Drug & supplement interaction

Stinging Nettle + Insulin (Bovine)

Insulin (Bovine) brand name: Hypurin Bovine Neutral.

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

Stinging Nettle has a moderate interaction with Insulin (Bovine). Theoretically, stinging nettle might have additive effects with antidiabetes drugs.

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

Stinging Nettle and Insulin (Bovine)

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

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Insulin (Bovine)

Insulin (Bovine) falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Stinging Nettle interacts with.

Theoretically, stinging nettle might have additive effects with antidiabetes drugs.
Clinical research shows that stinging nettle might decrease blood glucose levels in patients with diabetes.
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 simple version: stinging nettle may nudge your blood sugar down a little on its own. Since your bovine insulin (Hypurin Bovine Neutral) is already working hard to lower glucose, putting the two together could lower it more than you expect. That's not insulin failing, it's two blood-sugar-lowering effects stacking up.

What that can feel like is classic low blood sugar: shakiness, sweating, a fast heartbeat, hunger, confusion, or feeling lightheaded. The evidence here is fairly weak and mostly preliminary, so this isn't a reason to panic. But if you do add a nettle supplement, it's smart to check your glucose a bit more closely at first and let your pharmacist or doctor know so they can guide any insulin adjustments.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction

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

Stinging Nettle Also Interacts With Other Medications

Stinging Nettle has 163 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Insulin (Bovine) one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 163 No known interaction 2,667 (incl. Insulin (Bovine))
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Stinging Nettle

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Stinging Nettle or Insulin (Bovine)

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Stinging Nettle or Insulin (Bovine), 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 Insulin (Bovine)

This page covers Stinging Nettle only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Insulin (Bovine) 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 (Bovine) page

“Bovine insulin (Hypurin Bovine Neutral) lowers blood sugar, and the dose is calibrated to do exactly that, no more. That is why the 242 supplements on this page deserve real attention before adding one.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Insulin (Bovine) interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 3,276 real supplement products containing Stinging Nettle, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Stinging Nettle. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Insulin (Bovine) too, on top of Stinging Nettle — 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 Stinging Nettle and Insulin (Bovine) 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 Stinging Nettle
Top 10%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Insulin (Bovine)
Steady interest

#1,876 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 Stinging Nettle

What is Stinging Nettle?

Stinging Nettle
  • Enlarged prostate (BPH) symptoms
  • Seasonal allergies
  • Joint pain and arthritis
  • Urinary symptoms / mild diuretic
  • Blood sugar support

Stinging nettle is a common plant used as food and in traditional medicine, most often for prostate symptoms, allergies, and joint pain. The evidence is mixed and mostly preliminary, so it is best thought of as a supportive option rather than a proven treatment. It is generally well tolerated, but pregnant and breastfeeding people should avoid it and everyone should check with a pharmacist or doctor first.

Read the full Stinging Nettle monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Stinging Nettle

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

0Major
163Moderate
0Minor
2,666No known interaction
163 Moderate 2,666 No interaction
Moderate

163 interactions

Showing 60 of 163 moderate interactions — see all 163 on the Stinging Nettle page.

No interaction 2,666 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,666 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Stinging Nettle list.

See the full Stinging Nettle interactions page
See every supplement checked against Insulin (Bovine), 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
Stinging Nettle monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Insulin (Bovine) supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Insulin (Bovine), 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 Stinging Nettle and Insulin (Bovine) Together: Common Questions

Can you take Stinging Nettle with Insulin (Bovine)?
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 Stinging Nettle and Insulin (Bovine) 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 Insulin (Bovine) and Stinging Nettle?

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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.