Januvia

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Harshi Dhingra, M.D.

Last Reviewed: Jul 20, 2022

Pros & Cons


Januvia Pros and Cons

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  • You only need to take one tablet of Januvia by mouth once daily.
  • You can take Januvia with or without food.
  • Januvia is less likely to cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) than oral diabetes medications called sulfonylureas.
  • Sitagliptin is available in a combination product with metformin under the brand name Janumet.

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  • Clinical trials have shown that Januvia only lowers HbA1C by about 1%.
  • Januvia is not a good option for people with heart failure.
  • This medicine can worsen kidney function in people who already have kidney problems.
  • It does not treat type 1 diabetes.
  • Januvia is expensive, and there is no low-cost generic version available yet.