Home HealthTopics Health Centers Reference Library Research
Join us on Facebook Join us on Facebook Share on Facebook
Share

Diabetes

Janumet

05/23/2008

Question:

How the pill of Janumet has to be taken: after meat, before or at the time of eating? Thanks

Answer:

As a general rule, I encourage people to look at the package insert provided with a drug for the answers to questions like this.  The drug referred to is a combination pill that contains sitagliptin (Januvia) and metformin.  I found the package insert on the web site for the drug, www.januvia.com.  The relevant text reads "JANUMET should generally be given twice daily with meals, with gradual dose escalation, to reduce the gastrointestinal (GI) side effects due to metformin."

From this, you can conclude that the major issue in the timing of drug administration relative to meals is minimizing side effects of metformin; the timing is not critical for the effectiveness of either of the two components drugs, since both have prolonged action.  Some people need to have food in the stomach before taking metformin to minimize side effects, other people do not have that problem.  So if you are having GI side effects, then take the drug after food; if no side effects, then timing is not critical.

For more information:

Go to the Diabetes health topic, where you can:

Response by:

Robert M Cohen, MD Robert M Cohen, MD
Professor of Clinical Medicine
College of Medicine
University of Cincinnati