Drug & supplement interaction

Irvingia Gabonensis + Pioglitazone

Pioglitazone brand name: Actos.

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

Irvingia Gabonensis has a moderate interaction with Pioglitazone. Theoretically, taking Irvingia gabonensis with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia in some patients.

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

Irvingia Gabonensis and Pioglitazone

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

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Pioglitazone

Pioglitazone falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Irvingia Gabonensis interacts with.

Theoretically, taking Irvingia gabonensis with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia in some patients.
Human research shows that Irvingia gabonensis decreases blood sugar in diabetic patients being treated with antidiabetes agents. Monitor blood glucose levels closely. Dose adjustments might be necessary.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence B

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: African mango (Irvingia gabonensis) may lower your blood sugar on its own, and pioglitazone is already working to do the same thing by making your body more sensitive to insulin. Stack the two together and your blood sugar could drift lower than expected. Watch for signs of a low, like shakiness, sweating, dizziness, a fast heartbeat, or feeling foggy or hungry.

This isn't about the supplement breaking down pioglitazone or causing a dangerous reaction. It's just two things nudging blood sugar in the same direction. The human evidence is real but limited, so think of this as a reason to check your glucose a bit more often if you start the supplement, and to loop in your pharmacist or doctor before changing anything.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Adamson, I., Okafor, C., and Abu-Bakare, A. A supplement of Dikanut (Irvingia gabonesis) improves treatment of type II diabetics. West Afr.J.Med. 1990;9(2):108-115.
  2. Adamson, I., Okafor, C., and Abu-Bakare, A. Erythrocyte membrane ATPases in diabetes: effect of dikanut (Irvingia gabonensis). Enzyme 1986;36(3):212-215. 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

Irvingia Gabonensis Also Interacts With Other Medications

Irvingia Gabonensis has 93 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Pioglitazone one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 93 No known interaction 2,737 (incl. Pioglitazone)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Irvingia Gabonensis

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Pioglitazone

This page covers Irvingia Gabonensis only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Pioglitazone page lists 356 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 · 309 moderate · 41 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Pioglitazone page

“Most of what appears on this pioglitazone (Actos) list shares one trait: the ingredients lower blood sugar on their own, which sounds helpful until you remember pioglitazone already does that job for people with type 2 diabetes. Stacked together, they can push glucose too low, and I would read this list with genuine care.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Pioglitazone interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 406 real supplement products containing Irvingia Gabonensis, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Irvingia Gabonensis. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Pioglitazone too, on top of Irvingia Gabonensis — 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 Irvingia Gabonensis and Pioglitazone 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 Irvingia Gabonensis
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Pioglitazone
Steady interest

#2,100 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 Irvingia Gabonensis

What is Irvingia Gabonensis?

Irvingia Gabonensis
  • Weight loss
  • Appetite control
  • Cholesterol support
  • Blood sugar support
  • Metabolism support

Irvingia gabonensis (African mango) is a seed extract marketed mainly for weight loss and metabolic health. A few small studies suggest possible benefits, but the research is limited and low-quality, so the true effect is uncertain. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, and do not rely on it in place of proven diet and lifestyle changes.

Read the full Irvingia Gabonensis monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Pioglitazone

What Is Pioglitazone Used For?

Brand name: Actos

Pioglitazone tablets — sold as Actos and under the generic names Pioglitazone and Pioglitazone Hydrochloride — are used to improve blood sugar (glucose) control in adults with type 2 diabetes. They are taken along with diet and exercise, either alone or combined with other diabetes medicines such as a sulfonylurea, metformin, or insulin.

Pioglitazone is not for type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis (a serious complication where the blood becomes too acidic). It only works when the body is still producing some of its own insulin.

See full Pioglitazone drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Irvingia Gabonensis

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

0Major
93Moderate
0Minor
2,736No known interaction
93 Moderate 2,736 No interaction
Moderate

93 interactions

Showing 60 of 93 moderate interactions — see all 93 on the Irvingia Gabonensis page.

No interaction 2,736 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,736 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Irvingia Gabonensis list.

See the full Irvingia Gabonensis interactions page
See every supplement checked against Pioglitazone, 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
Irvingia Gabonensis monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Pioglitazone supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Pioglitazone, ranked by severity Pioglitazone drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication 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 Irvingia Gabonensis and Pioglitazone Together: Common Questions

Can you take Irvingia Gabonensis with Pioglitazone?
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 Irvingia Gabonensis and Pioglitazone 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 Pioglitazone and Irvingia Gabonensis?

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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.