by Frances Stanford

Created on: May 25, 2009

Gymnema is a herb native to southern and central India where it has been part of the traditional medical treatment for diabetes for two thousand years. This is a climbing plant with large leaves and small flowers. The gymnema is extracted from the leaves of the plant, but it is unclear what gives these leaves the properties that help control the blood-sugar levels in the body.

Repeated studies of the use of gymnema have shown that this herbal remedy does increase the amount of insulin the body produces, but it varies according to the type of diabetes one has. For those with TYPE 1 diabetes, taking this herb on a regular basis helps to decrease the amount of insulin needed to control the level of blood sugar and for those with TYPE II diabetes, it regulates the insulin so that they do not need to take as much medication for the problem. TYPE II diabetes refers to those who do not need to take insulin injections on a daily basis.

In the studies that have been done on the effectiveness of gymnema, it was also found that this herb helped to lower cholesterol levels in the body as well as that of the triglycerides. Researchers have not yet discovered how or why this happens, but they do suspect that it is due to the presence of gymnemic acid, which inhibits the taste of sugar by the sensors in the tongue.

To discover the benefits of taking gymnema for diabetes, you do have to take it for an extended period of time. It reduces the cravings for sweets and sugar common among diabetics, but this sensation is short-lived, lasting for only fifteen or twenty minutes. In this manner it may also be suitable as a weight loss supplement in the manner in which it curbs the appetite for sweets, which are loaded with calories.

Gymnema should not be considered a replacement for insulin therapy, but it can be used in conjunction with injections and medications for diabetes. This is because it is slower acting than the modern therapy. The majority of diabetics must take their medication every day in order to control diabetes, but taking gymnema along with it can reduce the dosage they will be required to take.

In the ancient herbal remedies, patients chewed the leaves of the plant in order to obtain the benefits of the herb. This is not necessary today, though, as most take it in pill or tablet form with a glass of juice or water. There are also teas made from the gymnema plant and this is a popular method of ingesting the herb. The dosage of the herb required on a daily basis varies from one patient to another because it depends on the amount and type of medication you are taking and the stage of diabetes that you have.

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