Did you know that scientists have been testing natural plant substances for their ability to lower, or even normalize, blood sugar levels in those with diabetes?
They have been, and some of the results may have big implications for our health and ability to deal with this disease going forward. So we are going to look more closely at this today.
But why is this important?
Diabetes has been a growing problem in western countries for quite some time.
Obesity, poor diet, lack of exercise and more have contributed to this increase, which has led to a large number of the population relying on pharmaceutical drugs to maintain their blood sugar balances, and more.
While many may be effective at keeping blood sugar levels at bay, there are often unsavory side effects that many would like to avoid.
So, the question becomes, have scientific researchers looked into any natural remedies that can help lower or normalize blood sugar, while minimizing negative side effects?
Note: Always discuss treatment plans with your physician. This article is presented for informational purposes only. Changes in blood sugar may necessitate changes to prescribed medications, which could be dangerous if not done under the care of your licensed physician. Any treatment should always be done under the care of your licensed physician.
Can Moringa be Used to Treat Diabetes?
Moringa oleifera (moringa) is a medicinal plant that is heavily relied upon in Ayurvedic medicine and within other natural healing modalities.
In the September 2017 issue of Frontiers in Pharmacology, researchers administered a moringa extract to mice with induced Type 2 diabetes and rats with induced Type 1 diabetes.
(I do not support animal research and present this information for informational purposes only.)
What Happened?
Fasting glucose levels were measured in a group of type-1 diabetic rats treated with moringa extract as well as a group of diabetic rats treated with metformin, a first-line medication for the treatment of type-2 diabetes.
The maximum fall of fasting glucose levels in the moringa group was 53.2 percent after four hours!
On the other hand, the maximum fall of fasting glucose levels in the metformin group was 42.4 percent after six hours.
These findings need to be replicated in humans, but the results are very hopeful!
Again, do not stop taking metformin or any other medication because of this article! This is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for medical advice or treatment.
Next, let’s turn our attention to the mice induced with type-2 diabetes.
The results were at least as astounding, to say the least.
After treatment with the moringa extract, the mice showed a 34.23 percent reduction in blood glucose level on day two and a 58.69 percent decrease on day three.
Researchers also found that blood glucose became normal after day two and stayed normal even after a seven-day gap in treatment!
Another great and important find of the researchers was that the moringa extract had no effect on blood glucose levels in normoglycemic (normal blood glucose levels) rats, which led the researchers to conclude its safety as researchers noted no toxic side-effects were observed.
Conclusions
These are obviously astonishing and hopeful results, but as per usual, here comes a healthy dose of skepticism.
First of all, human research is needed to determine not only if moringa is as effective in humans, but also the proper way to administer moringa as a treatment, including dosage, frequency, form of moringa (powdered, extract, etc.), among other things.
For instance, the best results in this study came from a dosage of 100mg/kg of body weight of a water-derived extract. That may or may not be the ideal amount for humans, but proper research can confirm that.
Also, it is possible to overdo it, even with natural plants, so finding the proper dosage is very important to avoid any potential negative side effects.
Moringa Comes in Many Forms
If you are looking to add moringa to your diet, there are many ways you can do so.
Some brew the leaves in a tea, others take it in a pill or extract form, and some use a powdered form to be blended into drinks (my preference).
It should be noted that these researchers used a water-derived extract, which they felt was superior to alcohol-derived extracts.
Other studies have also indicated that powdered moringa may also be effective
Again, without human studies to corroborate this information, it is impossible to tell which form is best.
So, if you are looking to add moringa to your diet for health purposes, do your homework and pick what is best for you.
And again, if you want to utilize this as a treatment, you need to do so in consultation with your doctor, not as a result of this article.
ALWAYS Talk to Your Doctor
If you are not allergic to moringa and want to try including it in your diabetic treatment plan, talk to your doctor to see if it is right for you.
Never stop taking your medication as a result of reading any article on this site. Always discuss with your licensed health care provider first.
ESPECIALLY if you decide to start consuming moringa as a treatment for diabetes. If these results hold true in humans, the drop in blood sugar would almost certainly necessitate a change to your treatment program, so only do so in consultation with your doctor for your own safety.
For more information on natural foods that may help in the fight against diabetes, you may want to check out the following article as well:
Can Berries Fight Obesity-Related Diseases as Part of a Diabetic Diet?
And be sure to stick around and check out more health articles on the main menu at the top of the page.
Here’s to your health!
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5601078/
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