Drug & supplement interaction

Wine + Saxagliptin, metformin XR

Saxagliptin, metformin XR brand name: Kombiglyze.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Saxagliptin, metformin XR falls into 2 drug categories that Wine can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Concomitant use may interfere with blood glucose control.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodProbable
Interactions2
EvidenceC
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Wine and Saxagliptin, metformin XR

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Wine interacts with whole categories of medication. Saxagliptin, metformin XR falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Wine 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

1 of 2

Why this applies to Saxagliptin, metformin XR

Saxagliptin, metformin XR falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Wine interacts with.

Concomitant use may interfere with blood glucose control.
Alcohol can impair gluconeogenesis and may increase the risk of acute hypoglycemia when used concomitantly with antidiabetes drugs. However, the carbohydrates in wine may also worsen glycemic control in patients with diabetes.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence C

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

If you take Kombiglyze (that's the combo of saxagliptin and extended-release metformin) and enjoy wine, here's what to keep in mind. Alcohol can interfere with how your liver releases stored sugar, which means a glass or two, especially on an empty stomach, can push your blood sugar lower than expected. With these diabetes medicines already working to lower glucose, that raises your chance of hypoglycemia, things like shakiness, sweating, dizziness, confusion, or feeling weak.

On the flip side, the sugars in sweeter wines can nudge your blood sugar up too, so it cuts both ways. There's also a rare but serious concern: heavy drinking with metformin can raise the risk of lactic acidosis. An occasional drink with food is usually manageable for many people, but please confirm what's safe for you with your doctor or pharmacist before changing anything.

References
  1. Fraser AG. Pharmacokinetic interactions between alcohol and other drugs. Clin Pharmacokinet 1997;33:79-90. PubMed
Moderate

METFORMIN (Glucophage)

2 of 2
Concomitant use may increase the risk of lactic acidosis.
Concomitant consumption of large amounts of alcohol can increase the risk of lactic acidosis with metformin.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence C

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

Your Kombiglyze contains two medicines, and the part to watch with wine is the metformin. Metformin can already raise the level of lactic acid in your body a little, and drinking a lot of alcohol pushes that risk up further. This rare but serious problem is called lactic acidosis. Warning signs include feeling unusually weak or tired, muscle aches, trouble breathing, stomach pain, or feeling cold and dizzy.

An occasional glass with dinner is generally a different story than heavy or binge drinking, which is the real concern here. Alcohol can also make your blood sugar swing in unpredictable ways. I'd recommend chatting with your doctor or pharmacist about how much, if any, is reasonable for you.

References
  1. Glucophage XR (metformin) prescribing information. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. Princeton, NJ, May 2018. Available at: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2018/020357s034,021202s018lbl.pdf

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

Wine Also Interacts With Other Medications

Wine has 656 major, 269 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Saxagliptin, metformin XR 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 Wine

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Saxagliptin, metformin XR

This page covers Wine only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Saxagliptin, metformin XR page lists 257 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 · 38 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Saxagliptin, metformin XR page

“For Kombiglyze (saxagliptin with metformin XR), this list deserves careful reading, not a skim. Most of the 257 supplements on file lower blood sugar on their own, and stacked on a diabetes drug that extra push can tip into hypoglycemia.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Saxagliptin, metformin XR interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 8 real supplement products containing Wine, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Wine. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Saxagliptin, metformin XR too, on top of Wine — 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 Wine and Saxagliptin, metformin XR 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 Wine
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Saxagliptin, metformin XR
Top half

#859 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 Wine

What is Wine?

  • Social and relaxation use
  • Heart health (popular belief)
  • Antioxidant intake
  • Aiding digestion (traditional use)
  • Culinary flavoring

Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented grapes and is not a true dietary supplement or medicine. Despite popular claims about heart benefits, the alcohol it contains carries real health risks, and no amount of drinking can be recommended to improve health. If you drink, do so in moderation, and avoid alcohol entirely during pregnancy or if you have certain medical conditions.

Read the full Wine monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Wine

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

656Major
269Moderate
0Minor
1,904No known interaction
Major

656 interactions

Showing 60 of 656 major interactions — see all 656 on the Wine page.

Moderate

269 interactions

Showing 60 of 269 moderate interactions — see all 269 on the Wine page.

No interaction 1,904 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 Wine and Saxagliptin, metformin XR Together: Common Questions

Can you take Wine with Saxagliptin, metformin XR?
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 Wine and Saxagliptin, metformin XR?
Saxagliptin, metformin XR belongs to more than one drug category, and Wine 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 Wine and Saxagliptin, metformin XR 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.