Herbs & Supplements:
Bitter Melon
Momordica charantia
Principal Proposed Uses
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Diabetes
Widely sold in Asian groceries as food, bitter melon is also a folk remedy for diabetes, cancer, and various infections.
What Is Bitter Melon Used for Today?
Preliminary studies appear to confirm the first of these folk uses, suggesting that bitter melon may improve blood sugar control in people with adult-onset (type 2) diabetes.1–6 If you have type 2 diabetes, you might consider adding bitter melon to your diet, but only under a doctor's supervision (see Safety Issues).
Bitter melon has also been suggested as a treatment for AIDS, but the evidence thus far is too weak to even mention. There is absolutely no evidence that it can treat cancer.
Dosage
The proper dosage is one small, unripe, raw melon or about 50 to 100 ml of fresh juice, divided into 2 or 3 doses over the course of the day. The only problem is that bitter melon tastes extremely bitter. Noted naturopath Michael Murray suggests that you should "simply plug your nose and take a 2-ounce shot."7
Tinctures of bitter melon have begun to arrive on the market, which may make the herb a bit easier to swallow. Follow the directions on the label for correct dosage.
Safety Issues
As a widely eaten food in Asia, bitter melon is generally regarded as safe. It can cause diarrhea and stomach pain if taken in excessive amounts, but the main risk of bitter melon comes from the fact that it may work! Combining it with standard drugs may reduce blood sugar too well, possibly leading to dangerously low levels.8,9 For this reason, if you already take drugs for diabetes, you should add bitter melon to your diet only with a physician's supervision. And definitely don't stop your medication and substitute bitter melon instead. It is not as powerful as insulin or other conventional treatments.
Safety in young children, pregnant or nursing women, or those with severe liver or kidney disease has not been established.
Interactions You Should Know About
If you are taking medications to reduce blood sugar, bitter melon might amplify the effect, and you may need to reduce your dose of medication.
View References
Last reviewed March 2002 by Medical Review Board
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