miglitol
Miglitol is a medication that's used together with diet and exercise to help control blood sugar in adults with Type 2 diabetes. This medication is taken by mouth, typically 3 times a day with the first few bites of each meal. Miglitol isn't as commonly used as other diabetes medications since it can lead to some unpleasant side effects like gas and diarrhea. But it's less likely to cause hypoglycemia when used on its own. It's only available as the generic name miglitol since the brand name Glyset is no longer available.
What is Miglitol?
What is Miglitol used for?
- Type 2 diabetes in adults
How Miglitol works
Miglitol is an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor. It blocks a type of enzyme (protein) called alpha-glucosidase, which breaks down complex carbohydrates into simple sugars. By blocking this enzyme, miglitol slows down sugar digestion in the gut, leading to a smaller rise in blood sugar levels.
Drug facts
Side effects of Miglitol
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
- Passing gas (42%)
- Diarrhea (29%)
- Stomach pain (12%)
Less Common Side Effects
- Nausea
- Skin rash
- Low blood iron
The following Miglitol side effects have also been reported
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
More common
Bloated full feeling
excess air or gas in stomach or intestines
increase in bowel movements
loose stools
passing gas
soft stools
stomach or abdomen pain
Less common
Skin rash
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
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Pros and cons of Miglitol
Pros
- Not likely to cause weight gain, instead it might cause weight loss
- Helps control blood sugar levels after each meal
- Low risk of low blood sugar when used alone
- Can be used with other diabetes medications
Cons
- Must be taken multiple times a day
- Side effects include diarrhea, gas, and stomach pain
- Not recommended for people with severe kidney problems
- Typically not considered a first-choice treatment option
Pharmacist tips for Miglitol
- Take miglitol with the first bite of each main meal so it can work properly.
- If you're taking miglitol with other medications that can cause low blood sugar (e.g., insulin, sulfonylureas), carry glucose tablets with you at all times so that you can take them if your blood sugar drops. Products with sucrose, another form of sugar, might not work well to raise your blood sugar because miglitol will delay their digestion.
- Stomach-related side effects are common during the first few weeks of treatment with miglitol. These might include stomach pain, excessive gas, and diarrhea, but they should become less bothersome over time.
- It's important to eat healthy and exercise regularly to keep your blood sugar under control. Work with your healthcare team on a diet and exercise plan while taking miglitol.
- Get your routine blood tests done on time while you’re taking miglitol. By doing so, your healthcare team can make sure this medication is working well to control your blood sugar.
Common questions about Miglitol
Miglitol and acarbose are both alpha-glucosidase inhibitors that treat Type 2 diabetes. They work similarly by slowing down the digestion of carbohydrates in the gut, which helps to prevent spikes in blood sugar after you eat. While both aren't safe for people with severe kidney problems, acarbose is also not recommended for people with severe liver problems since it can cause changes in liver labs. Speak with your prescriber about comparing these two medications.
Miglitol and sulfonylureas are both prescription medications that treat Type 2 diabetes, but they work differently to lower blood sugar. Miglitol slows down sugar digestion in the gut, while sulfonylureas stimulate the pancreas to release more insulin into the blood. This makes sulfonylureas more likely to cause low blood sugar when taken alone. Discuss with your prescriber if you have questions about the differences between these medications.
It can. Research shows that people can experience weight loss after taking miglitol. This medication might cause weight loss by preventing the body from absorbing too much sugar. Miglitol can also cause stomach-related side effects, such as diarrhea and stomach pain, which can also affect appetite and body weight. Talk with your healthcare team if you have questions about how this medication might affect your weight.
Miglitol doesn't commonly cause constipation. But if you experience constipation, speak with your prescriber to make sure it's not something more serious.
Possibly. But if you're using insulin while taking miglitol, you might be at higher risk for dangerously low blood sugar levels. Your healthcare team will likely need to adjust the doses of your insulin to keep you safe. Make sure you're familiar with symptoms of low blood sugar levels, such as shakiness, hunger, confusion. Keep glucose tablets or gel with you at all times so you can quickly treat low blood sugar.
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Risks and warnings for Miglitol
Miglitol can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Low blood sugar when taken together with other diabetes medications
- Risk factor: Using insulin or sulfonylureas
When miglitol is used together with insulins or a sulfonylurea, your blood sugar can drop too low, which can be life-threatening. Signs of low blood sugar include fast heartbeat, sweating, pale skin, shakiness, confusion, and irritability. Make sure to carry glucose tablets at all times while you're on this medication, because products with sucrose (another form of sugar) won't work fast enough to raise your blood sugar.
Kidney problems causing medication buildup
- Risk factor: History of kidney problems
If you have a history of kidney problems, your body might hold onto more miglitol. This can lead to the medication building up and raising your risk of side effects. Let your healthcare team know about your history of medical conditions before starting treatment.
Losing control of blood sugar
- Risk factor: Stress such as fever, trauma, infection, or surgery
Over time, miglitol might stop lowering your blood sugar. Sometimes this happens when your body is under stress. If this happens, you might need to stop miglitol and switch to insulin. Talk to your healthcare team about how often you should check your blood sugar levels, and make sure to attend all of your follow-up appointments.
Miglitol dosage
Interactions between Miglitol and other drugs
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Balofloxacin
- Besifloxacin
- Chloroquine
- Ciprofloxacin
- Enoxacin
- Fleroxacin
- Flumequine
- Gatifloxacin
- Gemifloxacin
- Hydroxychloroquine
- Lanreotide
- Levofloxacin
- Lomefloxacin
- Moxifloxacin
- Nadifloxacin
- Norfloxacin
- Octreotide
- Ofloxacin
- Pasireotide
- Pazufloxacin
- Pefloxacin
- Prulifloxacin
- Rufloxacin
- Sparfloxacin
- Thioctic Acid
- Tosufloxacin
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Acebutolol
- Atenolol
- Betaxolol
- Bisoprolol
- Bitter Melon
- Carteolol
- Carvedilol
- Celiprolol
- Digoxin
- Esmolol
- Glucomannan
- Guar Gum
- Labetalol
- Levobunolol
- Metipranolol
- Metoprolol
- Nadolol
- Nebivolol
- Oxprenolol
- Penbutolol
- Pindolol
- Practolol
- Propranolol
- Psyllium
- Sotalol
- Timolol
How much does Miglitol cost?
$52.72
Miglitol contraindications
Contraindications are specific health conditions or situations in which a person should not take a medication due to safety concerns. If you have any of the following conditions or if any of the following apply to you, let your healthcare provider know because Miglitol will not be safe for you to take.
- Diabetic ketoacidosis
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Ulcers in the colon
- Blockage in the gut
- Gut problems associated with digestion or absorption issues
- Conditions that worsen due to excessive gas in the gut
