Drug & supplement interaction

Vanadium + Pioglitazone

Pioglitazone brand name: Actos.

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

Vanadium has a moderate interaction with Pioglitazone. Theoretically, vanadium might increase the risk of hypoglycemia when taken with antidiabetes drugs.

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

Vanadium and Pioglitazone

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

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Pioglitazone

Pioglitazone falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Vanadium interacts with.

Theoretically, vanadium might increase the risk of hypoglycemia when taken with antidiabetes drugs.
A few very small clinical studies in patients with type 2 diabetes show that the vanadyl sulfate form of vanadium increases insulin sensitivity and might lower blood glucose levels.
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 vanadium with pioglitazone (Actos). Both work toward the same goal, which is helping your body respond better to insulin and bringing blood sugar down. Pioglitazone isn't a prodrug, so this isn't about how it's broken down. It's simply that vanadium may add a little extra blood-sugar-lowering on top of what your medication already does.

In a few small studies, the vanadyl sulfate form of vanadium nudged blood sugar lower in people with type 2 diabetes. Stacked with pioglitazone, that could raise your odds of low blood sugar, with symptoms like shakiness, sweating, dizziness, or confusion. This is more of a concern with concentrated supplements than the trace amounts in food. Please check with your pharmacist or doctor before adding vanadium, and keep an eye on your glucose readings.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Halberstam M, Cohen N, Shlimovich P, et al. Oral vanadyl sulfate improves insulin sensitivity in NIDDM but not in obese nondiabetic subjects. Diabetes 1996;45:659-66. PubMed
  2. Cohen N, Halberstam M, Shlimovich P, et al. Oral vanadyl sulfate improves hepatic and peripheral insulin sensitivity in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. J Clin Invest 1995;95:2501-9. PubMed
  3. Boden G, Chen X, Ruiz J, et al. Effects of vanadyl sulfate on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Metabolism 1996;45:1130-5.

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

Vanadium Also Interacts With Other Medications

Vanadium has 207 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Pioglitazone one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 207 No known interaction 2,623 (incl. Pioglitazone)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Vanadium

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Pioglitazone

This page covers Vanadium only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Pioglitazone page lists 356 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Grapefruit (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major) and St. John's Wort (major).

By severity: 6 major · 309 moderate · 41 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Pioglitazone page

“Most of what appears on this pioglitazone (Actos) list shares one trait: the ingredients lower blood sugar on their own, which sounds helpful until you remember pioglitazone already does that job for people with type 2 diabetes. Stacked together, they can push glucose too low, and I would read this list with genuine care.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Pioglitazone interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 4,701 real supplement products containing Vanadium, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Vanadium. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Pioglitazone too, on top of Vanadium — 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 Vanadium and Pioglitazone 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 Vanadium
Top 5%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Pioglitazone
Steady interest

#2,244 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 Vanadium

What is Vanadium?

Vanadium
  • Blood sugar and diabetes support
  • Athletic performance and muscle building
  • Lowering cholesterol
  • General trace-mineral supplementation

Vanadium is a trace mineral found in tiny amounts in food, and people get plenty from a normal diet. Supplement claims for diabetes, weight, and athletic performance are not well proven, and higher doses can be toxic. Most people do not need to supplement it, and you should check with your doctor or pharmacist before using it.

Read the full Vanadium monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Pioglitazone

What Is Pioglitazone Used For?

Brand name: Actos

Pioglitazone tablets — sold as Actos and under the generic names Pioglitazone and Pioglitazone Hydrochloride — are used to improve blood sugar (glucose) control in adults with type 2 diabetes. They are taken along with diet and exercise, either alone or combined with other diabetes medicines such as a sulfonylurea, metformin, or insulin.

Pioglitazone is not for type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis (a serious complication where the blood becomes too acidic). It only works when the body is still producing some of its own insulin.

See full Pioglitazone drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Vanadium

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

0Major
207Moderate
0Minor
2,622No known interaction
207 Moderate 2,622 No interaction
Moderate

207 interactions

Showing 60 of 207 moderate interactions — see all 207 on the Vanadium page.

No interaction 2,622 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,622 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Vanadium list.

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

Can you take Vanadium with Pioglitazone?
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 Vanadium and Pioglitazone 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 Pioglitazone and Vanadium?

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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.