Safety
GlucoZen Side Effects: What to Watch For and Who Should Ask First
Most healthy adults are not expected to have serious reactions to GlucoZen at the label dose.
The cautions come from a few blend ingredients: caffeine from guarana and green tea, green tea extract, licorice, and gymnema and ginseng, which may lower blood sugar (LiverTox: Gymnema). Ask a doctor first if you take any medication.
Written by the Myglucozen editorial teamUpdated
Safety overview
Is GlucoZen safe to take?
For most healthy adults, GlucoZen is unlikely to cause serious problems at the label dose. Each 1 mL holds 0.7 mcg of chromium and 200 mg of a blend split across 22 ingredients.
That works out to about 9 mg per ingredient on average. A few ingredients carry warnings even in small doses for certain people.
The label itself says: "Do not exceed recommended dose. Not for use for those under the age of 18 or pregnant or nursing mothers. Consult with a physician prior to use especially if you are taking a medication or have a medical condition."
Read every line in our Supplement Facts breakdown.
Ingredient table
What side effects can each GlucoZen ingredient cause?
| Ingredient | Most per 1 mL | What the source reports |
|---|---|---|
| Chromium | 0.7 mcg (printed) | Side effects are unlikely at this tiny amount. Trials used 200-1,000 mcg a day (NIH ODS: Chromium fact sheet). |
| Maca | At most 200 mg | May not be safe in pregnancy, breastfeeding or hormone-sensitive cancers. Can interfere with testosterone tests (MSKCC: Maca). |
| Guarana | At most about 67 mg | A caffeine source. The caffeine amount is not printed (NIH ODS: Weight-loss supplements (guarana/caffeine, capsaicin, L-carnitine)). |
| African mango | At most 50 mg | Mild effects such as headache and sleep trouble in small trials (NIH ODS: Weight-loss supplements (African mango, raspberry ketone, forskolin)). |
| Eleuthero | At most 40 mg | Has raised, or falsely raised, digoxin levels (MSKCC: Siberian ginseng (eleuthero)). |
| Astragalus | At most about 33 mg | May interact with drugs that calm the immune system (NCCIH: Astragalus). |
| Green tea extract | At most about 29 mg | A well-established, rare cause of liver injury. Also contains caffeine (LiverTox: Green tea). |
| Gymnema | At most 25 mg | May lower blood sugar. Rated a possible rare cause of liver injury (LiverTox: Gymnema). |
| Coleus forskohlii | At most about 22 mg | Low blood pressure and stomach upset. May raise bleeding risk with warfarin (MSKCC: Forskolin (Coleus forskohlii)). |
| Bird pepper (capsicum) | At most 20 mg of extract | Capsaicin caused stomach distress at 4 mg a day in research (NIH ODS: Weight-loss supplements (guarana/caffeine, capsaicin, L-carnitine)). |
| Asian ginseng | At most about 17 mg | Might lower blood sugar and may interfere with blood clotting. May be unsafe in pregnancy (NCCIH: Asian ginseng). |
| Licorice (glycyrrhizinate) | Not published | Can cause irregular heartbeat with large or long-term intake (NCCIH: Licorice root). |
| L-tryptophan | Not published | Linked in 1989-1990 to an illness called EMS, followed by an FDA recall (CDC MMWR: L-tryptophan and EMS). |
| Xylitol (other ingredients) | Not published | Safe for people in foods, but dangerous for dogs (FDA: Xylitol is dangerous for dogs). |
Our sources give no side effect data for grape seed, grapefruit seed or most of the amino acids, so we list none.
Caffeine
Does GlucoZen have caffeine?
Yes. Guarana seed and green tea leaf both supply caffeine, but the label does not say how much. FDA cites 400 mg a day as an amount not generally tied to harm in healthy adults (FDA: How much caffeine is too much).
Guarana can make up at most about 67 mg of extract per serving. Still, it adds to coffee, tea, soda and energy drinks. Very fast intake of about 1,200 mg of caffeine can cause seizures (FDA: How much caffeine is too much).
Who should skip it
Who should not take GlucoZen?
Anyone under 18, and anyone pregnant or nursing, should not take GlucoZen, because the label says so.
Under 18, pregnant or nursing
The bottle rules these groups out. Maca, ginseng and licorice carry their own pregnancy cautions too (NCCIH: Licorice root).
Heart, kidney or blood pressure
Even small amounts of licorice have caused severe effects in people with high blood pressure, or heart or kidney disease.
Liver problems
Green tea extract and gymnema are both listed as possible causes of liver injury.
Diabetes medicine users
Gymnema and ginseng may lower blood sugar. Ask your doctor if you take insulin or any diabetes medicine (NCCIH: Asian ginseng).
GlucoZen is a dietary supplement, not a drug. Ask your doctor first if you take insulin or any diabetes medicine, blood pressure or heart medicine, a blood thinner, digoxin or immune-suppressing drugs, or if you have high blood pressure, heart, kidney or liver disease: the blend includes gymnema, ginseng, green tea, guarana (caffeine), licorice (glycyrrhizin) and L-tryptophan. See side effects and interactions.
Warning sign 1
What are the signs of low blood sugar?
For many people with diabetes, low blood sugar means a reading below 70 mg/dL. Signs include shakiness, sweating, hunger, dizziness and confusion (NIDDK: Low blood glucose).
A low is most likely if you already take insulin or a diabetes pill.
Check
Test your glucose. A reading under 70 mg/dL counts as low for many people with diabetes.
Treat
Take 15-20 grams of fast-acting carbohydrate, such as juice or glucose tablets.
Recheck
Test again after 15 minutes. Repeat the carbs if you are still low.
Get help
A severe low is an emergency: call 911.
Stop the drops and tell your doctor before the next dose. See our blood sugar guide.
Try GlucoZen for 60 days1 mL twice a day · 30 days per bottle · price shown at secure checkout
Order nowWarning signs 2 and 3
What liver and heart warning signs should you watch for?
Liver injury from green tea extract usually shows up 1 to 6 months after someone starts taking it (LiverTox: Green tea). Licorice problems tend to show up as an irregular heartbeat (NCCIH: Licorice root).
Liver: green tea extract
- More than 100 published cases tie green tea extract pills to liver injury; plain brewed tea has not been linked (NCCIH: Green tea).
- A gene variant carried by 5-15% of Americans seems to raise the risk.
- Feel unwell in a new way in those months? Stop and ask about a liver test.
Heart: licorice
- Glycyrrhizin, the compound in licorice, can cause an irregular heartbeat or even cardiac arrest with heavy use.
- People with high blood pressure, or heart or kidney disease, are at the highest risk.
- A pounding, skipping or racing heartbeat is a reason to stop the drops and get medical help right away.
Fit check
Is GlucoZen a good fit for you?
Five yes-or-no questions drawn from the label caution and the ingredient sources.
Answer all five questions to see whether you can start, or should talk to a doctor first.
Report a problem
How do you report a side effect from GlucoZen?
Report a serious reaction to your doctor first, then to FDA through its MedWatch safety reporting program on fda.gov. For refunds or order questions, contact GlucoZen order support at +1 (323) 475-1425 or [email protected].
| Emergency | Call 911 for trouble breathing, fainting, chest symptoms or a severe low. |
|---|---|
| FDA MedWatch | The federal program for reporting harm from dietary supplements. |
| Order support | +1 (323) 475-1425 or [email protected], with your order ID. |
Our website email, [email protected], cannot see orders. To return unused bottles, read the 60-day guarantee terms first.
FAQ
GlucoZen side effects FAQ
What are the most common GlucoZen side effects?
No side effect rate for GlucoZen itself has been published. Based on its ingredients, the most likely mild effects are caffeine jitters or poor sleep from guarana and green tea, and stomach upset from capsicum or forskolin.
Can GlucoZen cause low blood sugar?
It could add to a low in people already on insulin or diabetes pills, since gymnema and ginseng may lower blood sugar. Below 70 mg/dL, take 15-20 grams of fast carbs and recheck in 15 minutes, per NIDDK.
Is GlucoZen bad for your liver?
There are no published liver reports for GlucoZen itself. Two of its ingredients, green tea extract and gymnema, are listed by LiverTox as possible causes of rare liver injury. If you have liver disease, ask your doctor before you start.
Can GlucoZen affect your heart?
It may for some people. The blend contains a licorice compound that NCCIH links to irregular heartbeat with large or long-term use. People with high blood pressure, heart disease or kidney disease have had severe effects from even small amounts, so they should ask a doctor first.
How much caffeine is in GlucoZen?
The caffeine amount is not printed on the label. Guarana and green tea both supply it, and guarana can weigh at most about 67 mg of extract per serving. FDA says up to 400 mg of caffeine a day is not generally linked to harm in healthy adults.
Should I stop GlucoZen if I feel side effects?
Yes. Stop the drops and call your doctor about any new symptom. Seek emergency help for fainting or a severe low. Then report it to FDA MedWatch.
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
A small team that reads the bottle label line by line, checks every number against public health sources (NIH, NCCIH, NIDDK, CDC, ADA, FDA, FTC) and rewrites it in plain English. We do not write for the manufacturer, and we update a page whenever the label, the prices or the evidence changes.
Last updated . See our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by a U.S. stocking partner, not by the manufacturer. We earn a commission when you order through our links.
Keep reading
More about GlucoZen
Medicines and GlucoZen
A medicine-by-medicine check of GlucoZen's blend, with the questions worth asking your pharmacist.
Read moreSupplement Facts
The whole GlucoZen label, panel by panel: serving size, chromium, the 200 mg blend and the fine print.
Read moreIngredients
All 22 GlucoZen blend ingredients in label order, plus chromium, with research doses and the most each can weigh.
Read moreU.S. stocking partner for GlucoZen
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