Drug & supplement interaction

Ilex Guayusa + Dulaglutide

Dulaglutide brand name: Trulicity.

Minor Interaction
The bottom line Minor

Ilex Guayusa has a minor interaction with Dulaglutide. Theoretically, taking Ilex guayusa with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.

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

Ilex Guayusa and Dulaglutide

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

Minor

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Dulaglutide

Dulaglutide falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Ilex Guayusa interacts with.

Theoretically, taking Ilex guayusa with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.
Animal research in a model of hyperglycemia suggests that Ilex guayusa may have antihyperglycemic effects, although it does not appear to lower glucose levels when compared with baseline. This effect has not been evaluated in humans.
Severity Minor Likelihood Unlikely Evidence D

Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans..

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

Here's the short version: if you enjoy guayusa tea while taking Trulicity (dulaglutide), the concern is mostly on paper. Some animal studies hint that guayusa might nudge blood sugar a little lower, and since dulaglutide already works to bring your numbers down, the worry is that combining them could add up to low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). That can show up as shakiness, sweating, dizziness, or feeling foggy.

In reality, this is rated very weak and unlikely. It has never been confirmed in people, and Trulicity by itself rarely causes lows unless you also take insulin or a sulfonylurea. A normal cup or two of tea isn't likely to matter. Just check your sugars as usual, and chat with your pharmacist or doctor if you're drinking it heavily or notice any low readings.

References
  1. Swanston-Flatt SK, Day C, Flatt PR, Gould BJ, Bailey CJ. Glycaemic effects of traditional European plant treatments for diabetes. Studies in normal and streptozotocin diabetic mice. Diabetes Res 1989;10(2):69-73.
  2. Mello TC, Dias DDS, Bernardes N, et al. Ilex Guayusa Tea Improves Glycaemia and Autonomic Modulation in Female Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2025;18(3):316. 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

Ilex Guayusa Also Interacts With Other Medications

Ilex Guayusa has 8 major, 470 moderate, 126 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Dulaglutide 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 Ilex Guayusa

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Dulaglutide

This page covers Ilex Guayusa only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Dulaglutide page lists 239 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 1 major · 208 moderate · 30 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Dulaglutide page

“Because dulaglutide (Trulicity) already lowers blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, nearly every entry on this page deserves genuine respect, and one demands it outright. Almost all of these supplements pull glucose in one direction or the other, so the danger that matters most is hypoglycemia, blood sugar dropping too low.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Dulaglutide interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Ilex Guayusa and Dulaglutide 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 Ilex Guayusa
Steady interest

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

29 days ago today
Medication Dulaglutide
Top half

#999 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 Ilex Guayusa

What is Ilex Guayusa?

  • Energy and alertness
  • Mental focus
  • Antioxidant support
  • Appetite control
  • Athletic and physical performance

Ilex guayusa is a caffeine-containing holly leaf from the Amazon, traditionally brewed as a tea for energy and alertness, much like yerba mate or green tea. There is limited human research confirming specific health benefits, and its main reliable effect comes from its caffeine content. Because it is a stimulant, use it cautiously and check with your pharmacist or doctor if you have heart concerns or are pregnant.

Read the full Ilex Guayusa monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Dulaglutide Injection

What Is Dulaglutide Injection Used For?

Brand name: Trulicity

Trulicity (dulaglutide) injection is used alongside diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults and children 10 years and older with type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is not for type 1 diabetes.

Trulicity is also used in adults with type 2 diabetes who have established cardiovascular disease or multiple cardiovascular risk factors to lower the risk of major heart events — specifically cardiovascular death, non-fatal heart attack, or non-fatal stroke.

See full Dulaglutide Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Ilex Guayusa

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

8Major
470Moderate
126Minor
2,225No known interaction
Major

8 interactions

Moderate

470 interactions

Showing 60 of 470 moderate interactions — see all 470 on the Ilex Guayusa page.

Minor

126 interactions

Showing 60 of 126 minor interactions — see all 126 on the Ilex Guayusa page.

No interaction 2,225 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 Ilex Guayusa and Dulaglutide Together: Common Questions

Can you take Ilex Guayusa with Dulaglutide?
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.
How serious is the Ilex Guayusa and Dulaglutide 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

Still Have a Question About Dulaglutide and Ilex Guayusa?

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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.