Drug & supplement interaction

Shilajit + Metformin

Metformin brand names: Glucophage, Metformin.

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

Shilajit has a moderate interaction with Metformin. Taking shilajit with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.

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

Shilajit and Metformin

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

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Metformin

Metformin falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Shilajit interacts with.

Taking shilajit with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.
Most human and animal research shows that shilajit can decrease fasting plasma glucose levels. In an animal model, shilajit 100 mg per kg daily enhanced the glucose-lowering ability of both glibenclamide and metformin when given in combination over a 4 week period. Monitor blood glucose levels closely. Dose adjustments might be necessary.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

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: shilajit may have a mild blood sugar lowering effect of its own. When you pair it with metformin, those two effects can stack, so your sugar could drop lower than you expect. The catch is that this idea comes mostly from animal and lab studies, not strong human trials, so we don't know exactly how big a deal it is in real life.

Metformin alone rarely causes true low blood sugar, but adding another glucose lowering agent tips the odds. Watch for shakiness, sweating, dizziness, or feeling foggy. If you want to try shilajit, check your numbers more often at first and loop in your pharmacist or doctor before changing anything. Also pick a tested brand, since shilajit can carry heavy metal contamination.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Biswas TK, Pandit S, Mondal S, et al. Clinical evaluation of spermatogenic activity of processed Shilajit in oligospermia. Andrologia 2010;42(1):48-56. PubMed
  2. Ghezelbash B, Shahrokhi N, Khaksari M, Ghaderi-Pakdel F, Asadikaram G. Hepatoprotective effects of shilajit on high fat-diet induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in rats. Horm Mol Biol Clin Investig 2020;41(1):/j/hmbci. PubMed
  3. Ghezelbash B, Shahrokhi N, Khaksari M, Asadikaram G, Shahrokhi M, Shirazpour S. Protective roles of shilajit in modulating resistin, adiponectin, and cytokines in rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Chin J Integr Med 2022;28(6):531-537. PubMed
  4. Jafari M, Forootanfar H, Ameri A, et al. Antioxidant, cytotoxic and hyperalgesia-suppressing activity of a native Shilajit obtained from Bahr Aseman mountains. Pak J Pharm Sci 2019;32(5):2167-2173. DOI
  5. Trivedi NA, Mazumdar B, Bhatt JD, Hemavathi KG. Effect of shilajit on blood glucose and lipid profile in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Ind. J. Pharmacol. 2004; 36(6):373-376.

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

Shilajit Also Interacts With Other Medications

Shilajit has 85 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Metformin 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. Metformin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Shilajit

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Shilajit or Metformin

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Shilajit or Metformin, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Metformin

This page covers Shilajit only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Metformin page lists 258 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 2 major · 217 moderate · 39 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Metformin page

“Siberian cocklebur is the ingredient I most want anyone taking metformin (Glucophage) to know about. It has caused severe low blood sugar in people, documented in humans, and it should not be combined with any glucose-lowering medication.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Metformin interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 525 real supplement products containing Shilajit, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Shilajit. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Metformin too, on top of Shilajit — 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 Shilajit and Metformin 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 Shilajit
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Metformin
Top 5%

#36 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 Shilajit

What is Shilajit?

  • Fatigue and low energy
  • Male fertility and testosterone support
  • General vitality and aging
  • Athletic performance
  • Cognitive support

Shilajit is a sticky, tar-like substance found in rocks of mountain ranges like the Himalayas, used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for energy and vitality. Human evidence is limited and mostly small or early-stage, so its real benefits are uncertain. Quality and purity vary widely, and contamination with heavy metals is a real concern, so choose tested products and talk to your pharmacist before use.

Read the full Shilajit monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Metformin

What Is Metformin Used For?

Brand names: Glucophage, Metformin

Metformin — available as tablets, extended-release tablets, and an oral solution — is used to improve blood sugar (glucose) control in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus, always as part of a plan that includes diet and exercise.

Metformin hydrochloride tablets and the oral solution are approved for adults and children 10 years and older. Extended-release tablets (including Fortamet, Glumetza, and Metformin Hydrochloride Extended Release) are approved for adults only. Riomet (oral solution) is approved for adults and children 10 years and older.

See full Metformin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Shilajit

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

No interaction 2,744 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Shilajit 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 Shilajit list.

See the full Shilajit interactions page
See every supplement checked against Metformin, 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
Shilajit monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Metformin supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Metformin, ranked by severity Metformin 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 Shilajit and Metformin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Shilajit with Metformin?
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 Shilajit and Metformin 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 Metformin and Shilajit?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

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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.