NovoLog (insulin aspart) is a prescription injection used to manage blood sugar levels in adults and children with diabetes. NovoLog can interact with alcohol, supplements, and other medications such as diabetes drugs and beta-blockers.
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.
Before you start using NovoLog, 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 NovoLog interacts with herbs or vitamins and supplements, see the “Are there other interactions with NovoLog?” section below.)
If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
The table below lists drugs that may interact with NovoLog. Keep in mind that this table does not include all drugs that may interact with NovoLog. For more information about some of these interactions, see the “Drug interactions explained” section below.
| Drug group or drug name | Drug examples | What can happen |
|---|---|---|
| other diabetes medications | • glipizide (Glucotrol XL) • insulin glargine (Lantus) • pioglitazone (Actos) | can increase risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar level) |
| angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors | • captopril • lisinopril (Zestril) • ramipril (Altace) | can increase risk of hypoglycemia |
| angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) | • candesartan (Atacand) • losartan (Cozaar) • valsartan (Diovan) | can increase risk of hypoglycemia |
| beta-blockers | • atenolol (Tenormin) • metoprolol (Lopressor, others) • propranolol (Inderal LA, Innopran XL) | can hide symptoms of hypoglycemia |
| fibrates | • fenofibric acid • fenofibrate (Lipofen, others) • gemfibrozil (Lopid) | can make NovoLog less effective |
| atypical antipsychotics | • aripiprazole (Abilify) • olanzapine (Zyprexa) • risperidone (Risperdal) | can make NovoLog less effective |
| corticosteroids | • dexamethasone • methylprednisolone (Medrol) • prednisone (Rayos) | can make NovoLog 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 NovoLog less effective |
| thyroid hormones | • desiccated thyroid (Armour Thyroid) • levothyroxine (Synthroid) • liothyronine (Cytomel) | can make NovoLog less effective |
| lithium (Lithobid) | — | can make NovoLog less effective or raise risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) |
Certain health conditions or other factors could raise your risk of harm if you take NovoLog. In such cases, your doctor may not prescribe NovoLog for you. These are known as contraindications. The list below includes contraindications of NovoLog.
If you have hypoglycemia: If you have hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), you should not use NovoLog. This is because NovoLog will lower your blood sugar level even further, which can be life threatening.
It’s important to know the symptoms of hypoglycemia and what to do if they occur. Talk with your doctor to learn more about this. Your doctor can also recommend how and when to monitor your blood sugar levels while using NovoLog.
If you’ve had an allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to NovoLog or any of its ingredients, your doctor likely won’t prescribe NovoLog for you. This is because taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better options for you.
Before you start using NovoLog, talk with your doctor if any of the factors above apply to you. Your doctor can determine whether NovoLog is safe for you to take.
Your doctor may recommend avoiding or limiting alcohol during your NovoLog treatment.
NovoLog decreases your blood sugar level. And alcohol can increase or decrease your blood sugar level, depending on what you drink and how much. So drinking alcohol with NovoLog could make NovoLog less effective at managing your blood sugar. It could also raise your risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
If you have questions about NovoLog and alcohol, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Learn more about certain drug interactions that can occur with NovoLog.
Interaction with other diabetes medications
NovoLog can interact with other diabetes medications. Examples include:
- metformin (Fortamet, Glumetza)
- sulfonylureas, such as glipizide (Glucotrol XL)
- thiazolidinediones (TZDs), such as pioglitazone (Actos)
- glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists, such as semaglutide (Ozempic)
- other insulins, such as insulin glargine (Lantus)
What could happen
Diabetes medications lower your blood sugar levels. So taking more than one diabetes drug at a time can increase your risk of hypoglycemia.
In addition, if you take NovoLog with a TZD drug, the combination can cause a buildup of fluid in your body. This can cause new or worsening heart failure.
If you have kidney or liver problems, you may have a higher risk of hypoglycemia if you combine NovoLog with other diabetes medications. You may also have a higher risk of hypoglycemia if you eat less or do more physical activity than usual.
What you can do
If you take NovoLog with other diabetes medications, talk with your doctor about when and how you should monitor your blood sugar levels.
Also talk with your doctor about how to recognize symptoms of hypoglycemia. These can include dizziness, tremor, weakness, and irritability. Your doctor can recommend how to treat an episode of hypoglycemia, such as eating hard candy or drinking a sugary drink.
If you have frequent episodes of hypoglycemia when using NovoLog and another diabetes drug together, tell your doctor. They may adjust the dosages of your diabetes medications.
If you take NovoLog with a TZD drug, see your doctor right away if you have symptoms of fluid buildup or heart failure. These can include swelling of your legs or feet, sudden weight gain, and shortness of breath. If you have this complication of NovoLog and TZD treatment, your doctor will likely recommend that you stop taking the TZD drug.
If you have questions about taking NovoLog with other diabetes medications, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Interaction with corticosteroids
NovoLog can interact with corticosteroids (also called steroids), which are used to reduce inflammation. Corticosteroids are prescribed for several conditions, including asthma and arthritis.
