Drug & supplement interaction

Yerba Mate + Metformin, Sitagliptin

Metformin, Sitagliptin brand names: Janumet, Janumet XR.

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

Metformin, Sitagliptin 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 Metformin, Sitagliptin

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. Metformin, Sitagliptin 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 Metformin, Sitagliptin

Metformin, Sitagliptin 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 simple version for your Janumet (that's metformin paired with sitagliptin): yerba mate carries caffeine, and caffeine can nudge your blood sugar in either direction depending on the person. The concern is just theoretical, the effect is rated minor, and it's unlikely to throw off your numbers in any meaningful way. Your Janumet isn't a prodrug, so yerba mate isn't speeding it up or slowing it down. This is really about caffeine's own mild, unpredictable tug on glucose.

If you enjoy mate regularly, keep an eye on your home readings for any odd highs or lows, and watch for jitteriness or a racing heart from the caffeine itself. Nothing to panic over, but mention your habit to your pharmacist or doctor so you can fine-tune together.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
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 interesting twist with your Janumet (which combines metformin and sitagliptin) and yerba mate: it's not that the medicine affects your blood sugar control here. Instead, the metformin part may slow down how fast your body clears the caffeine in yerba mate. So the caffeine could hang around a bit longer and hit a little harder than usual.

In real life that might mean feeling more jittery, a racing heart, trouble sleeping, or an upset stomach. I'll be honest though, this is mostly theoretical, based on animal studies, and hasn't actually been seen in people. A cup or two is unlikely to cause trouble. If you notice you're more wired than usual, ease back and mention it to your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
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 Metformin, Sitagliptin one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 8 Moderate 505 Minor 572 No known interaction 1,745 (incl. Metformin, Sitagliptin)
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 Metformin, Sitagliptin

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

“Many people prescribed metformin with sitagliptin (Janumet, Janumet XR) for type 2 diabetes also try herbs sold as blood sugar support, fenugreek among the most popular, and that habit is exactly where the risk on this page concentrates. Of 257 documented supplement interactions, 239 can push glucose in the same direction the medicatio…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Metformin, Sitagliptin 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 Metformin, Sitagliptin 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 Metformin, Sitagliptin 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

#1,097 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Metformin, Sitagliptin
Top half

#999 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
8 Major 505 Moderate 572 Minor 1,744 No 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

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,744 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Yerba Mate list.

See the full Yerba Mate interactions page
See every supplement checked against Metformin, Sitagliptin, 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
Yerba Mate monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Metformin, Sitagliptin supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Metformin, Sitagliptin, 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 Yerba Mate and Metformin, Sitagliptin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Yerba Mate with Metformin, Sitagliptin?
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 Metformin, Sitagliptin?
Metformin, Sitagliptin 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 Metformin, Sitagliptin 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

Still Have a Question About Metformin, Sitagliptin and Yerba Mate?

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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.