Medication interaction hub

What Supplements Interact with Insulin (Human)?

Insulin (Human) brand names: Novolin N, Novolin 70/30, Novolin R, Novolin L, Afrezza. Every interaction below applies to the brands too.

259 Interactions 3 Major 218 Moderate 38 Minor
Curated & coded by · Clinical Pharmacist · Updated September 22, 2026

Drug–supplement interaction data sourced from Natural Medicines Pro, the licensed clinical database from TRC Healthcare / Therapeutic Research, with additional analysis by the HelloPharmacist Pharmacist Team. Our sources · Editorial policy

What is this page for?

One answer, for one medication: what supplements and herbal products interact with Insulin (Human)? Every vitamin, herb, and supplement ingredient we’ve checked against it is on this page, ranked by severity, each linking to the full report for that exact pair.

This page covers supplement interactions only — to check Insulin (Human) against your other medications, use the drug–drug interaction checker. Educational information from our licensed clinical databases, not medical advice. Our editorial policy

HelloPharmacist Bottom Line
Our Pharmacist Explains
What is this? The interaction data in the HelloPharmacist supplement database is licensed from Natural Medicines Pro by TRC Healthcare (Therapeutic Research). HelloPharmacist pharmacists often add our own analysis and context on top of that licensed data — such as this Bottom Line summary and the notes on individual interaction pages — and any such commentary is noted as ours.

With human insulin (Novolin, Afrezza), extra glucose lowering is not a nuisance, it is the hazard itself, and this is one of the lists I treat as genuinely serious. Nearly every ingredient here either drops blood sugar on its own or adds to insulin's effect, and the combination can push a normal dose into hypoglycemia, a dangerous low. Three entries deserve understanding before all the others: Siberian cocklebur, which has caused severe low blood sugar in people, chelation products containing EDTA, which can both weaken insulin and trigger sharp glucose drops, and activated charcoal, which soaks up other medicines in the gut.

A smaller cluster interferes with pills rather than the insulin itself, so keep oral doses spaced well apart from absorbers like charcoal. Fasting and alcohol also make readings harder to predict. Those majors are only three of 259 entries; the 218 moderate and 38 minor ones mostly come down to watching your meter more closely.

— , Clinical Pharmacist · July 18, 2026

Major 3 Moderate 218 Minor 38 No known interaction 1,193

This box checks one ingredient at a time (like turmeric or magnesium). Taking a supplement product with a whole label of ingredients? Search the product instead — we check every ingredient on it ↓

Most Viewed Ingredient Interactions

Insulin (Human): Top Interactions at a Glance

The Insulin (Human) supplement & herbal interactions people checked most in the last 24 hours, colored by severity. Tap any ingredient to open the full report for that pair.

Showing the 12 highest-ranked of 259 interacting ingredients — plus 1,193 more checked with no known interaction. See the complete ranked list.

Start here

The Most-Checked Insulin (Human) Combinations Today

The Insulin (Human) + supplement pages people viewed most in the last 24 hours (resets at midnight). Open any card for the full report.

Moderate Likelihood Possible Rhodiola + Insulin (Human)i

Theoretically, taking rhodiola with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.

Read the full interaction Moderate Likelihood Possible Sesame + Insulin (Human)i

Taking sesame oil with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.

Read the full interaction Moderate Likelihood Possible Eleuthero + Insulin (Human)i

Theoretically, eleuthero might have additive effects when used with antidiabetes drugs.

Read the full interaction Minor Likelihood Unlikely Caffeine + Insulin (Human)i

Theoretically, taking caffeine with antidiabetes drugs might interfere with blood glucose control.

Read the full interaction Moderate Likelihood Possible Goldenseal + Insulin (Human)i

Theoretically, goldenseal might increase the risk of hypoglycemia when used with antidiabetes drugs.

Read the full interaction Moderate Likelihood Possible Reishi Mushroom + Insulin (Human)i

Theoretically, reishi mushroom might have additive effects with antidiabetes drugs.

Read the full interaction
The complete list

Every Supplement Checked Against Insulin (Human)

All 1,452 ingredients in our database, ranked by severity — 259 with a Insulin (Human) interaction on file and 1,193 with none found. Filter by severity or search any ingredient; hover the for what each ingredient is.

Looking for an interaction with a specific supplement product? Search products instead ↓

Straight answers

Can You Take It With Insulin (Human)?

One-line answers, one card per combination — scroll through today’s 20 and tap any card for the full report. A different set rotates in daily until every combination has had its turn.

Can you take Rhodiola with Insulin (Human)?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, taking rhodiola with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.

Full Rhodiola + Insulin (Human) answer

Can you take Sesame with Insulin (Human)?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Taking sesame oil with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.

Full Sesame + Insulin (Human) answer

Can you take Eleuthero with Insulin (Human)?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, eleuthero might have additive effects when used with antidiabetes drugs.

