6 Supplements That Can Interfere with Blood Sugar Medications

Verywell Health•December 31, 2025•health

Key Points:

Several supplements commonly used by people with diabetes or prediabetes, such as berberine, cinnamon, ginseng, St. John's wort, aloe vera, and chromium, can interact with prescription diabetes medications, potentially causing blood sugar to drop too low or altering drug absorption.
Berberine can amplify the glucose-lowering and gastrointestinal effects of metformin, requiring careful blood sugar monitoring and consultation with a healthcare provider before combining them.
Cinnamon and ginseng may enhance the effects of diabetes drugs, increasing the risk of hypoglycemia, while ginseng’s effects are unpredictable due to variability in product formulations.
St. John's wort can alter drug metabolism by increasing CYP3A4 enzyme activity, potentially reducing the effectiveness of some diabetes medications like