Drug & supplement interaction

Ribose + Insulin determir

Insulin determir brand name: Levemir.

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

Insulin determir falls into 2 drug categories that Ribose can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, taking ribose in combination with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodProbable
Interactions2
EvidenceB
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Ribose and Insulin determir

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Ribose interacts with whole categories of medication. Insulin determir falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Ribose in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Insulin determir

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

Theoretically, taking ribose in combination with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.
In clinical research, ribose decreases serum glucose levels in a dose-dependent manner.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence B

Interaction 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..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the thing to know about pairing ribose with Levemir (insulin detemir). Ribose is a simple sugar, but in clinical research it can actually lower blood sugar levels, and the more you take, the bigger that drop can be. Levemir already works to bring your blood sugar down, so stacking the two together could push your numbers lower than you intend. That raises the chance of hypoglycemia, which can show up as shakiness, sweating, a fast heartbeat, dizziness, confusion, or feeling suddenly weak.

This is rated a moderate, fairly likely interaction, so it's worth taking seriously even though it's partly based on theory. If you're thinking about ribose, please check with your pharmacist or doctor first and keep an eye on your glucose readings rather than changing your insulin on your own.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Burke ER. D-Ribose What You Need To Know. Garden City Park, NY: Avery Publishing Group 1999;1-43.
  2. Thompson J, Neutel J, Homer K, Tempero K, Shah A, Khankari R. Evaluation of D-ribose pharmacokinetics, dose proportionality, food effect, and pharmacodynamics after oral solution administration in healthy male and female subjects. J Clin Pharmacol 2014;54 PubMed
Moderate

INSULIN

2 of 2
Theoretically, taking ribose with insulin could increase the hypoglycemic effect of insulin.
In clinical pharmacokinetic studies, oral administration of ribose modestly increased serum insulin levels.
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 gist with Levemir (insulin detemir) and ribose. Ribose is a simple sugar your body uses to make cellular energy. In some studies, taking ribose by mouth nudged insulin levels up a bit, and it may also lower your blood sugar on its own. Stack that on top of Levemir, which already lowers blood sugar, and the two could add together.

The realistic worry here is low blood sugar (hypoglycemia): shakiness, sweating, a racing heart, confusion, or feeling lightheaded. This is mostly theoretical and the effect looks modest, so don't panic. But if you want to try ribose, check with your pharmacist or doctor first, watch your numbers a little more closely at the start, and never adjust your insulin dose on your own.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Burke ER. D-Ribose What You Need To Know. Garden City Park, NY: Avery Publishing Group 1999;1-43.
  2. Thompson J, Neutel J, Homer K, Tempero K, Shah A, Khankari R. Evaluation of D-ribose pharmacokinetics, dose proportionality, food effect, and pharmacodynamics after oral solution administration in healthy male and female subjects. J Clin Pharmacol 2014;54 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

Ribose Also Interacts With Other Medications

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

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

Check Another of Your Medications Against Ribose

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Insulin determir

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

We hold 543 real supplement products containing Ribose, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Ribose. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Insulin determir too, on top of Ribose — 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 Ribose 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 Ribose
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Insulin determir
Steady interest

#2,048 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 Ribose

What is Ribose?

  • Energy and fatigue
  • Athletic performance and recovery
  • Fibromyalgia symptoms
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Heart-related (cardiac) conditions

Ribose (D-ribose) is a simple sugar your body makes naturally and uses to build energy molecules like ATP. Some people take it for fatigue, fibromyalgia, exercise recovery, or heart conditions, but solid human evidence is limited and mostly small or preliminary. It is generally well tolerated in short-term use, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before trying it, especially if you have diabetes.

Read the full Ribose 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 & Ribose

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Ribose — 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 Ribose page.

No interaction 2,744 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Ribose 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 Ribose list.

See the full Ribose 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
Ribose 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 Ribose and Insulin determir Together: Common Questions

Can you take Ribose with Insulin determir?
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.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Ribose and Insulin determir?
Insulin determir belongs to more than one drug category, and Ribose interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Ribose and Insulin determir 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

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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.