Side effects
Sugar Defender Side Effects: Ingredient by Ingredient
Most Sugar Defender side effects should be mild at 1 mL a day, such as jitters or poor sleep from caffeine and loose stools from xylitol.
People on insulin or sulfonylureas may get lows, so ask a doctor first. Xylitol is dangerous to dogs.
Written by the Sugar Defender label teamUpdated
Overview01
What are the side effects of Sugar Defender?
The possible side effects of Sugar Defender are caffeine effects, stomach upset and, with some diabetes drugs, low blood sugar. These come from what each ingredient is known to do, not from a study of the drops.
Nobody has run a safety trial of this formula. So the honest method is to read each of the 23 label lines and check what research says about it.
The doses are small. The 22 blend ingredients share 200 mg per mL, about 9 mg each on an even split. That keeps most effects mild, but it does not make interactions impossible.
| Effect | Likely cause | How likely |
|---|---|---|
| Jitters, trouble sleeping | Caffeine from guarana and green tea | Possible, mostly in caffeine-sensitive people |
| Loose stools, gas, bloating | Xylitol; arginine | Possible, small amounts |
| Headache | Caffeine; African mango | Possible |
| Low blood sugar | Chromium, gymnema, ginseng with diabetes drugs | Unlikely alone; a real risk with insulin or sulfonylureas |
| Liver injury | Green tea extract | Rare; reported with concentrated extracts |
By ingredient02
Which Sugar Defender ingredients can cause side effects?
Ten Sugar Defender ingredients have side effects or drug interactions on record. The table lists each one, its place in the blend and the most per mL that place allows.
The effects in the right column come from studies at much higher doses. They show what to watch for, not what will happen.
| Ingredient | Place, most per mL | Side effects and interactions on record |
|---|---|---|
| Chromium picolinate | Printed: 0.7 mcg | May add to insulin and diabetes drugs; may cut levothyroxine absorption (NIH ODS, Chromium) |
| Guarana seed | 3rd, 67 mg | Nausea, insomnia; caution with stimulants and warfarin (MSKCC, Guarana) |
| African mango | 4th, 50 mg | Gas, headache, sleep trouble; caution with diabetes drugs (MSKCC, Irvingia gabonensis (African mango)) |
| Eleuthero root | 5th, 40 mg | Can raise digoxin levels (MSKCC, Siberian Ginseng (Eleuthero)) |
| Green tea leaf | 7th, 29 mg | Caffeine; rare liver injury from extracts (NCCIH, Green Tea) |
| Gymnema leaf | 8th, 25 mg | Dulls sweet taste; one liver case report (Drugs.com, Gymnema monograph) |
| Coleus root | 9th, 22 mg | Low blood pressure, slow heart rate, diarrhea; bleeding with blood thinners (MSKCC, Forskolin (Coleus forskohlii)) |
| Panax ginseng root | 12th, 17 mg | Insomnia; may lower blood sugar; may affect clotting (NCCIH, Asian Ginseng) |
| Licorice compound | 18th, 11 mg | Can raise blood pressure and affect heart rhythm with heavy use (NCCIH, Licorice Root) |
| L-tryptophan | 21st, 10 mg | Not with MAOIs or serotonin drugs without advice (Drugs.com, L-tryptophan) |
The other lines, such as maca, grape seed and the amino acids, have few known effects at food-like amounts. See the full Sugar Defender ingredients list.
Caffeine03
Can Sugar Defender keep you awake at night?
Yes, Sugar Defender can keep some people awake, because guarana and green tea add caffeine. The label prints no caffeine amount (MSKCC, Guarana).
Guarana is third in the blend, so it holds at most 67 mg of extract per mL, and only part of that is caffeine. The real figure is unknown, but likely below a cup of coffee.
Too much caffeine can bring a fast heartbeat, jitters, anxiety and poor sleep (FDA, Caffeine: how much is too much?). Take the drops in the morning and count them with your coffee and tea.
Stomach04
Does Sugar Defender upset the stomach?
Sugar Defender may upset the stomach in a few people, most likely through xylitol, a sugar alcohol in the other ingredients. Sugar alcohols draw water into the gut and can cause gas or loose stools.
The amount of xylitol per mL is not printed. A sweetener in a 1 mL dose is likely small, so most people will feel nothing.
Arginine and coleus can also cause diarrhea at high doses (MSKCC, Arginine) (MSKCC, Forskolin (Coleus forskohlii)). If your stomach reacts, try the dose with food. If it keeps happening, stop.
Low blood sugar05
Can Sugar Defender cause low blood sugar?
Sugar Defender is unlikely to cause low blood sugar on its own, but it may add to insulin or a sulfonylurea. Chromium, gymnema and ginseng can each nudge glucose down in studies (NIH ODS, Chromium) (Drugs.com, Gymnema monograph) (NCCIH, Asian Ginseng).
