by Jackie Hart, MD
Q: I read a report about the use of ginseng for diabetes. Do you know of such a study and can you direct me to it?
A: There have been several reports suggesting value in using ginsengto help manage type 2 diabetes (also called non-insulin dependent or adult onset diabetes). The most recent was published in April of this year in the well-respected journal Archives of Internal Medicine. In this study, people with diabetes were given either American ginseng (Panax quinquefolium) or a placebo, either with a meal or 40 minutes prior to a meal. In the ginseng group, there was less of a rise in blood sugar compared with the placebo group. While these results look promising, this study does not show if ginseng can control blood sugar over a long period of time.
Another article, published in October of 1999 in the European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, reviewed all of the studies of ginseng up to that point. The authors reported that two of the studies suggested that ginseng helps control blood sugar. Specifically, over an eight-week period ginseng improved levels of hemoglobin A1C (HgBA1C), which is a measure of how much extra blood sugar there is in ones body over time.
The normal dose for American ginseng is 1 to 2 grams of fresh or dried root or 100 to 200 milligrams of standardized (4% total ginsenosides) extract each day. People with high blood pressure should check with their doctors before using ginseng and have their blood pressure monitored regularly.
Other herbs that may help to lower blood sugar in people with diabetes include Aloe vera, 50 to 200 milligrams dried extract, and fenugreek (Trigonella foenumgraecum), 1.5 to 2 grams native extract or 6 grams cut or crushed seeds per day. Regular exercise, a healthful diet, and biofeedback can also help to improve blood sugar control. For a more thorough review of complementary methods of managing diabetes, read my previous column, Diabetes: new findings from alternative medicine.
Q: I read a report about the use of ginseng for diabetes. Do you know of such a study and can you direct me to it?
A: There have been several reports suggesting value in using ginsengto help manage type 2 diabetes (also called non-insulin dependent or adult onset diabetes). The most recent was published in April of this year in the well-respected journal Archives of Internal Medicine. In this study, people with diabetes were given either American ginseng (Panax quinquefolium) or a placebo, either with a meal or 40 minutes prior to a meal. In the ginseng group, there was less of a rise in blood sugar compared with the placebo group. While these results look promising, this study does not show if ginseng can control blood sugar over a long period of time.
Another article, published in October of 1999 in the European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, reviewed all of the studies of ginseng up to that point. The authors reported that two of the studies suggested that ginseng helps control blood sugar. Specifically, over an eight-week period ginseng improved levels of hemoglobin A1C (HgBA1C), which is a measure of how much extra blood sugar there is in ones body over time.
The normal dose for American ginseng is 1 to 2 grams of fresh or dried root or 100 to 200 milligrams of standardized (4% total ginsenosides) extract each day. People with high blood pressure should check with their doctors before using ginseng and have their blood pressure monitored regularly.
Other herbs that may help to lower blood sugar in people with diabetes include Aloe vera, 50 to 200 milligrams dried extract, and fenugreek (Trigonella foenumgraecum), 1.5 to 2 grams native extract or 6 grams cut or crushed seeds per day. Regular exercise, a healthful diet, and biofeedback can also help to improve blood sugar control. For a more thorough review of complementary methods of managing diabetes, read my previous column, Diabetes: new findings from alternative medicine.