But its effect on sugar depends on the sugar. When it Works, When It Doesn't Acarbose slows the digestion of these carbohydrates. When you take acarbose with your first bite of these foods, your blood glucose levels won't go up as quickly. Your blood glucose levels will go up just as quickly after eating them whether you take acarbose or not. The gels and tabs designed for the treatment of insulin reactions contain glucose.
Corn syrup is mostly glucose.
Fructose is a single sugar. Fruits contain fructose, as well as sucrose and glucose. Single sugars don't need to be broken down in the intestine. They're already small enough to be absorbed. Therefore, foods and drinks that contain mostly simple sugars won't be affected, for the most part, by acarbose.