Drug & supplement interaction

Kudzu + Insulin determir

Insulin determir brand name: Levemir.

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

Kudzu has a minor interaction with Insulin determir. Theoretically, taking kudzu 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

Kudzu and Insulin determir

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

Minor

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Insulin determir

Insulin determir falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Kudzu interacts with.

Theoretically, taking kudzu with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.
Kudzu might lower blood glucose levels and have additive effects in patients treated with antidiabetic agents. The dose of diabetes medications might need to be adjusted.
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 basic idea with kudzu and your Levemir (insulin detemir). Some early lab and animal studies hint that kudzu might gently lower blood sugar on its own. Since insulin detemir is already a long-acting insulin that brings your blood sugar down, stacking the two could, in theory, push things a little too low. That's called hypoglycemia, and it can show up as shakiness, sweating, a racing heart, confusion, or feeling lightheaded.

I want to be honest though, this is rated as a minor and unlikely interaction, and the evidence is weak (mostly test-tube and animal data, not real people). So I'm not raising big alarms. If you do want to try kudzu, just let your pharmacist or doctor know first and keep an eye on your blood sugar numbers. Please don't change your insulin dose on your own.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Lee KT, Sohn IC, Kim DH, et al. Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of tectorigenin and kaikasaponin III in the streptozotocin-lnduced diabetic rat and their antioxidant activity in vitro. Arch Pharm Res 2000;23:461-6.
  2. Hsu FL, Liu IM, Kuo DH, et al. Antihyperglycemic effect of puerarin in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. J Nat Prod 2003;66:788-92. PubMed
  3. Hsu, H. H., Chang, C. K., Su, H. C., Liu, I. M., and Cheng, J. T. Stimulatory effect of puerarin on alpha1A-adrenoceptor to increase glucose uptake into cultured C2C12 cells of mice. Planta Med 2002;68(11):999-1003.
  4. Hou, Q., Ao, X., Li, G., and Zhang, Y. [Puerarin combined with avandia for diabetic nephropathy]. Zhong.Nan.Da.Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban. 2012;37(1):73-77.

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

Kudzu Also Interacts With Other Medications

Kudzu has 512 moderate, 71 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Insulin determir one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 512 Minor 71 No known interaction 2,247 (incl. Insulin determir)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Kudzu

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Insulin determir

This page covers Kudzu only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Insulin determir page lists 242 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 2 major · 211 moderate · 29 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Insulin determir page

“Anyone using insulin detemir (Levemir) should treat this list with real caution, because nearly every one of the 242 ingredients on it acts on blood sugar, and most stack extra glucose-lowering on top of the insulin you already inject. Only two carry a major rating, but both deserve understanding first: Siberian cocklebur, which has ca…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Insulin determir interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 536 real supplement products containing Kudzu, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Kudzu. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Insulin determir too, on top of Kudzu — 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 Kudzu and Insulin determir 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 Kudzu
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Insulin determir
Steady interest

#2,110 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 Kudzu

What is Kudzu?

Kudzu
  • Alcohol cravings and reduction
  • Menopausal symptoms
  • Heart and blood vessel health
  • Hangover relief
  • Traditional Chinese medicine (Ge Gen)

Kudzu is a fast-growing vine whose root has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine and is now studied mostly for reducing alcohol intake. Early research is promising for cutting back on drinking, but evidence for most other uses is weak. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before trying it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Kudzu monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Insulin Detemir (rDNA Origin) Injection

What Is Insulin Detemir (rDNA Origin) Injection Used For?

Brand name: Levemir

Levemir (insulin detemir) is used to improve blood sugar (glucose) control in adults and children with type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes. It is a basal insulin, meaning it works around the clock to keep background blood sugar levels steady.

Levemir is not recommended for treating diabetic ketoacidosis (a dangerous buildup of acids in the blood that requires a different type of insulin).

See full Insulin Detemir (rDNA Origin) Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Kudzu

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

0Major
512Moderate
71Minor
2,246No known interaction
512 Moderate 71 Minor 2,246 No interaction
Moderate

512 interactions

Showing 60 of 512 moderate interactions — see all 512 on the Kudzu page.

Minor

71 interactions

Showing 60 of 71 minor interactions — see all 71 on the Kudzu page.

No interaction 2,246 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,246 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Kudzu list.

See the full Kudzu interactions page
See every supplement checked against Insulin determir, 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
Kudzu monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Insulin determir supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Insulin determir, ranked by severity Insulin Detemir (rDNA Origin) Injection 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 Kudzu and Insulin determir Together: Common Questions

Can you take Kudzu with Insulin determir?
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 Kudzu and Insulin determir 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 Insulin determir and Kudzu?

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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.