Prescription medication · Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitor
miglitol
Also sold as Glyset. Miglitol treats type 2 diabetes.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 923
- FDA reportsRarely reported
- 7
- InteractionsFew interactions
- $1.75
- Generic price (NADAC)
What the data shows
miglitol (Glyset) is a prescription Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitor, among the least-reported drugs the FDA tracks (923 FDA reports), with 7 documented drug interactions.
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
miglitol (Glyset) is a prescription Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitor. Miglitol treats type 2 diabetes.
Miglitol (Glyset) helps control blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. It should be used with diet and exercise.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$1.75/unit
Generic Available
Yes (1 manufacturer)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Miglitol treats type 2 diabetes.
Common side effects
Gas, Diarrhea, Abdominal pain
Key warnings
No specific warnings noted. Always follow your prescriber's instructions.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from miglitol's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Miglitol slows down the digestion of carbohydrates. This helps to prevent a large rise in blood sugar after you eat. It works in your gut to block certain enzymes.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 923 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for miglitol, by number of reports
- Hypoglycaemia
Hypoglycaemia
67 reports
- Hepatic Function Abnormal
Hepatic Function Abnormal
46 reports
- Decreased Appetite
Decreased Appetite
39 reports
- Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea
37 reports
- Renal Impairment
Renal Impairment
37 reports
- Liver Disorder
Liver Disorder
34 reports
- Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes Mellitus
29 reports
- Nausea
Nausea
28 reports
- Drug Interaction 26
Drug Interaction
26 reports
- Alanine Aminotransferase Increased 25
Alanine Aminotransferase Increased
25 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for miglitol each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where miglitol sits
miglitol has more FDA adverse-event reports than 6% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is miglitol; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 923 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
923
Reports Mentioning Death
106
11.5% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
542
Top Indication
Diabetes Mellitus
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HYPOGLYCAEMIA | 67 |
| 2 | HEPATIC FUNCTION ABNORMAL | 46 |
| 3 | DECREASED APPETITE | 39 |
| 4 | DIARRHOEA | 37 |
| 5 | RENAL IMPAIRMENT | 37 |
| 6 | LIVER DISORDER | 34 |
| 7 | DIABETES MELLITUS | 29 |
| 8 | NAUSEA | 28 |
| 9 | DRUG INTERACTION | 26 |
| 10 | ALANINE AMINOTRANSFERASE INCREASED | 25 |
| 12 | PLATELET COUNT DECREASED | 25 |
| 13 | DIABETES MELLITUS INADEQUATE CONTROL | 24 |
| 14 | HYPERGLYCAEMIA | 24 |
| 15 | CARDIAC FAILURE | 22 |
| 16 | PNEUMONIA | 22 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Known Drug Interactions
The effect of miglitol (100 mg 3 times daily for 7 days) on the pharmacokinetics of a single 1000 mg dose of metformin was investigated in healthy volunteers. Mean AUC and C max values for metformin were 12% to 13% lower when the volunteers were given miglitol as compared with placebo, but this difference was not statistically significant.
Mechanism: Miglitol may slightly lower the amount of metformin that enters your bloodstream, but the change is usually not large enough to matter.
Other healthy volunteer studies have demonstrated that miglitol may significantly reduce the bioavailability of ranitidine and propranolol by 60% and 40%, respectively.
Mechanism: Miglitol reduces the amount of propranolol that your body absorbs into the blood by about 40%.
No effect of miglitol was observed on the pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics of either warfarin or nifedipine.
Mechanism: Miglitol does not change how warfarin is processed by the body or how it works to thin the blood.
No effect of miglitol was observed on the pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics of either warfarin or nifedipine.
Mechanism: Miglitol does not interfere with how nifedipine works or how much of it stays in your system.
Drug Interactions Several studies investigated the possible interaction between miglitol and glyburide. In six healthy volunteers given a single dose of 5 mg glyburide on a background of 6 days treatment with miglitol (50 mg 3 times daily for 4 days followed by 100 mg 3 times daily for 2 days) or placebo, the mean C max and AUC values for glyburide were 17% and 25% lower, respectively, when glyburide was given with miglitol. In a study in diabetic patients in which the effects of adding miglitol 100 mg 3 times daily for 7 days or placebo to a background regimen of 3.5 mg glyburide daily...
Mechanism: Miglitol can lower the amount of glyburide that enters your blood.
This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Common Questions
What is the maximum dose of miglitol?
Can I take miglitol if I have bowel problems?
How often should my blood sugar be checked?
What should I do if I have a lot of gas or diarrhea?
Can I take miglitol with other diabetes medicines?
Does miglitol cause low blood sugar?
Can I take miglitol with antacids?
What if miglitol does not lower my blood sugar enough?
Can I stop taking miglitol if my blood sugar is normal?
Are there any foods I should avoid while taking miglitol?
What are the common side effects of miglitol?
Does miglitol interact with other medications?
What drug class is miglitol?
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for miglitol?
Related Medications in Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitor
Other drugs grouped near miglitol - same-class peers and common alternatives.
acarbose
Precose
Acarbose is a medicine that helps lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
Compare with miglitol →
alogliptin
Nesina
Compare with miglitol →
bromocriptine
Cycloset
Bromocriptine (Cycloset) is a medicine that acts like dopamine in your body.
Compare with miglitol →
canagliflozin
Invokana
Invokana is a medicine used with diet and exercise to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Compare with miglitol →
colesevelam
Welchol
Colesevelam is a medicine that helps lower bad cholesterol (LDL-C) and control blood sugar in adults.
Compare with miglitol →
Compare beyond drug class
Nationwide peers by FAERS volume & death-report share
Two PlainMeds-derived comparison paths for miglitol: nearest FDA FAERS report volume and nearest death-report share among drugs with at least 1,000 logged reports, excluding same-class neighbors listed above. Counts reflect reporting volume, not proven individual harm.
Similar FAERS report volume
Nearest drugs by total FAERS reports. This record: 923.
Similar death-report share
Nearest drugs by FAERS death-report share. This record: 11.48%.
- tafluprost Δ 0.03 pts · 2,845 reports · Prostaglandin Analog (Ophthalmic) 11.46%death share
- cefazolin Δ 0.05 pts · 8,788 reports · First-Generation Cephalosporin 11.44%death share
- degarelix Δ 0.08 pts · 4,979 reports · GnRH Antagonist 11.57%death share
- indomethacin Δ 0.09 pts · 12,919 reports · Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) 11.57%death share
Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
How CYP450 enzymes, inhibitors, and inducers affect your medications
Generic vs Brand Name Drugs
FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
FDA bioequivalence and label-record context for narrow therapeutic index medicines
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
Save on miglitol
Compare prices and find discounts at pharmacies near you. Free coupons can save up to 80% on prescriptions.
Disclosure: This link may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. See our terms.
What the FDA Data Shows for miglitol
The FDA label for miglitol (sold under brand names such as Glyset) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitor class. Miglitol treats type 2 diabetes. Official labeling lists 3 commonly reported side effects, including Gas, Diarrhea, Abdominal pain.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 923 voluntary reports. The database also lists 7 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated minor severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $1.75.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information are separate source-record fields. This page is a public FDA/CMS registry and does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. This registry does not provide medication decisions.
Last updated: December 7, 2021
PlainMeds is rendered directly from FDA openFDA/FAERS extracts, DailyMed labels, and CMS drug-pricing files, no number is typed in by an editor. FAERS counts, recalls, shortages, and price figures on this page are queried live from those federal extracts. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Primary sources: openFDA / FAERS, DailyMed and CMS Part B ASP.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled from the source snapshot dated . See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a data issue.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages