Drug & supplement interaction

Ribose + Insulin Glargine Recombinant

Insulin Glargine Recombinant brand name: Toujeo Solostar.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Insulin Glargine Recombinant 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 Glargine Recombinant

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 Glargine Recombinant 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

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Why this applies to Insulin Glargine Recombinant

Insulin Glargine Recombinant 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 if you use Toujeo (insulin glargine), your long-acting basal insulin, and you're thinking about ribose. Insulin already works to lower your blood sugar, and research shows that ribose can nudge blood sugar down on its own in a dose-related way. Put the two together and you may get a bigger drop than expected, which means a higher chance of hypoglycemia.

Watch for the usual low-sugar signs: shakiness, sweating, a racing heart, dizziness, confusion, or sudden hunger. This isn't a reason to panic, and it isn't a reason to change your insulin on your own. Please don't adjust your dose without guidance. If you'd like to try ribose, check with your pharmacist or doctor first so they can help you monitor your numbers more closely.

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

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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: ribose is a simple sugar, and some studies suggest it can nudge your body to release a bit more insulin while also helping cells use sugar for energy. When you stack that on top of your Toujeo (insulin glargine), the two can add up and push your blood sugar lower than you'd expect. That can mean more low blood sugar episodes, with shakiness, sweating, dizziness, confusion, or a racing heart.

This is rated as a possible, moderate interaction, and the effect on insulin in studies was described as modest, not dramatic. Still, since your basal insulin works around the clock, it's worth being careful. Don't change your insulin dose on your own. If you're thinking about ribose, check in with your pharmacist or doctor first and keep an eye on your sugar readings.

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 Glargine Recombinant one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

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 Glargine Recombinant

This page covers Ribose only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Insulin Glargine Recombinant 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 Glargine Recombinant page

“If you inject insulin glargine (Toujeo Solostar), this list deserves real respect, because all 242 ingredients on it bear on the number you track daily, your blood sugar. Most of the 211 moderate entries add to insulin's glucose-lowering effect and can tip you into hypoglycemia, a dangerous low, while a smaller group pushes sugar upwar…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Insulin Glargine Recombinant 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 Glargine Recombinant 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 Glargine Recombinant 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

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

29 days ago today
Medication Insulin Glargine Recombinant
Steady interest

#2,071 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
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
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
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

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Ribose and Insulin Glargine Recombinant Together: Common Questions

Can you take Ribose with Insulin Glargine Recombinant?
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 Glargine Recombinant?
Insulin Glargine Recombinant 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 Glargine Recombinant 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.