Drug interactions
Metformin + Shark cartilage
Severity: Minor
Metformin and Shark cartilage: minor interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Shark cartilage supplements have been suggested to affect blood glucose, and an additive effect with metformin is only theoretical. No well-documented clinical interaction exists.
What this interaction means in plain words
Metformin and Shark cartilage have a small, usually unimportant interaction. Most people can take both; the pharmacist may still mention it so that any unexpected effect is recognised.
Why it happens
A possible additive glucose-lowering effect has been proposed, but the mechanism is not established.
What to do
Monitor blood glucose if the patient takes shark cartilage regularly.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Is there anything I should notice while taking both?
- Do I need to tell my doctor at the next visit?
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Other interactions of Metformin
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Metformin with Shark cartilage?
MediHelp rates the interaction as minor. Metformin and Shark cartilage have a small, usually unimportant interaction. Most people can take both; the pharmacist may still mention it so that any unexpected effect is recognised. Shark cartilage supplements have been suggested to affect blood glucose, and an additive effect with metformin is only theoretical. No well-documented clinical interaction exists.
How serious is the interaction between Metformin and Shark cartilage?
MediHelp rates it minor, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Monitor blood glucose if the patient takes shark cartilage regularly.
What other medicines interact with Metformin?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Metformin with, for example, Contrast media, Diatrizoate meglumine / diatrizoate, Diatrizoate. The full list is on the Metformin page.
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