Exotic Herbs

There are a range of herbs from all over the world which have had preliminary and mostly informal testing done for diabetes control. I have not tried any of them because they all have significant risks, dosages must be carefully controlled to avoid toxicity in many of them, and quality of available supplements is not consistent.

For me, since I desire to have another baby, the risks of these herbs is simply too great. If I were not trying to conceive though, I might be willing to test some of them myself.

Here are a few of the common ones:

Gymnema Sylvestre
Used for centuries to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels, this herb is often mentioned in conjunction with blood sugar control. There is some preliminary suggestions that it may be successful in regenerating the pancreas beta cells in lab rats. It is a common ingredient in blood sugar control herbal preparations.

Pterocarpus Marsupium
Some sources suggest it may help rejuvenate the insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells. It's value in lowering blood sugar has been studied many times.

Bitter Melon
At least three compounds in Bitter Melon have been reported to have sugar-regulating properties. It is traditionally used in Asia for blood sugar control.

Ginseng
A common herb which is often included in "energy" blends. Recent studies have shown that Ginseng may be helpful in reducing blood sugar levels in Type II diabetic patients. Siberian ginseng does not seem to have useful properties for blood sugar control. This herb builds up rapidly in a person, and may cause severe headaches, and low energy levels if overused, and overusing it is NOT all that difficult. Even low levels on a daily basis can be too much for many people.

Holy Basil
Human trials of the leaves of this herb suggest that it may be useful in helping to lower blood sugar levels in Type II diabetes.

Swertia Chirayita
A rare herb, studies on efficacy are hard to find, but it has been compared by one study to standard drugs for Type II diabetes.

Others that I have seen mentioned in relation to diabetes management are:

• gotu kola
• goats rue
• eugenia jambulana
• bael tree
• goji berry
• ganoderma

Remember, most of these have not been formally studied in controlled settings, or in any comparative settings where placebos were used in for control groups. And some of them have highly toxic side effects if they are overused - tolerance levels may be very low. I do not have enough first hand knowledge of any of them to make any kind of recommendation for use, or for safety.

If you choose to try any of them, do so cautiously, and study the available sources on dosage before you do so. Some may be relatively safe, others far more dangerous than diabetes.

Written by Laura Wheeler, Owner of Firelight Business Enterprises, Inc.