Drug & supplement interaction

Oleic Acid + Inhaled Insulin

Inhaled Insulin brand name: Exubera.

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

Oleic Acid has a moderate interaction with Inhaled Insulin. Theoretically, oleic acid might increase the effects of antidiabetes drugs.

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

Oleic Acid and Inhaled Insulin

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

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Inhaled Insulin

Inhaled Insulin falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Oleic Acid interacts with.

Theoretically, oleic acid might increase the effects of antidiabetes drugs. Preliminary clinical research in patients with type 2 diabetes taking oral hypoglycemic drugs shows that eating a diet rich in oleic acid from olive oil decreases fasting blood glucose levels when compared to eating a diet rich in linoleic acid from sunflower oil. It is unknown if taking oleic acid supplements would have this effect or if this change is clinically significant. Until more is known, use caution. Dose adjustment may be necessary. Some antidiabetes drugs include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, metformin (Glucophage), pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), and others.
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: inhaled insulin (Exubera) lowers your blood sugar directly, and a diet rich in oleic acid (think olive oil and avocados) may give blood sugar a small nudge downward too. Put them together and there's a chance your numbers could run a little lower than usual, which could mean shaky hands, sweating, dizziness, or that hungry, anxious feeling that comes with a low.

Honestly though, this is mostly theoretical. The evidence comes from small diet studies in type 2 diabetes, not from concentrated oleic acid supplements, and we don't know if the effect is big enough to matter for someone on insulin. Eating olive oil in normal food amounts is unlikely to cause trouble. If you're starting a concentrated supplement, check your blood sugars closely and let your doctor or pharmacist know so any insulin tweaks happen safely.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Madigan C, Ryan M, Owens D, et al. Dietary unsaturated fatty acids in type 2 diabetes: higher levels of postprandial lipoprotein on a linoleic acid-rich sunflower oil diet compared with an oleic acid-rich olive oil diet. Diabetes Care 2000;23:1472-7. 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

Oleic Acid Also Interacts With Other Medications

Oleic Acid has 85 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Inhaled Insulin one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 85 No known interaction 2,745 (incl. Inhaled Insulin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Oleic Acid

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Inhaled Insulin

This page covers Oleic Acid only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Inhaled Insulin page lists 259 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 3 major · 218 moderate · 38 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Inhaled Insulin page

“Inhaled insulin (Exubera) comes with a supplement list that warrants real caution, and the three major-rated entries deserve your attention first. Siberian cocklebur has caused severe hypoglycemia in people, activated charcoal can pull medications out of the body, and chelation products containing EDTA can drive blood sugar dangerously…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Inhaled Insulin interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 1,803 real supplement products containing Oleic Acid, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Oleic Acid. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Inhaled Insulin too, on top of Oleic Acid — 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 Oleic Acid and Inhaled Insulin 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 Oleic Acid
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Inhaled Insulin
Top half

#919 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 Oleic Acid

What is Oleic Acid?

  • Heart health
  • Healthy cooking fat
  • Skin moisturizing
  • Part of the Mediterranean diet
  • Anti-inflammatory support

Oleic acid is a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat found mainly in olive oil, canola oil, avocados, and nuts. As part of a Mediterranean-style diet, it is widely viewed as a healthier replacement for saturated fats, but it is still a calorie-dense fat, so amounts matter. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using concentrated supplements.

Read the full Oleic Acid monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Oleic Acid

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

0Major
85Moderate
0Minor
2,744No known interaction
85 Moderate 2,744 No interaction
Moderate

85 interactions

Showing 60 of 85 moderate interactions — see all 85 on the Oleic Acid page.

No interaction 2,744 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,744 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Oleic Acid list.

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

Can you take Oleic Acid with Inhaled Insulin?
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 Oleic Acid and Inhaled Insulin 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 Inhaled Insulin and Oleic Acid?

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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.