Drug & supplement interaction

Octacosanol + Albiglutide

Albiglutide brand name: Tanzeum.

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

Octacosanol has a moderate interaction with Albiglutide. Theoretically, octacosanol might have additive effects when used in combination with antidiabetes drugs.

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

Octacosanol and Albiglutide

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

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Albiglutide

Albiglutide falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Octacosanol interacts with.

Theoretically, octacosanol might have additive effects when used in combination with antidiabetes drugs.
Octacosanol is the main component of policosanol. In humans, policosanol can decrease blood glucose. It is not clear if these effects occur with the use of octacosanol.
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 short version with Tanzeum (albiglutide): this isn't about your liver breaking the drug down differently. Albiglutide already works to lower your blood sugar by nudging your pancreas to release insulin when sugar is high. The concern is simply that octacosanol might add a little extra blood-sugar lowering on top of what your medication is already doing. If they stack up, your sugar could dip too low.

Be honest though, the evidence here is thin and mostly theoretical. Octacosanol is the main piece of policosanol, and policosanol has shown some glucose-lowering in studies, but we don't know that octacosanol alone does the same. If you do take both, just watch for lows like shakiness, sweating, or feeling lightheaded, and check in with your pharmacist or doctor before starting it.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Wang HY, Jiao QP, Chen SY, et al. Efficacy and safety of policosanol plus fenofibrate combination therapy in elderly patients with mixed dyslipidemia: A randomized, controlled clinical study. Am J Med Sci. 2018;356(3):254-261. 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

Octacosanol Also Interacts With Other Medications

Octacosanol has 247 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Albiglutide one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 247 No known interaction 2,583 (incl. Albiglutide)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Octacosanol

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Albiglutide

This page covers Octacosanol only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Albiglutide 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 Albiglutide page

“People injecting albiglutide (Tanzeum) once a week for type 2 diabetes are often the same people eyeing supplements marketed for blood sugar, and that overlap is exactly where this list calls for real vigilance. Every one of the 239 ingredients on file touches glucose control in some way, most by adding to albiglutide's glucose-lowerin…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Albiglutide interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 435 real supplement products containing Octacosanol, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Octacosanol. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Albiglutide too, on top of Octacosanol — 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 Octacosanol and Albiglutide 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 Octacosanol
Steady interest

#1,049 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Albiglutide
Steady interest

#1,602 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 Octacosanol

What is Octacosanol?

Octacosanol
  • Physical performance and endurance
  • Cholesterol support
  • Parkinson's and movement concerns
  • Antioxidant support
  • General energy and stamina

Octacosanol is a waxy long-chain alcohol from plant sources that is most often promoted for exercise endurance and cholesterol support, but solid human evidence is limited and results are mixed. It appears generally well tolerated in supplement amounts, but it is not a proven treatment for any condition, so talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it.

Read the full Octacosanol monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Octacosanol

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

0Major
247Moderate
0Minor
2,582No known interaction
247 Moderate 2,582 No interaction
Moderate

247 interactions

Showing 60 of 247 moderate interactions — see all 247 on the Octacosanol page.

No interaction 2,582 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,582 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Octacosanol list.

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

Can you take Octacosanol with Albiglutide?
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 Octacosanol and Albiglutide 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 Albiglutide and Octacosanol?

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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.