Drug & supplement interaction

Yerba Mate + Alogliptin, Metformin

Alogliptin, Metformin brand name: Kazano.

Minor Interaction
The bottom line Minor

Alogliptin, Metformin falls into 2 drug categories that Yerba Mate can interact with; the most serious is rated minor. Theoretically, taking yerba mate with antidiabetes drugs might interfere with blood glucose control.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMinor
LikelihoodUnlikely
Interactions2
EvidenceB
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Yerba Mate and Alogliptin, Metformin

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

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Yerba Mate interacts with whole categories of medication. Alogliptin, Metformin falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Yerba Mate in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Minor).

Minor

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Alogliptin, Metformin

Alogliptin, Metformin falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Yerba Mate interacts with.

Theoretically, taking yerba mate with antidiabetes drugs might interfere with blood glucose control.
Yerba mate contains caffeine. Reports claim that caffeine might increase or decrease blood sugar.
Severity Minor Likelihood Unlikely Evidence B

Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the gist with Kazano (which combines alogliptin and metformin) and yerba mate: the concern isn't really about how your body breaks down the medicine. It's about the caffeine in mate. Caffeine can nudge blood sugar in either direction, so in theory it could make your numbers a little less predictable while you're working to keep them steady.

Honestly, this is a minor and unlikely interaction, and the evidence behind it is weak. A cup or two of mate probably won't throw things off. If you drink a lot of it or use concentrated caffeine extracts, just keep an eye on how you feel and check your sugars. Watch for shakiness, sweating, or feeling lightheaded. Chat with your pharmacist or doctor before making any changes.

References
  1. Watson JM, Jenkins EJ, Hamilton P, et al. Influence of caffeine on the frequency and perception of hypoglycemia in free-living patients with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Care 2000;23:455-9. PubMed
  2. Bell DG, Jacobs I, Ellerington K. Effect of caffeine and ephedrine ingestion on anaerobic exercise performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2001;33:1399-403. PubMed
Minor

METFORMIN (Glucophage)

2 of 2
Theoretically, metformin might increase the levels and adverse effects of the caffeine in yerba mate.
Yerba mate contains caffeine. Animal research suggests that metformin can reduce caffeine metabolism. However, this effect has not been reported in humans.
Severity Minor 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 with Kazano (which combines alogliptin and metformin) and your yerba mate: the concern isn't about the diabetes part of the drug at all. It's the caffeine in the mate. Some animal studies hint that metformin might slow how your body clears caffeine, so the caffeine could hang around a little longer and hit a bit harder.

In plain terms, you might notice the usual too-much-caffeine feelings: jitteriness, a racing heart, trouble sleeping, or an upset stomach. I want to be honest though, this is theoretical and hasn't actually been seen in people, so I wouldn't lose sleep over it. If your mate seems to wind you up more than usual, just ease back on it and mention it to your pharmacist or doctor.

References
  1. Mohiuddin, M., Azam, A. T., Amran, M. S., and Hossain, M. A. In vive effects of gliclazide and metformin on the plasma concentration of caffeine in healthy rats. Pak.J Biol Sci 5-1-2009;12(9):734-737.

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

Yerba Mate Also Interacts With Other Medications

Yerba Mate has 8 major, 505 moderate, 572 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Alogliptin, Metformin 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 Yerba Mate

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Alogliptin, Metformin

This page covers Yerba Mate only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Alogliptin, Metformin 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 Alogliptin, Metformin page

“Kazano combines alogliptin and metformin to lower blood sugar, and nearly everything on this list pushes on that same lever, so I treat these pairings with real caution. Most entries are herbs and supplements that lower glucose on their own, and stacked on the drug they raise the risk of hypoglycemia, a sugar drop steep enough to cause…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Alogliptin, Metformin interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 68 real supplement products containing Yerba Mate, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Yerba Mate. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Alogliptin, Metformin too, on top of Yerba Mate — 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 Yerba Mate and Alogliptin, 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 Yerba Mate
Steady interest

#1,101 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Alogliptin, Metformin
Top half

#1,137 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 Yerba Mate

What is Yerba Mate?

Yerba Mate
  • Energy and alertness
  • Weight loss
  • Mental focus
  • Digestive support
  • Antioxidant support

Yerba mate is a caffeine-containing herbal beverage from South America that is widely enjoyed for its stimulating, coffee-like effects. While it is rich in antioxidants and is being studied for weight, blood sugar, and cholesterol, strong human evidence for most health claims is limited. Drinking very hot mate over many years has been linked to higher risk of certain cancers, so enjoy it warm and in moderation.

Read the full Yerba Mate monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Yerba Mate

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

8Major
505Moderate
572Minor
1,744No known interaction
Major

8 interactions

Moderate

505 interactions

Showing 60 of 505 moderate interactions — see all 505 on the Yerba Mate page.

Minor

572 interactions

Showing 60 of 572 minor interactions — see all 572 on the Yerba Mate page.

No interaction 1,744 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 Yerba Mate and Alogliptin, Metformin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Yerba Mate with Alogliptin, Metformin?
There is only a minor interaction, which is usually not serious. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Yerba Mate and Alogliptin, Metformin?
Alogliptin, Metformin belongs to more than one drug category, and Yerba Mate 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 Yerba Mate and Alogliptin, Metformin interaction?
We rate it Minor. This interaction is generally not clinically significant, but it remains worth noting and discussing with your pharmacist.

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.