Full Eleuthero + Insulin (Human) answer

Can you take Caffeine with Insulin (Human)?

Minor Usually — this is a minor-rated interaction, generally not clinically significant but worth mentioning to your pharmacist. Theoretically, taking caffeine with antidiabetes drugs might interfere with blood glucose control.

Full Caffeine + Insulin (Human) answer

Can you take Goldenseal with Insulin (Human)?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, goldenseal might increase the risk of hypoglycemia when used with antidiabetes drugs.

Full Goldenseal + Insulin (Human) answer

Can you take Lotus with Insulin (Human)?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, lotus might have additive effects with antidiabetes drugs and increase the risk of hypoglycemia.

Full Lotus + Insulin (Human) answer

Can you take Lychee with Insulin (Human)?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, lychee seed might increase the risk of hypoglycemia when used with antidiabetes drugs.

Full Lychee + Insulin (Human) answer

Can you take Madagascar Periwinkle with Insulin (Human)?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Animal research shows that Madagascar periwinkle lowers blood glucose levels in diabetic rats.

Full Madagascar Periwinkle + Insulin (Human) answer

Can you take Maitake Mushroom with Insulin (Human)?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, combining maitake mushroom with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.

Full Maitake Mushroom + Insulin (Human) answer

Can you take Manchurian Thorn with Insulin (Human)?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Animal research suggests that saponins isolated from Manchurian thorn can lower plasma glucose levels.

Full Manchurian Thorn + Insulin (Human) answer

Can you take Maritime Pine with Insulin (Human)?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, maritime pine bark extract might increase the risk of hypoglycemia when used with antidiabetes drugs.

Full Maritime Pine + Insulin (Human) answer

Can you take Melatonin with Insulin (Human)?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, taking melatonin with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.

Full Melatonin + Insulin (Human) answer

Can you take Milk Thistle with Insulin (Human)?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Taking milk thistle with antidiabetes drugs may increase the risk of hypoglycemia.

Full Milk Thistle + Insulin (Human) answer

Can you take Miracle Fruit with Insulin (Human)?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, miracle fruit leaf might have an additive effect with antidiabetes drugs and increase the risk of hypoglycemia.

Full Miracle Fruit + Insulin (Human) answer

Can you take Myrrh with Insulin (Human)?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, myrrh might increase the risk of hypoglycemia when taken with antidiabetes drugs.

Full Myrrh + Insulin (Human) answer

Can you take Neem with Insulin (Human)?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Neem might increase the risk of hypoglycemia when taken with antidiabetes drugs.

Full Neem + Insulin (Human) answer

Can you take Oats with Insulin (Human)?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, oats may have additive effects with antidiabetic agents and might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.

Full Oats + Insulin (Human) answer

Can you take Octacosanol with Insulin (Human)?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, octacosanol might have additive effects when used in combination with antidiabetes drugs.

Full Octacosanol + Insulin (Human) answer

Can you take Oleic Acid with Insulin (Human)?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Theoretically, oleic acid might increase the effects of antidiabetes drugs.

Full Oleic Acid + Insulin (Human) answer

Can you take Onion with Insulin (Human)?

Moderate Possibly, but carefully — this moderate-rated combination may need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separated timing. Concomitant use of antidiabetes drugs with onion may increase the risk of hypoglycemia.

Full Onion + Insulin (Human) answer
Read the list like a pharmacist

What Severity, Likelihood & Evidence Mean

Severity — How Serious It Can Be

  • Major. Clinically significant; generally best avoided, or used only under direct professional supervision.
  • Moderate. May need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one.
  • Minor. Generally not clinically significant, but still worth noting and mentioning to your pharmacist.
  • No known interaction. Checked against our sources with nothing documented — not the same as proven safety.

Likelihood — How Well It’s Documented

  • Likely. Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction
  • Probable. 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.
  • Possible. 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
  • Unlikely. Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.

Where This Data Comes From

  • Interaction records are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database (TRC Healthcare), the same reference used by pharmacists and hospitals.
  • Each entry links to a full report with the clinical detail, likelihood, evidence level, and citations for that exact combination.
  • Content is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

How Does Our Interaction Checker Work?

Behind every verdict on this page is a category system. Our source database doesn’t document supplement interactions drug-by-drug — it documents them against groups of medications that behave the same way (for example, “drugs processed by the CYP3A4 liver enzyme” or “blood-thinning medications”).

So the check works in three steps: (1) Insulin (Human) is classified into the pharmacology categories it belongs to, (2) every supplement interaction documented against any of those categories is inherited by Insulin (Human), and (3) each ingredient keeps its own severity, likelihood, and evidence grades from the underlying record. That’s why one supplement can carry several records for one drug — it may interact through more than one category.

Insulin (Human) sits in 3 interaction categories. Open any one to see what the group means:

Antidiabetes Drugs 239 ingredients

Blood-sugar-lowering medications. Supplements that also lower glucose can push blood sugar too low when combined.

