Drug & supplement interaction

Shea Butter + Insulin (rDNA)

Insulin (rDNA) brand names: Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humulin R, Humulin N, Humulin L, and others.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated June 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Shea Butter and Insulin (rDNA) in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the label for Insulin (rDNA) states a food rule worth keeping to.

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Interaction report

Shea Butter and Insulin (rDNA)

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Insulin (rDNA) and Shea Butter in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Shea Butter at all — not against Insulin (rDNA), and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Shea Butter safety at a glance

Shea Butter overall Generally safe Topical shea butter is generally well tolerated by most people.
Pregnancy Likely Safe When used in amounts commonly found in foods. Shea butter has Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status in the US. There is insufficient reliable information a... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Likely Safe When used in amounts commonly found in foods. Shea butter has Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status in the US. There is insufficient reliable information a... Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Insulin (rDNA) and Shea Butter? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

What Insulin (rDNA)’s Own FDA Label Lists

This is not an interaction — none of it involves Shea Butter. These are the most notable effects listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Insulin (rDNA)’s own FDA label, for the medication by itself. Knowing the drug’s own list makes it easier to work out the likely cause if something new turns up while you take both. 8 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Low blood sugar Worth acting on
  • Low potassium Worth acting on
  • High blood sugar Worth acting on
  • Wheezing Worth acting on
  • Shortness of breath Worth acting on
  • A severe allergic reaction Worth acting on
  • A higher chance of infection Worth acting on
  • An allergic reaction Worth acting on
  • Weight gain
  • Sweating

Showing the 10 most notable of 16 label-listed effects — ranked by how unusual each one is across medicines generally, with serious effects weighted up.

From the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Insulin (rDNA). Read the label on DailyMed › Shea Butter’s licensed record lists no adverse effects our clinical vocabulary could match, so there is no Shea Butter side to compare — that is a limit of the record, not a statement that Shea Butter has no side effects.

Special populations

Shea Butter in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Likely Safe

When used in amounts commonly found in foods. Shea butter has Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status in the US. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of shea butter when used in medicinal amounts during pregnancy and lactation; avoid using.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

How to take them

Some Insulin (rDNA) Products Have a Food Rule — Shea Butter Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Insulin (rDNA) says to take it with food. If you take Shea Butter on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Insulin (rDNA) with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Insulin (rDNA) products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

( 2.1 , 2.2 , 2.3 , 2.4 ) Subcutaneous injection ( 2.2 ): Administer HUMALOG ® U-100 or U-200 by subcutaneous injection into the abdominal wall, thigh, upper arm, or buttocks within 15 minutes before a meal or immediately after a meal.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Insulin (rDNA) — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Insulin (rDNA)

This page covers Shea Butter only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Insulin (rDNA) 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 (rDNA) page

“A weed called Siberian cocklebur has caused severe low blood sugar in humans and is the one ingredient to avoid outright while using insulin (rDNA) products like Humalog or Humulin. This list deserves real respect.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Insulin (rDNA) interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Shea Butter and Insulin (rDNA) 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 Shea Butter
Steady interest

#1,381 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Insulin (rDNA)
Top 25%

#654 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.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Shea Butter reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Shea Butter and Insulin (rDNA) records this page draws on were last updated June 22, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Shea Butter

What is Shea Butter?

  • Dry skin and moisturizing
  • Soothing minor skin irritation
  • Lip and cuticle care
  • Hair and scalp conditioning
  • Reducing the look of stretch marks or scars
  • Massage and cosmetic use

Shea butter is a plant fat from the African shea tree that is widely used as a skin and hair moisturizer. It is generally considered safe for most people when applied to the skin, but most of its beauty and health claims have only limited scientific proof. It is meant for external use, not for swallowing as a supplement.

Vitellaria paradoxa · Sapotaceae · Fat extracted from the nut (seed kernel) · Raw (unrefined) butter, refined butter, lotions, creams, balms, soaps, lip balms

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Shea Butter is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Shea Butter record says about it on its own.

Shea Butter: dosing

There is no standardized dose for shea butter because it is used as a topical cosmetic, not a measured medicine. Most people simply apply a small amount to the skin or hair as needed and rub it in.Follow the directions on the product label, and start with a small amount to see how your skin responds.

From our Shea Butter monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Shea Butter monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Insulin Lispro Injection

What Is Insulin Lispro Injection Used For?

Brand names: Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humulin R, Humulin N, Humulin L, Humulin 50/50, Humulin 70/30, Humulin U, NovoLog, Velosulin, Novolog Mix 70/30, Actrapid, Humulin S, Insuman Rapid

Insulin lispro injection is used to improve glycemic control (blood sugar management) in people with diabetes mellitus. It is a rapid-acting insulin analog approved for use in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Admelog is specifically indicated to improve glycemic control in patients with diabetes mellitus. Humalog Mix75/25 is indicated to improve glycemic control in adults with diabetes mellitus; it is a fixed-ratio mixture of insulin lispro and insulin lispro protamine, and its fixed proportions do not allow for separate adjustment of basal (background) and prandial (mealtime) doses.

See full Insulin Lispro Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Shea Butter

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

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
2,829 No interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Shea Butter list.

See the full Shea Butter interactions page
See every supplement checked against Insulin (rDNA), ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Shea Butter References

The 5 references that drive our Shea Butter monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Tella, A. Preliminary studies on nasal decongestant activity from the seed of the shea butter tree, Butyrospermum parkii. Br J Clin Pharmacol 1979;7(5):495-497. PubMed
  2. Title 21 - Food and Drugs. Part 184. Direct food substances affirmed as generally recognized as safe. Subpart B - Listings of specific substances affirmed as GRAS. Section 184.1702 - Sheanut oil. Available at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/granule/CFR-2000-tit
  3. Hon KL, Tsang YC, Pong NH, et al. Patient acceptability, efficacy, and skin biophysiology of a cream and cleanser containing lipid complex with shea butter extract versus a ceramide product for eczema. Hong Kong Med J. 2015;21(5):417-25. PubMed
  4. Jirabundansuk P, Ophaswongse S, Udompataikul M. Comparative trial of moisturizer containing spent grain wax, Butyrospermum parkii extract, Argania spinosa kernel oil vs. 1% hydrocortisone cream in the treatment of childhood atopic dermatitis. J Med Assoc
  5. Kofi Amegah A, Brahuah E, Stranges S. Cooking with shea butter is associated with lower blood pressure in the Ghanaian population. Int J Vitam Nutr Res 2019:1-11. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Shea Butter and Insulin (rDNA) Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Shea Butter with Insulin (rDNA)?
We do not list a known interaction between Shea Butter and Insulin (rDNA). That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Should I take Shea Butter and Insulin (rDNA) at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Insulin (rDNA) says to take it with food. If you take Shea Butter on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Insulin (rDNA) with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Insulin (rDNA) products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
Does Insulin (rDNA) interact with any supplements?
Yes. Insulin (rDNA) has documented interactions with 242 supplements in our database — Shea Butter is not one of them. The Insulin (rDNA) interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Shea Butter monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Insulin Lispro Injection drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Insulin (rDNA) supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Insulin (rDNA), 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 References The 5 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Insulin (rDNA) and Shea Butter?

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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.