Drug & supplement interaction

Oolong Tea + Inhaled Insulin

Inhaled Insulin brand name: Exubera.

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

Oolong Tea has a minor interaction with Inhaled Insulin. Theoretically, taking oolong tea with antidiabetes drugs might interfere with blood glucose control.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMinor
LikelihoodUnlikely
EvidenceB
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
Know someone taking this? Share
Facebook Post Reddit Email
On this page
Interaction report

Oolong Tea and Inhaled Insulin

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

Minor

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Inhaled Insulin

Inhaled Insulin falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Oolong Tea interacts with.

Theoretically, taking oolong tea with antidiabetes drugs might interfere with blood glucose control.
Oolong tea contains caffeine. Reports claim that caffeine might increase or decrease blood glucose levels.
Severity Minor Likelihood Unlikely Evidence B

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 simple version: inhaled insulin (like Exubera) is a fast-acting insulin you breathe in at mealtimes to bring your blood sugar down. Oolong tea isn't broken down by your insulin or changed by it. The only real concern is the caffeine in the tea. Caffeine can nudge blood sugar in either direction for some people, so in theory it could make your numbers a little less predictable while you're using insulin.

Honestly though, this is a minor and unlikely interaction, and the evidence behind it is weak. A normal cup or two of oolong tea probably won't cause trouble. The main thing to watch for is signs of low blood sugar (shakiness, sweating, confusion). If you drink a lot of tea or notice your readings jumping around, mention it to your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Watson JM, Jenkins EJ, Hamilton P, et al. Influence of caffeine on the frequency and perception of hypoglycemia in free-living patients with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Care 2000;23:455-9. PubMed
  2. Bell DG, Jacobs I, Ellerington K. Effect of caffeine and ephedrine ingestion on anaerobic exercise performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2001;33:1399-403. PubMed
  3. Baer DJ, Novotny JA, Harris GK, Stote K, Clevidence B, Rumpler WV. Oolong tea does not improve glucose metabolism in non-diabetic adults. Eur J Clin Nutr 2011;65(1):87-93. 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

Oolong Tea Also Interacts With Other Medications

Oolong Tea has 8 major, 518 moderate, 125 minor 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.

Major 8 Moderate 518 Minor 125 No known interaction 2,179 (incl. Inhaled Insulin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Oolong Tea

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Inhaled Insulin

This page covers Oolong Tea 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 Oolong Tea as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 75 real supplement products containing Oolong Tea, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Oolong Tea. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Inhaled Insulin too, on top of Oolong Tea — 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 Oolong Tea 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 Oolong Tea
Steady interest

#1,110 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Inhaled Insulin
Top half

#908 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 Oolong Tea

What is Oolong Tea?

  • Weight management
  • Mental alertness and energy
  • Heart health
  • Blood sugar support
  • Antioxidant support

Oolong tea is a traditional partially oxidized tea made from the same plant as green and black tea, and it provides caffeine and plant antioxidants. As a beverage it is generally considered safe for most healthy adults in moderate amounts, but evidence for specific health benefits like weight loss or blood sugar control is limited. If you have heart, blood pressure, or caffeine-sensitivity concerns, talk with your pharmacist or doctor.

Read the full Oolong Tea monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Oolong Tea

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

8Major
518Moderate
125Minor
2,178No known interaction
8 Major 518 Moderate 125 Minor 2,178 No interaction
Major

8 interactions

Moderate

518 interactions

Showing 60 of 518 moderate interactions — see all 518 on the Oolong Tea page.

Minor

125 interactions

Showing 60 of 125 minor interactions — see all 125 on the Oolong Tea page.

No interaction 2,178 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,178 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Oolong Tea list.

See the full Oolong Tea 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
Oolong Tea 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 Oolong Tea and Inhaled Insulin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Oolong Tea with Inhaled Insulin?
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 Oolong Tea and Inhaled Insulin 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 Inhaled Insulin and Oolong Tea?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.