Examples of corticosteroids include:
- dexamethasone
- methylprednisolone (Medrol)
- prednisone (Rayos)
What could happen
Corticosteroids can increase your blood sugar levels. So taking them with NovoLog can make NovoLog less effective at lowering your blood sugar.
What you can do
If you use NovoLog with a corticosteroid, your doctor may recommend checking your blood sugar levels more often than usual. Be sure to tell your doctor if your blood sugar is harder to manage while using NovoLog with a corticosteroid.
If you have questions about taking NovoLog with a corticosteroid, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Interaction with beta-blockers
NovoLog can interact with beta-blockers, which are used to treat high blood pressure and certain heart conditions.
Examples of beta-blockers include:
- atenolol (Tenormin)
- metoprolol (Lopressor, others)
- propranolol (Inderal LA, Innopran XL)
What could happen
Beta-blockers can increase or decrease your blood sugar levels. NovoLog lowers your blood sugar, so taking it with a beta-blocker can make NovoLog less effective or could raise your risk of hypoglycemia.
Beta-blockers also slow your heart rate. Because of this, they can mask certain symptoms of hypoglycemia, such as fast heart rate and tremor. However, these drugs do not mask other symptoms of hypoglycemia, including headache, dizziness, and hunger.
What you can do
If you use NovoLog with a beta-blocker, your doctor may recommend checking your blood sugar levels more often than usual. Keep in mind that if you have an episode of hypoglycemia while using these drugs together, this may not cause your usual symptoms.
If you have questions about taking NovoLog with a beta-blocker, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
NovoLog may have other interactions. They could occur with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. See below for details. Note that the information below does not include all other possible interactions with NovoLog.
Does NovoLog interact with supplements?
Before you start using NovoLog, talk with your doctor and pharmacist about any herbs or vitamins and 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.
NovoLog interactions with herbs
NovoLog can interact with garlic supplements, which are used for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and the common cold.
Garlic supplements can lower your blood sugar levels. NovoLog also lowers your blood sugar levels, so taking it with garlic supplements may raise your risk of hypoglycemia. Talk with your doctor about whether it’s safe for you to take garlic supplements while using NovoLog.
You should also check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any other herbs while using NovoLog.
NovoLog interactions with vitamins
NovoLog may interact with vitamin B3 (niacin). Vitamin B3 can increase your blood sugar levels. NovoLog may be less effective at lowering your blood sugar if you take it with vitamin B3.
NovoLog may also interact with chromium supplements. This type of supplement may lower your blood sugar levels, so taking it while using NovoLog may raise your risk of hypoglycemia.
Talk with your doctor before taking any supplements with NovoLog.
Does NovoLog interact with food?
NovoLog can interact with green tea. Green tea can lower your blood sugar levels. NovoLog also lowers your blood sugar levels. So combining NovoLog with green tea may raise your risk of hypoglycemia. Talk with your doctor about how much green tea (if any) may be safe for you to consume while using NovoLog.
Although NovoLog may interact with garlic supplements (see section above), it’s unlikely to interact with garlic in food. This is because the amount of garlic consumed in food is typically lower than the amount in supplements.
If you have questions about consuming other foods or drinks during your treatment with NovoLog, talk with your doctor.
Does NovoLog interact with vaccines?
There are currently no reports of NovoLog interacting with vaccines. If you have questions about getting certain vaccines during your NovoLog treatment, talk with your doctor.
Does NovoLog interact with lab tests?
There are currently no reports of NovoLog interacting with lab tests. If you have questions about having certain lab tests done during your treatment with NovoLog, talk with the healthcare professional ordering the test.
Does NovoLog interact with cannabis or CBD?There are currently no reports of NovoLog 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 NovoLog.
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 NovoLog. Before using NovoLog, talk with your doctor about your health history. They’ll determine whether NovoLog is right for you.
Health conditions or other factors that might interact with NovoLog include:
Kidney or liver problems: If you have a kidney or liver problem, you may have a higher risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) when using NovoLog. Talk with your doctor about how often you should check your blood sugar levels during treatment. You should also discuss how to recognize symptoms of hypoglycemia and what to do if you have these symptoms.
Pregnancy: It’s not known whether NovoLog is safe to use during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy, talk with your doctor before using NovoLog.
Breastfeeding: It’s not known whether it’s safe to use NovoLog 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 NovoLog or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe NovoLog. This is because using the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better choices for you.
Taking certain steps can help you avoid interactions with NovoLog. Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Things to discuss with them include:
- whether you drink alcohol or use cannabis
- if you smoke or recently stopped using tobacco or nicotine products
- other medications you take, as well as any vitamins, supplements, and herbs (they can also help you fill out a
medication list ) - what to do if you start taking a new drug during your NovoLog treatment
It’s also important to understand NovoLog’s
If you have trouble reading or understanding this information, your doctor or pharmacist can help.
Using NovoLog 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.