Side effects
Sugar Defender Side Effects: Caffeine, Lows and What to Watch
The likely Sugar Defender side effects are caffeine effects, such as poor sleep and jitters, from guarana and green tea.
If you take insulin or a sulfonylurea, ask your doctor first, as lows are a risk. The label dose is 1 mL a day; never take more.
Written by the Sugar Defender label deskUpdated
Reported effects01
What are the known Sugar Defender side effects?
Known Sugar Defender side effects come only from ingredient research, since the drops themselves were never tested.
Caffeine effects top the list, because guarana and green tea are the only stimulant lines.
The amounts per mL are hidden, so we show the most the label order allows next to each reported effect.
| Ingredient (place) | At most per mL | Reported effects |
|---|---|---|
| Guarana (3rd) | About 67 mg | Nausea, insomnia; caffeine effects (MSKCC, Guarana) |
| African mango (4th) | 50 mg | Gas, headache, trouble sleeping (MSKCC, Irvingia gabonensis (African mango)) |
| Green tea (7th) | About 29 mg | Caffeine; rare liver injury from extracts (NCCIH, Green Tea) |
| Coleus (9th) | About 22 mg | Low blood pressure, slow heart rate, diarrhea (MSKCC, Forskolin (Coleus forskohlii)) |
| Capsicum (10th) | 20 mg | Stomach irritation (MSKCC, Cayenne (Capsicum)) |
| Panax ginseng (12th) | About 17 mg | Insomnia (NCCIH, Asian Ginseng) |
| Chromium | 0.7 mcg | May add to diabetes drugs (NIH ODS, Chromium) |
"At most" is the ceiling from label order (200 mg divided by the place number). The real amount may be much lower. See all 23 lines on the ingredients page.
Low blood sugar02
Who could get a low while taking Sugar Defender?
People on insulin, a sulfonylurea or a meglitinide are the ones at risk of a low with Sugar Defender, since those drugs can cause lows on their own (NIDDK, Low Blood Glucose).
Chromium, gymnema and ginseng may add to them (NIH ODS, Chromium) (NCCIH, Asian Ginseng).
Learn the signs and the 15-15 step before the first dose.
- Shaky or jitteryTrembling hands, feeling nervous
- Sweaty, chillsClammy skin out of nowhere
- Hungry, nauseousSudden strong hunger
- Dizzy, confusedTrouble thinking or speaking clearly
- Fast heartbeatPounding or racing pulse
15-15For many people with diabetes, a reading under 70 mg/dL is a low. Take 15-20 g of fast carbohydrate (juice, glucose tablets), then recheck after 15 minutes.
Call 911If a person with a low passes out, has a seizure or cannot swallow safely. Never give food or drink to a person who is unconscious.
Signs and steps follow NIDDK (NIDDK, Low Blood Glucose). Insulin, sulfonylureas and meglitinides can cause lows, and supplements may add to them (ADA, Vitamins & Supplements).
Never drop or lower a prescribed dose to make room for a supplement. If lows start after you add the drops, stop the drops and call your doctor; your medicine plan is theirs to change.
Caffeine03
Does the caffeine in Sugar Defender cause side effects?
Yes, the caffeine in Sugar Defender can cause side effects in sensitive people, such as poor sleep, jitters or a racing heart (FDA, Caffeine: how much is too much?).
The label prints no caffeine amount, so you cannot add it up against coffee.
Guarana may not be safe with other stimulants (MSKCC, Guarana).
- Take the 1 mL early in the day.
- Cut back on coffee for the first week to see how the drops alone feel.
- Stop if your heart races or you feel anxious, and tell your doctor.
Background on both caffeine sources: green tea and guarana.
Interactions04
Which medicines can interact with Sugar Defender?
Sugar Defender may interact with diabetes drugs, blood thinners, blood pressure pills, statins, serotonin drugs, levothyroxine and digoxin.
Each risk traces to one blend line, listed below.
Anyone on another medicine should talk to a physician first, as the label says.
Blood thinners
Guarana, coleus and ginseng may affect bleeding or clotting (MSKCC, Guarana) (MSKCC, Forskolin (Coleus forskohlii)) (NCCIH, Asian Ginseng).
Blood pressure drugs
Coleus and arginine can add to them; the licorice compound can raise pressure (MSKCC, Forskolin (Coleus forskohlii)) (MSKCC, Arginine) (NCCIH, Licorice Root).
Statins and heart-rhythm drugs
Grapefruit can make some of these build up in the blood (FDA, Grapefruit juice and drugs).
Antidepressants and MAOIs
L-tryptophan should not be combined with serotonin drugs without advice (Drugs.com, L-tryptophan).
Levothyroxine
Chromium may reduce its absorption (NIH ODS, Chromium).
Digoxin
Eleuthero raised digoxin levels in a case report (MSKCC, Siberian Ginseng (Eleuthero)).
A medicine-by-medicine guide is on supplements and diabetes medicines.
Other ingredients05
Do the sweeteners in Sugar Defender cause side effects?
The label gives no warning about the Sugar Defender sweeteners, stevia and xylitol, for people, but xylitol is a real danger to dogs.
