Toujeo (insulin glargine) has potential interactions with alcohol, other medications, and some supplements. These interactions could affect how well the drug works or cause harmful effects.
Toujeo is used to help manage blood sugar levels in adults and certain children with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
An interaction can occur because one substance causes another substance to have a different effect than expected. Interactions can also occur if you have certain health conditions.
Keep reading to learn about Toujeo’s possible interactions. For a detailed overview of this drug, check out this in-depth Toujeo article.
Before you start taking Toujeo, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter, or other drugs you take. Sharing this information with them may help prevent possible interactions.
To learn whether Toujeo interacts with herbs, vitamins, or supplements, see the “Are there other interactions with Toujeo?” section.
If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
The following table lists drugs that may interact with Toujeo. Keep in mind this table does not include all drugs that may interact with Toujeo. For more information about some of these interactions, see the “Drug interactions explained” section.
| Drug group or drug name | Drug examples | What can happen |
| other diabetes medications | • glipizide (Glucotrol XL) • metformin (Glumetza, Fortamet) • other forms of insulin | can increase the risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) |
| beta-blockers | • atenolol (Tenormin) • metoprolol (Lopressor, others) • propranolol (Inderal LA, Innopran XL) | can hide symptoms of hypoglycemia |
| angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors | • captopril • lisinopril (Zestril) • ramipril (Altace) | can increase the risk of hypoglycemia |
| angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) | • candesartan (Atacand) • losartan (Cozaar) • valsartan (Diovan) | can increase the risk of hypoglycemia |
| fibrates | • fenofibric acid • fenofibrate (Lipofen, others) • gemfibrozil (Lopid) | can increase the risk of hypoglycemia |
| corticosteroids | • dexamethasone • methylprednisolone (Medrol) • prednisone (Rayos) | can make Toujeo less effective |
| certain antipsychotics | • aripiprazole (Abilify) • olanzapine (Zyprexa) • risperidone (Risperdal) | can make Toujeo less effective |
| birth control pills | • ethinyl estradiol/drospirenone (Nikki, Loryna, others) • ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel (Daysee, Seasonale, others) • ethinyl estradiol/norgestimate (Mili, Sprintec, others) | can make Toujeo less effective |
| diuretics | • bumetanide (Bumex) • furosemide (Lasix) • hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide, others) | can make Toujeo less effective and increase the risk of hypokalemia (low potassium level) |
| certain antidepressants | • fluoxetine (Prozac) • phenelzine (Nardil) • tranylcypromine (Parnate) | can increase the risk of hypoglycemia |
Certain health conditions or other factors could raise your risk of harm if you take Toujeo. In such cases, your doctor may not prescribe Toujeo for you. These are known as contraindications. The following list includes contraindications of Toujeo.
If you’ve had an allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Toujeo or any of its ingredients, your doctor likely will not prescribe Toujeo for you. This is because using the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better options for you.
During an episode of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar): You should not use Toujeo during an episode of hypoglycemia. This is because using the drug will lower your blood sugar even further. Very low blood sugar levels can be life threatening.
It’s important to know the symptoms of hypoglycemia and what to do if you have them. You can talk with your doctor or another healthcare professional to learn more. You should also talk with your doctor about how and when to check your blood sugar levels while you’re using Toujeo.
Toujeo can interact with alcohol. Your doctor will likely recommend that you avoid alcohol or limit the amount you consume while using Toujeo.
The result of the interaction between Toujeo and alcohol can be unpredictable. It depends on what and how much you drink, and whether you drink alcohol with or without food.
Alcohol can either increase or decrease your blood sugar. Toujeo lowers your blood sugar. So drinking alcohol with Toujeo can either make the drug less effective at managing your blood sugar, or it can increase your risk of hypoglycemia.
If you have questions about consuming alcohol while using Toujeo, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Learn more about certain drug interactions that can occur with Toujeo.
Interaction with other diabetes medications
Combining Toujeo with other diabetes medications can increase your risk of hypoglycemia.
All diabetes medications lower your blood sugar levels. So using Toujeo with other diabetes medications will lower your blood sugar more than using Toujeo on its own. If your blood sugar gets very low, this can be life threatening.
Examples of other diabetes medications that may interact with Toujeo include:
- gliptins, such as sitagliptin (Januvia)
- glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists, such as semaglutide (Ozempic)
- metformin (Fortamet, Glumetza)
- SGLT-2 inhibitors, such as dapagliflozin (Forxiga)
- sulfonylureas, such as glipizide (Glucotrol XL)
- thiazolidinediones (TZDs), such as pioglitazone (Actos)
- other insulins, such as insulin lispro (Humalog)
Eating less or being more active than usual can further raise your risk of hypoglycemia if you take Toujeo with other diabetes medications.
In addition, taking Toujeo with a TZD such as pioglitazone can also increase your risk of fluid buildup that can cause new or worsen heart failure.
What you can do
If you take Toujeo with other diabetes medications, talk with your doctor about how often you should check your blood sugar levels.
If you have symptoms of hypoglycemia, you should eat or drink some easily digestible carbohydrates right away. Examples include hard candy or a sugary drink. Symptoms of hypoglycemia can include dizziness, tremor, weakness, and irritability.
Your doctor can explain how to recognize and manage episodes of hypoglycemia. If you have frequent episodes of hypoglycemia, talk with your doctor. They may need to adjust your dosage of Toujeo or your other diabetes medications.
If you take Toujeo with a TZD drug, contact your doctor right away if you have symptoms of fluid buildup or heart failure. These can include swelling of your legs or feet and shortness of breath.
If you have questions about combining Toujeo with other diabetes medications, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Interaction with beta-blockers
Beta-blockers are a type of heart medication. They’re used to treat conditions such as high blood pressure, heart failure, and angina.
