Acarbose: Label Dosing, Half-Life and Studies | Dose Track
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Acarbose: half-life, strengths and approval status

Tablet strengths · Approval status · Half-life ~2 hours

Short answer: Acarbose has a half-life of about 2 hours. People vary, so treat these as estimates.

What is acarbose?

Acarbose is an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor: it slows the digestion of starches and sugars in the gut, so blood sugar rises less after meals. It is a tablet for type 2 diabetes, sold as generic acarbose (the original brand was Precose).

Also known as: Precose.

Tablet strengths

Generic acarbose comes as 25 mg, 50 mg and 100 mg tablets.

Approval status and how it is used

The FDA acarbose label approves it, with diet and exercise, to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes. It is taken three times a day with the first bite of each main meal. The label starts at 25 mg three times a day and adjusts every 4 to 8 weeks, up to 50 mg three times a day for people 60 kg or under and 100 mg three times a day above 60 kg.

Gas, diarrhea and stomach pain are common: in US trials, flatulence was reported by 74% on acarbose versus 29% on placebo, and diarrhea by 31% versus 12%. The label recommends liver tests every 3 months in the first year, because liver enzyme rises were seen, mostly above 50 mg three times a day. On its own acarbose should not cause low blood sugar, but with insulin or a sulfonylurea it can; the label says to treat low blood sugar with glucose (dextrose), not table sugar, because acarbose blocks the breakdown of table sugar. It is not used with cirrhosis, inflammatory bowel disease or bowel blockage.

Interest in acarbose for aging comes from a 2014 mouse study (Harrison, Aging Cell) in which it raised median lifespan by 22% in males and 5% in females. That is an animal result, and any use for aging is off-label.

Acarbose half-life and time to peak

  • Half-lifeabout 2 hours
  • Time to peak (Tmax)Not listed

Acarbose works inside the gut, and less than 2% of a dose is absorbed as active drug. The FDA label gives a plasma elimination half-life of acarbose activity of about 2 hours in healthy volunteers, so it does not build up with three-times-daily dosing. The label gives no typical time to peak, so we do not list one.

Numbers shown are taken from the source above. Half-life varies from person to person.

How to track acarbose in Dose Track

  1. Add acarbose as a custom compound. Start typing its name and Dose Track fills in the details from its research library for you to check, and it sits next to everything else you take.
  2. Log each tablet when you take it, including split or fractional tablets, so your history shows exactly what you took and when.
  3. Set reminders on your own schedule, whether that is daily, weekly or every few days.
  4. Your log is stored on your phone and no account is needed. Data only leaves it for features you choose, like AI answers and lab reading.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the half-life of acarbose?+
Acarbose works inside the gut, and less than 2% of a dose is absorbed as active drug. The FDA label gives a plasma elimination half-life of acarbose activity of about 2 hours in healthy volunteers, so it does not build up with three-times-daily dosing. The label gives no typical time to peak, so we do not list one.
When is acarbose taken?+
The FDA label says three times a day, at the start (with the first bite) of each main meal, because it works on the food in the gut at that meal.
Why does acarbose cause gas?+
It slows how carbohydrates are broken down, so more reach the large bowel, where bacteria ferment them. In US trials, 74% on acarbose reported flatulence versus 29% on placebo.
Can I track acarbose in Dose Track?+
Yes. Acarbose is in Dose Track's research library, so when you add it as a custom compound its details are filled in for you to check. You can then log each tablet next to your other compounds, set reminders on your own schedule, and see your history next to your lab results. Your log is stored on your phone and no account is needed. Data only leaves it for features you choose, like AI answers and lab reading.

Sources

  1. Acarbose tablets (Strides) prescribing information: indications, contraindications, precautions, clinical pharmacology and dosage. DailyMed, July 2026.
  2. Harrison DE, et al. Acarbose, 17-α-estradiol, and nordihydroguaiaretic acid extend mouse lifespan preferentially in males. Aging Cell. 2014;13(2):273-282.

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