FDA has not questioned high-purity steviol glycosides as safe food sweeteners (FDA, Aspartame and Other Sweeteners).
Xylitol does not trigger the same insulin release in people that it does in dogs (FDA, Paws Off Xylitol).
The other-ingredients line, word for word: Deionized Water, Organic Citrus Extract, Natural Flavors, Stevia (Steviol Glycosides), Xylitol. No preservatives are listed, and no amounts are given.
Xylitol can drop a dog's blood sugar within 10 to 60 minutes. Call a vet or animal poison control at once if a dog gets into the bottle (FDA, Paws Off Xylitol).
Sugar Defender: from $49 a bottle60 mL · 1 mL a day · 2, 3 or 6 bottles · free US shipping on 3 or 6 · 60-day guarantee
See packsLiver and kidneys06
What do case reports say about Sugar Defender ingredients and the liver or kidneys?
No case report names Sugar Defender itself, but three of its ingredients have rare liver or kidney reports.
Green tea extracts have been linked to uncommon liver injury (NCCIH, Green Tea), and gymnema has one reversible liver-injury case (Drugs.com, Gymnema monograph).
One person on African mango developed kidney failure needing dialysis (MSKCC, Irvingia gabonensis (African mango)).
These reports are rare, and the amounts in 1 mL are unknown. Still, they are a good reason to tell your doctor before you start if you have liver or kidney disease, and to stop the drops if your doctor finds a problem.
Prevention07
How can you cut the chance of Sugar Defender side effects?
Cut the chance of Sugar Defender side effects by sticking to 1 mL a day, taking it early, and clearing it with a pharmacist first.
A short daily log helps you link any new symptom to a start date.
Check the seal on every new bottle.
Stay at the label dose
The label says 1 mL a day and "Use only as directed." Never take more.
Show the bottle to a pharmacist
Bring every medicine and supplement you use, so overlaps can be spotted.
Start on a quiet week
Fewer changes make it easier to tell whether the drops caused a symptom.
Who should skip the drops entirely is covered on who should not take Sugar Defender.
If you react08
What should you do if you react badly to Sugar Defender?
If you react badly to Sugar Defender, stop taking it and call your doctor or pharmacist.
Call 911 for trouble breathing, fainting or a seizure.
For a refund, call the order desk at +1 (302) 200-3480 within 60 days of purchase.
Bring it to the appointment so your doctor can read the full label. The website inbox, [email protected], cannot see orders, so use the order desk for returns.
FAQ09
What do people ask about side effects?
People most often ask: What are the side effects of Sugar Defender? The short answer, and 6 more, open below.
Each answer starts with the direct reply, then the reason, with a source where one exists.
What are the side effects of Sugar Defender?
The likely side effects come from its ingredients: poor sleep, jitters or nausea from the caffeine in guarana and green tea, and stomach upset. People on insulin or a sulfonylurea also risk lows. No trial has recorded side effects of the drops.
Can Sugar Defender cause diarrhea?
It is possible but not documented for the drops. Diarrhea is reported for forskolin from coleus (MSKCC, Forskolin (Coleus forskohlii)) and for arginine at much larger doses (MSKCC, Arginine). If loose stools start after your first dose, stop and see whether they clear.
Does Sugar Defender interact with medications?
Yes, it may. Chromium, gymnema and ginseng may add to diabetes drugs; grapefruit can affect some statins; licorice can raise blood pressure; L-tryptophan clashes with serotonin drugs. The label asks anyone on other medication to check with a physician first.
Is Sugar Defender bad for your kidneys or liver?
There is no report tying the drops to liver or kidney harm, but some ingredients have rare case reports: green tea extract and gymnema for the liver, and African mango for the kidneys (NCCIH, Green Tea) (Drugs.com, Gymnema monograph) (MSKCC, Irvingia gabonensis (African mango)). Ask your doctor if you have either condition.
Is Sugar Defender safe?
Its safety as a product has never been tested, so no one can give it a clean bill of health. Risk rises with insulin, sulfonylureas, other medicines, pregnancy or caffeine sensitivity. The FDA does not approve supplements before sale (FDA, Using Dietary Supplements).
Can Sugar Defender cause low blood sugar?
It could in people on insulin, a sulfonylurea or a meglitinide, because chromium, gymnema and ginseng may add to those drugs (NIH ODS, Chromium). People without diabetes medicines are unlikely to get a low from it. Know the signs: shaking, sweating, hunger and confusion.
What should I do if I react to Sugar Defender?
Stop taking it and call your doctor or pharmacist, and call 911 for trouble breathing, fainting or a seizure. Keep the bottle so the label can be read. For a refund, call the order desk before day 60.
Who wrote this10
Who wrote and reviewed this Sugar Defender guide?
The Sugar Defender label desk wrote it from the label, the sales page and linked public sources.
A medical reviewer's name goes in the box below once a review is on file.
Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . See our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by a U.S. authorized Sugar Defender merchant, not by the manufacturer or the label distributor. We are paid when you buy through our order links.
Keep reading
What should you read next about Sugar Defender?
Read who it's for, supplements and medicines, ingredients next: they pick up where this one stops.
Each one starts from the same label and links its sources.
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