Beta-blockers can either increase or decrease your blood sugar. Toujeo lowers your blood sugar. So using Toujeo with a beta-blocker can either make Toujeo less effective at managing your blood sugar, or it can increase your risk of hypoglycemia.
Beta-blockers slow your heart rate, so they can also hide certain symptoms of hypoglycemia. These include increased heart rate and tremor. However, they don’t hide other symptoms of hypoglycemia, such as dizziness, weakness, and irritability.
Example of beta-blockers that may interact with Toujeo include:
- atenolol (Tenormin)
- metoprolol (Lopressor, others)
- propranolol (Inderal LA, Innopran XL)
What you can do
If you use Toujeo with a beta-blocker, talk with your doctor about how often you should check your blood sugar levels. Also, talk with your doctor about how to recognize and manage episodes of hypoglycemia. Keep in mind that your usual symptoms of hypoglycemia may change if you combine Toujeo with a beta-blocker.
If you have frequent episodes of hypoglycemia while using Toujeo with a beta-blocker, talk with your doctor. They may need to adjust your dosage of Toujeo.
Interaction with corticosteroids
Corticosteroids (steroids) are medications that reduce inflammation. They are prescribed for various conditions, including asthma and arthritis.
Corticosteroids can increase your blood sugar. Toujeo lowers your blood sugar. So combining Toujeo with a corticosteroid can make Toujeo less effective.
Examples of corticosteroids that may interact with Toujeo include:
- dexamethasone
- methylprednisolone (Medrol)
- prednisone (Rayos)
What you can do
If you take Toujeo with a corticosteroid, your doctor may want to monitor your blood sugar levels more closely during your treatment. If your blood sugar becomes harder to manage, talk with your doctor. They may increase your dose of Toujeo.
If you have questions about using Toujeo with corticosteroids, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Toujeo may have other interactions. They could occur with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests.
The following sections describe additional interactions that may occur with Toujeo. Note that this is not a full list of all other possible interactions with Toujeo.
Does Toujeo interact with supplements?
Before you start Toujeo treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist about any herbs, vitamins, or supplements you take. Sharing this information with them may help you avoid possible interactions.
If you have questions about interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Toujeo interactions with herbs
Toujeo can interact with garlic supplements, which may be taken for the common cold, high cholesterol, and to help manage blood sugar levels.
Toujeo and garlic supplements both lower your blood sugar. So combining them can increase your risk of hypoglycemia. Talk with your doctor before taking garlic supplements with Toujeo.
Toujeo interactions with vitamins and minerals
Toujeo can interact with chromium supplements. These supplements may lower your blood sugar, so using them with Toujeo may increase your risk of hypoglycemia.
Toujeo can also interact with niacin (vitamin B3). Niacin supplements may increase your blood sugar, so taking them with Toujeo may make the drug less effective at managing your blood sugar.
Check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any vitamin or mineral supplements, including multivitamins, during your Toujeo treatment.
Does Toujeo interact with food?
Toujeo can interact with green tea. Green tea can lower your blood sugar, so drinking it while using Toujeo may increase your risk of hypoglycemia. If you drink green tea, talk with your doctor about how much may be safe to consume during your Toujeo treatment.
Although Toujeo can interact with garlic supplements (see “Toujeo interactions with herbs” in this section), it’s unlikely to interact with garlic in food. This is because the amount of garlic in food is usually lower than the amount that’s in supplements.
If you have questions about consuming other foods or drinks during your treatment with Toujeo, talk with your doctor.
Does Toujeo interact with vaccines?
There are currently no reports of Toujeo interacting with vaccines. If you have questions about getting certain vaccines during your Toujeo treatment, talk with your doctor.
Does Toujeo interact with lab tests?
There are currently no reports of Toujeo interacting with lab tests. If you have questions about having certain lab tests during your treatment with Toujeo, talk with the healthcare professional ordering the test.
Does Toujeo interact with cannabis or CBD?There are currently no reports of Toujeo interacting with cannabis (commonly called marijuana) or cannabis products such as cannabidiol (CBD). But as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis with Toujeo.
Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.
Certain medical conditions or other health factors may raise the risk of interactions with Toujeo. Before starting Toujeo treatment, talk with your doctor about your health history. They’ll determine whether Toujeo is right for you.
Health conditions or other factors that might interact with Toujeo include:
Hypoglycemia: You should not use Toujeo during an episode of hypoglycemia. Using Toujeo will make your hypoglycemia worse, which can be life threatening. If you have frequent episodes of hypoglycemia, talk with your doctor before using Toujeo.
Kidney or liver problems: If you have kidney or liver problems, you may have an increased risk of hypoglycemia while using Toujeo. Talk with your doctor about how often you should check your blood sugar levels while using Toujeo.
Hypokalemia: Toujeo may cause hypokalemia in some people. If you have factors that raise your risk of hypokalemia, your doctor may monitor your potassium levels more closely during your Toujeo treatment.
Pregnancy: It’s not known whether Toujeo is safe to take during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant or may become pregnant, talk with your doctor before starting Toujeo treatment.
Breastfeeding: It’s not known whether it’s safe to take Toujeo while breastfeeding. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to do so, talk with your doctor about your options.
Allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Toujeo or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Toujeo. This is because using the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better for you.
Taking certain steps can help you avoid interactions with Toujeo. Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Things to discuss with them include:
- whether you drink alcohol or use cannabis
- the
list of medications you take, as well as any vitamins, supplements, and herbs - what to do if you start taking a new drug during your Toujeo treatment
It’s also important to understand Toujeo’s
If you did not get paperwork with Toujeo, ask your pharmacist to print a copy for you. If you have trouble reading or understanding this information, your doctor or pharmacist can help.
Using Toujeo exactly as prescribed can also help prevent interactions.
Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.