Repaglinide
Prescription ·Exploratory record · not publication-reviewed ·Updated July 13, 2026
Repaglinide is a short-acting oral insulin secretagogue used before meals to improve postprandial glucose control in adults with type 2 diabetes. It can cause hypoglycemia, especially if meals are skipped or when combined with glucose-lowering supplements or interacting drugs. Concomitant gemfibrozil is contraindicated because it markedly increases repaglinide exposure.
Exploratory record, not a reviewed medical publication.
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This generated database record has not completed a claim-level review by a qualified human medical reviewer. Bibliography links and evidence labels are not approval. The page remains available for reference and is excluded from search indexing.
What the research says.
A quick, data-only summary. The full evidence, dosing, and sources are below.
Repaglinide is a short-acting oral insulin secretagogue used before meals to improve postprandial glucose control in adults with type 2 diabetes. NutriStack rates the supporting evidence as strong. Common adult dosing is 0.5-4 mg orally before meals, usually 2-4 times daily; maximum 16 mg/day; skip dose if meal is skipped, though a prescriber sets the actual dose. This profile indexes 3 sources.
The bottom line
Evidence rating strong. Most-documented uses: lowers postprandial glucose in type 2 diabetes, flexible pre-meal dosing, shorter action than many sulfonylureas. 3 sources indexed (2000–2026), with 0 interaction records on file.
How it works, mechanistically.
Core mechanism
Repaglinide binds ATP-dependent potassium channels on pancreatic beta cells, causing membrane depolarization, calcium influx, and meal-timed insulin release. It is metabolized mainly by CYP2C8 and CYP3A4 and transported partly by hepatic uptake pathways, so inhibitors can increase hypoglycemia risk and inducers can reduce efficacy. Its short duration is why it is dosed before meals and skipped when a meal is skipped.1,2
Dosing & protocol.
Take before meals; skip the dose if a meal is skipped to reduce hypoglycemia risk.
Full safety detail.
Side effects
- Hypoglycemia
- Weight gain
- Headache
- Upper respiratory infection
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Arthralgia
- Rare severe hepatic dysfunction
Sources, by evidence tier.
Numbered references. Citations throughout the page link here.
Reviews & position papers
1- 1Repaglinide: a review of its therapeutic use in type 2 diabetes mellitusScott LJ et al. · Drugs · 2000
Review summarized meal-time insulin secretagogue efficacy and safety.
Reference material
2- 2Repaglinide tablets US prescribing informationUS Food and Drug Administration · DailyMed FDA Label · 2026
Label lists gemfibrozil contraindication and glucose monitoring needs.
- 3Gemfibrozil greatly increases plasma concentrations of repaglinideNiemi M et al. · Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics · 2003
Gemfibrozil increased repaglinide exposure and hypoglycemia risk.
Common questions.
Quick answers about Repaglinide, drawn from the data on this page.
What is Repaglinide?
Repaglinide is a short-acting oral insulin secretagogue used before meals to improve postprandial glucose control in adults with type 2 diabetes. It can cause hypoglycemia, especially if meals are skipped or when combined with glucose-lowering supplements or interacting drugs. Concomitant gemfibrozil is contraindicated because it markedly increases repaglinide exposure.
What is Repaglinide used for?
Commonly cited benefits of Repaglinide include: Lowers postprandial glucose in type 2 diabetes; Flexible pre-meal dosing; Shorter action than many sulfonylureas; Can reduce A1c when used with diet and exercise. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as strong.
What is a typical dose of Repaglinide?
A typical adult dose of Repaglinide is 0.5-4 mg orally before meals, usually 2-4 times daily; maximum 16 mg/day; skip dose if meal is skipped. The commonly recommended form is Oral tablet taken within 30 minutes before meals. These are general ranges, not personalized advice; confirm the right dose with a clinician.
What are the side effects of Repaglinide?
Reported side effects include hypoglycemia, weight gain, headache, upper respiratory infection, nausea, diarrhea. This is educational information; check with a healthcare professional before use.
How strong is the evidence for Repaglinide?
NutriStack rates this as Strong, meaning multiple high-quality meta-analyses or systematic reviews converge on the same finding. Full tier criteria are at https://nutristackapp.com/methodology/evidence-tiers.
Use this with your stack
Repaglinide in NutriStack.
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