The ADA warns that some supplements cause lows when paired with diabetes medicines (ADA, Vitamins & Supplements). For many people with diabetes, any reading under 70 mg/dL is a low.
Know the signs before your first dose, and check your meter more often in the first weeks.
- 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
15-15Under 70 mg/dL counts as a low for many people with diabetes. Have 15-20 g of fast carbohydrate (juice, glucose tablets) and check again 15 minutes later.
Call 911When someone with a low passes out, has a seizure or cannot safely swallow. Someone who is unconscious should not be given food or drink.
The signs and steps come from NIDDK (NIDDK, Low Blood Glucose). Lows can come from insulin, sulfonylureas and meglitinides, and supplements may add to them (ADA, Vitamins & Supplements).
Never cut a diabetes dose to make room for the drops. If you get lows after starting, call your doctor. More in Sugar Defender with metformin and other medicines.
Sugar Defender: from $49 a bottle60 mL · 1 mL a day · free US shipping on 3 or 6 · 60-day money-back guarantee
See packsPets06
Is the xylitol in Sugar Defender dangerous for dogs?
Yes, the xylitol in Sugar Defender is dangerous for dogs. In a dog it can cause a fast, severe drop in blood sugar within 10 to 60 minutes (FDA, Paws Off Xylitol).
Watch for vomiting, weakness, stumbling, collapse or seizures. Call a vet or animal poison control at once, even if the dog seems fine. Keep the bottle high and wipe drips.
The label07
What does the Sugar Defender label warn about?
The Sugar Defender label warns that the drops are not for anyone under 18. It asks pregnant or nursing women, and anyone on other medication, to consult a physician first.
The full warning reads: "Not intended for use by persons under 18 years of age. Consult with your physician prior to use if you are pregnant or nursing, or if you are taking any other medication. Do not use if safety seal is missing or broken. Use only as directed." A second line adds: "KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. DO NOT USE IF TAMPER RESISTANT SEAL IS DAMAGED, BROKEN OR MISSING."
The label lists no side effects and no storage line. Who should skip it is covered in who should not take Sugar Defender.
If it happens08
What should you do if Sugar Defender gives you side effects?
If Sugar Defender gives you side effects, stop taking it and call your doctor or pharmacist. NCCIH gives the same advice for any supplement (NCCIH, Using Dietary Supplements Wisely).
Bring the bottle so they can read the full label. Write down when you took each dose and what you felt.
Stop the drops
Do not stop any prescribed medicine on your own.
Get help fast for serious signs
Call 911 for chest pain, trouble breathing, fainting, a seizure or swelling of the face.
Call your care team
Mention yellow skin or dark urine, which can point to the liver.
Ask for a refund if you want one
The Sugar Defender 60-day guarantee counts from your purchase date.
FAQ09
Sugar Defender side effect questions
Can Sugar Defender cause headaches?
It might in a few people. Caffeine from guarana and green tea can trigger headaches, and so can skipping your usual coffee. Headache is also listed for African mango (MSKCC, Irvingia gabonensis (African mango)). If headaches start with the drops and keep coming back, stop them and tell your doctor.
Can Sugar Defender make my heart race?
It could if you are sensitive to caffeine. Fast heart rate and palpitations are known caffeine effects (FDA, Caffeine: how much is too much?). The licorice compound can also affect heart rhythm with heavy use (NCCIH, Licorice Root). A racing heart with chest pain or fainting needs 911.
Can Sugar Defender hurt the liver?
Serious liver harm is unlikely but not impossible. Rare liver injury has been reported with concentrated green tea extracts (NCCIH, Green Tea), and one case was linked to gymnema (Drugs.com, Gymnema monograph). Stop the drops and call a doctor if you notice yellow skin or eyes, or dark urine.
Why does sweet food taste dull after Sugar Defender?
Gymnema is the likely reason. Its best-known effect is blocking sweet taste on the tongue for a while (Drugs.com, Gymnema monograph). At no more than 25 mg per mL the effect may be faint or absent. It is harmless and fades on its own.
Does Sugar Defender cause a fishy body odor?
Very unlikely. Fishy odor is linked to L-carnitine at about 3 g a day (NIH ODS, Carnitine). Carnitine is the last of 22 blend lines, so a 1 mL serving holds far less than 1% of that. Look for another cause if you notice an odor.
How long do Sugar Defender side effects last?
No data exist for the drops. Caffeine effects usually fade within several hours, and stomach upset from a sweetener often passes within a day. If an effect lasts more than a couple of days, or keeps coming back, stop and call your doctor.
Can Sugar Defender cause an allergic reaction?
Any product with a dozen plant extracts can trigger an allergy in someone. Hives, itching or a rash mean stop and call your doctor. Swelling of the lips or throat, or trouble breathing, means call 911 at once.
Who wrote this10
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and the way we check reviews. This website is run by an authorized American Sugar Defender outlet, not by the manufacturer or the distributor. Purchases made through our order links earn us money.
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