Does Schisandra Interact With Metformin?

Quick Answer

There is no known interaction between Schisandra berry tea and metformin.

Detailed Answer

Schisandra is popularly used in traditional medicine for a variety of purposes, such as to improve liver function, enhance cognitive function, and increase physical endurance. Less commonly, it has been used to help support healthy blood sugar levels as lab and animal studies show it may be beneficial in this regard.

Schisandra contains a variety of compounds, including lignans (e.g., deoxyschizandrin), organic acids, and vitamins, all of which are thought to be responsible for its effects.

When it comes to drug interactions, Schisandra has the potential to affect the way the body metabolizes certain medications. For example, it can increase the blood levels of some drugs that are broken down by certain liver cytochrome P450 enzymes, such as CYP3A4. This can lead to increased side effects of certain medications (one example of an interaction here is with tacrolimus).

However, when it comes to metformin, there is no evidence to suggest that Schisandra interacts negatively with it, likely due to metformin not being metabolized by any affected enzymes in the liver.

Additionally, while Schisandra may help to lower blood sugar levels, it has not been reported as causing hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, which is sometimes a concern when combining multi anti-diabetic agents.

All of this means that it is unlikely that Schisandra will interact negatively with metformin.

Final Words

To reiterate, while Schisandra has the potential to interact with certain medications, there is no evidence to suggest that it interacts with metformin.

However, as with any new supplement or medication, it is always a good idea to consult with a healthcare professional before adding Schisandra or any other supplement to your regimen.

Thanks for reaching out and please do so again anytime!