full Glucomannan monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Fluvastatin

What Is Fluvastatin Used For?

Brand names: Lescol, Lescol XL

Fluvastatin capsules are used alongside diet to lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and apolipoprotein B, and to raise HDL cholesterol in adults with primary hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol) or mixed dyslipidemia (abnormal cholesterol and triglyceride levels). Fluvastatin capsules are also used in boys and girls aged 10–16 who have heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (an inherited form of high cholesterol) when diet alone has not worked. In adults with clinically evident coronary heart disease (CHD), fluvastatin capsules may reduce the risk of needing a coronary revascularization procedure (a procedure to restore blood flow, such as angioplasty) and can slow the progression of coronary atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in heart arteries).

Fluvastatin sodium extended-release tablets and Lescol XL (extended-release tablet) share similar uses: reducing LDL cholesterol in adults with primary hyperlipidemia, reducing LDL in adults and children aged 10 and older with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia who require the highest available dose, and reducing cardiovascular risk in adults with established coronary heart disease. Fluvastatin is always used together with a cholesterol-lowering diet, not as a replacement for one.

See full Fluvastatin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Glucomannan

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

0Major
2,021Moderate
0Minor
808No known interaction
Moderate

2,021 interactions

Showing 60 of 2,021 moderate interactions — see all 2,021 on the Glucomannan page.

No interaction 808 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 Glucomannan and Fluvastatin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Glucomannan with Fluvastatin?
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 Glucomannan and Fluvastatin 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 Fluvastatin and Glucomannan?

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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.