239 of the supplement ingredients on this page reach Insulin (Human) through this category.

Oral Drugs 17 ingredients

A pharmacology grouping from our source database: medications in this group share a property that certain supplements are known to interact with, so an interaction documented for the group applies to every drug in it.

17 of the supplement ingredients on this page reach Insulin (Human) through this category.

Insulin 12 ingredients

A pharmacology grouping from our source database: medications in this group share a property that certain supplements are known to interact with, so an interaction documented for the group applies to every drug in it.

12 of the supplement ingredients on this page reach Insulin (Human) through this category.

About Insulin (Human)

Human insulin injection is a replacement insulin used to improve blood sugar control in adults and children with diabetes mellitus.

Generic name: Insulin (Human)  ·  Brand names: Novolin N, Novolin 70/30, Novolin R, Novolin L, Afrezza.

See the full Human Insulin Injection drug information

Related: does Insulin (Human) deplete any nutrients?

Insulin (Human) has 10 reported nutrient associations in the research literature — see the Insulin (Human) nutrient depletion report.

Check a real product

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Most supplements are combination products — and the interaction may come from an ingredient you didn’t buy it for. Search any product below (or scan its label) and we’ll check every ingredient on it against Insulin (Human).

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Insulin (Human) & Supplements: Common Questions

What supplements interact with Insulin (Human)?
More than you might expect — 259 in total, though they are far from equal: 3 are rated major, 218 moderate, and 38 minor. The ranked list on this page puts the ones that genuinely matter first, and every entry opens a full report on that exact pair. The highest-ranked right now: Siberian Cocklebur, Activated Charcoal, Chelation Therapy Products.
Which Insulin (Human) supplement interactions are the most serious?
The 3 major-rated combinations — led by Siberian Cocklebur, Activated Charcoal and Chelation Therapy Products — deserve real caution: these are the ones generally best avoided, or used only with your prescriber watching. If you take any of them today, don't panic and don't stop anything abruptly — call your pharmacist first. Jump to the ranked list.
Can I take vitamins or supplements while on Insulin (Human)?
Usually yes — most people on Insulin (Human) can take most supplements. The catch is the exceptions, and they aren't always the exotic ones (St. John's Wort trips up more prescriptions than almost anything sold next to it). Look up each ingredient you actually take in the list above, and treat "no known interaction" as a green-ish light, not a guarantee. Try the label scanner or the interaction checker.
Do brands like Novolin N have the same supplement interactions as Insulin (Human)?
Yes — Novolin N, Novolin 70/30, Novolin R, Novolin L, Afrezza all contain Insulin (Human), so everything on this page applies to them equally. Interactions belong to the active drug, never to the brand on the box; the same is true of generics.
Where do these interaction ratings come from?
Every rating comes from the Natural Medicines database — the same evidence-graded reference pharmacists and hospitals use — and each interaction carries three separate grades: severity (how bad it can be), likelihood (how well it's documented in studies and case reports), and an evidence level. Our pharmacists review the content; we never let an AI decide an interaction. See how to read the ratings and our editorial policy.
Does Insulin (Human) deplete any vitamins or nutrients?
It might — Insulin (Human) has 10 reported nutrient-depletion associations in the research literature, which is a different question from interactions: instead of a supplement changing the drug, the drug may lower a nutrient over time. See the Insulin (Human) nutrient depletion report for the specifics and what to discuss with your pharmacist.
What about Insulin (Human) and my other medications?
This page covers Insulin (Human) against supplements and herbal ingredients. Checking Insulin (Human) against your other prescription or OTC medications is a different tool — our drug interaction checker covers that side. Head to the drug–drug interaction checker, or read the full Human Insulin Injection drug information.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

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Sourcing

Where This Data Comes From — and Why You Can Trust It

🧪 Licensed clinical database

Every interaction verdict on this page comes from Natural Medicines Pro (TRC Healthcare / Therapeutic Research) — the same evidence-graded reference used by pharmacists and hospitals. We license this data directly; we do not scrape it, and no AI invents an interaction.

🧑‍⚕️ Pharmacist review

This page is curated and coded by , Clinical Pharmacist, with additional analysis by the HelloPharmacist Pharmacist Team. Editorial commentary is ours; the licensed interaction records are shown as sourced.

🔄 Kept current

Our interaction database refreshes on a weekly cycle, and this page re-checks the live database every time it’s rebuilt — what you see reflects the database as of September 22, 2026.

🔍 Full transparency

How every dataset on this site is sourced, licensed, and updated is documented publicly: our data sources · editorial policy · how we use AI.

Educational information, not medical advice. An interaction being on file does not mean it will happen to you — and absence of one is not proof of safety. Never start or stop a medication or supplement without talking to your pharmacist or doctor.