| There have been at least four gymnema sylvestre | | | | therapies for type II diabetes, because, according to |
| hyperglycemia clinical trials, all of which showed | | | | researchers at the Institute for Pharmacology and |
| positive results. By definition, clinical trials are those | | | | Toxicology, "current pharmacological therapy for type |
| that recruit volunteers for experimental studies as | | | | 2 diabetes reduces the risk of complications, but is |
| opposed to animal trials or research using cell lines in | | | | not able to achieve a long-lasting normalization of the |
| test tubes. While there have only been a few | | | | metabolic disorder." |
| published gymnema sylvestre insulin clinical trials, there | | | | In gymnema sylvestre hyperglycemia clinical trials |
| is a large body of research supporting the use of the | | | | conducted in 1990, 27 patients with insulin dependent |
| herb to reduce blood sugar levels. In addition to | | | | diabetes were given 400 mg per day of an extract |
| modern day research, there is a history of traditional | | | | from the leaves of the herb. The patients |
| usage in Ayurvedic and Asian medicine for the | | | | experienced a reduced need for insulin and fasting |
| treatment of both insulin dependent and non-insulin | | | | blood glucose levels were lowered. In their conclusion, |
| dependent diabetes. | | | | the researchers suggested that the extract seemed |
| It is likely that there would have been more | | | | to enhance the levels of natural insulin within the |
| gymnema sylvestre hyperglycemia clinical trials if | | | | body, possibly by regenerating the beta cells that are |
| funding were available. In a recent publication in the | | | | inactive in insulin dependent diabetics. |
| Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, | | | | In gymnema sylvestre insulin clinical trials conducted |
| researchers from Bastyr University in Washington | | | | later in the same year, 22 patients with non-insulin |
| State called research funding "critically important". | | | | dependent or type II diabetes were treated with |
| Research is expensive and most funding is provided | | | | 400mg of the extract daily for a period of 18-20 |
| by pharmaceutical companies, but pharmaceutical | | | | months. During that time, patients showed lower |
| companies have little interest in beneficial nutritional | | | | blood glucose levels and the need for conventional |
| and botanical medicines, since they are naturally | | | | drug therapy was decreased. |
| occurring and cannot be patented. | | | | In 2004, two studies were completed concerning the |
| Many doctors are unaware of gymnema sylvestre | | | | effectiveness of supplements containing a |
| insulin clinical trials. Alternative and complementary | | | | combination of gymnema sylvestre, calcium citrate |
| medicine is still controversial, even though the | | | | and chromium for weight loss. One of the risk |
| effectiveness of nutritional support and botanical | | | | factors for type II diabetes is overweight or obesity. |
| supplements has been proven again and again. It | | | | Diabetics who are able to maintain a healthy weight |
| takes years for mainstream medicine to accept the | | | | also see improvements in blood glucose levels and a |
| therapeutic properties of naturally occurring | | | | reduction in the need for prescription drugs. |
| substances and some practitioners never suggest or | | | | Over 150 obese people participated in these two |
| even consider alternative or adjunctive therapies for | | | | studies and the results showed a 5-6% decrease in |
| their patients. | | | | body weight and body mass index. Total cholesterol |
| Take for example the research conducted by Linus | | | | levels were also reduced, as were triglycerides and |
| Pauling, a two time Nobel Prize winner, concerning | | | | LDL cholesterol. There seemed to be an appetite |
| vitamin C and other nutritional supplements. At the | | | | suppressant effect of the combination mineral and |
| age of 41, he was diagnosed with an untreatable and | | | | gymnema sylvestre therapy and HDL (good) |
| fatal kidney disease. Using a low protein, salt free diet | | | | cholesterol levels were improved. |
| and nutritional supplements, he was able to continue | | | | Over the years research has supported the use of |
| to work, published several books and lived a healthy | | | | many botanical extracts, dietary supplements and |
| and productive life. He died in 1994 at the age of 93 | | | | minerals for the control of blood glucose levels and |
| from an unrelated condition. | | | | weight maintenance. The recommended supplements |
| By going outside of mainstream medicine, by using | | | | include calcium, chromium, copper, magnesium, |
| alternative therapies, he was able to live more than | | | | manganese, banaba, bitter melon, black cumin, green |
| 50 years longer than his doctors had said that he | | | | tea, alpha lipoic acid and gymnema sylvestre. We |
| would. His theory was always that people can live | | | | know of only one product that contains all of these. |
| longer, healthier lives by focusing on good nutrition. | | | | To learn more about gymnema sylvestre |
| Not a popular theory and still controversial to a | | | | hyperglycemia clinical trials or research supporting the |
| certain extent, but Doctors of Alternative and | | | | use of the other supplements mentioned here, please |
| Complementary Medicine are becoming more popular. | | | | visit the Diabetes Type Two Info Guide. |
| Researchers are focusing more on alternative | | | | |