If you’re looking for a way to naturally balance your blood sugar, there are several natural remedies for diabetes that may help.
There’s no quick fix or magic cure, but research has shown that several supplements and medicinal herbs may help manage type 2 diabetes—especially when used in conjunction with oral medication.
While the American Diabetes Association (ADA) has not found conclusive evidence that herbal treatments or vitamin and mineral supplements will benefit people with diabetes unless they have underlying deficiencies, your healthcare provider may suggest trying some of these approaches. None of these supplements replace any medication prescribed by your physician.
This article explains the pros and cons of several natural supplements that have been recommended to help people manage their diabetes.
Ginseng
Although there are several different types of ginseng, the most promising studies on ginseng and diabetes have used American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius). A meta-analysis has shown that American ginseng may significantly improve blood sugar control and fasting glucose levels (a marker of your general blood sugar levels) by increasing your body’s insulin sensitivity.
Before You Consider Natural Treatments
If you are interested in trying a natural treatment in addition to your standard diabetes treatment, do so under the supervision of your healthcare provider.
Without proper medical treatment such as oral or injectable medications and regular blood sugar testing, diabetes may progress to more serious and possibly fatal complications such as:
- Eye damage
- Liver cancer
- Kidney disease
- Nerve damage
- Diabetic coma
- Stroke
Look for capsules with a standardized extract of ginsenosides, the active ingredient.
Chromium
Chromium is an essential trace mineral that plays an important role in carbohydrate and fat metabolism and helps body cells properly respond to insulin. In fact, one study found that the incidence of diabetes was lower in people who took a supplement containing chromium within the previous month.
There are several promising studies suggesting chromium supplementation may be effective, but they are far from conclusive. A review study looked at 20 different randomized controlled trials on chromium and found that supplementing did decrease fasting plasma glucose levels in five of the 20 studies, while hemoglobin A1C decreased by 0.5% in five of 14 studies.
Generally, the benefits can be significant, but widespread effectiveness of using chromium in diabetes care is fairly limited.
Magnesium
Magnesium is a mineral found naturally in foods such as green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains and in nutritional supplements. Magnesium is needed for more than 300 different biochemical reactions. It helps regulate blood sugar levels and is needed for normal muscle and nerve function, heart rhythm, immune function, blood pressure, and bone health.
On the other hand, one study suggests that low magnesium levels may worsen blood glucose control in type 2 diabetes. The same study shows evidence that magnesium supplementation may help with insulin resistance by increasing insulin sensitivity.
Magnesium may interact with certain medications, such as osteoporosis treatments, calcium channel blockers used for hypertension, as well as some antibiotics, muscle relaxants, and diuretics.
Be forewarned that while generally safe, very high doses of magnesium may cause diarrhea, nausea, loss of appetite, muscle weakness, difficulty breathing, low blood pressure, irregular heart rate, and confusion.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon has been found to have glucose-lowering ability while also reducing lipid biomarkers including triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and total cholesterol.
A triple-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial looked at cinnamon supplementation in 140 people with type 2 diabetes over three months. In the study, participants were divided into groups and either given two capsules per day of 500 milligrams of cinnamon powder each or a placebo.
After three months, the statistically significant findings included improvements in body mass index (BMI), visceral fat, body fat, along with improvements in fasting plasma glucose, A1C, insulin production, insulin resistance, and lipids, as compared to the placebo group. The greatest effects were noticed in those with a BMI over 27 (technically considered overweight).
Aloe Vera
Although aloe vera gel is better known as a home remedy for minor burns and other skin conditions, one review suggests that aloe vera gel may help people with diabetes, thanks to a number of active phytosterol compounds from the plant that have been found to reduce blood glucose and hemoglobin A1C levels by enhancing glucose storage and utilization.
Gymnema
Studies suggest that the herb Gymnema (Gymnema sylvestre) can lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Amazingly, Gymnema can actually make sweet foods taste less sweet, so you end up wanting to eat less of them. The herb is well-known for its ability to reduce fat accumulation and help with weight loss, thanks to its enzyme-inhibiting properties.
Additionally, one such study found that thanks to Gymnema’s potent antioxidant activity, it may help prevent organ damage often seen in diabetes, as the disease is marked by increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), caused by long-term elevation of blood sugar.
Because Gymnema may significantly lower blood sugar levels, people taking medications for diabetes or using insulin shouldn’t take Gymnema simultaneously unless they are closely monitored by a healthcare provider.
Fenugreek
Fenugreek seeds (Trigonella foenum-graecum) are used as a spice used for cooking and often employed in herbal medicine as a treatment for a wide range of ailments.
There is little evidence that fenugreek has significant benefits for any condition. However, there are some studies that show it might help people with diabetes control their blood sugar. If you have prediabetes, the herb may also help prevent the disease from progressing to diabetes.
You can add the seeds to your cooking, or use supplements made from powered seeds or liquid extracts.
Zinc
Studies have shown that zinc has a number of benefits for both type-1 and type-2 diabetes. It seems to improve glycemic control and promotes healthy triglycerides and cholesterol.
In fact, low-dose zinc supplementation of less than 25 mg seem to have a positive impact on fasting blood glucose, insulin resistance, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol.
Fiber
Fiber should already be a regular part of your diet, but are you getting enough? According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, adults should eat 22 to 34 grams of fiber each day.
Achieving this goal is especially important for diabetics since fiber can help control blood sugar. To meet your fiber needs, you can supplement your diet with non-food sources such psyllium, a soluble fiber supplement. Research has not shown a difference between supplements such as these and whole-food sources of fiber such as fruits, vegetables, grains, or oatmeal.
Summary
Herbal treatments and nutritional supplements are often lauded for their power to regulate blood sugar. In fact, there’s little evidence of their effectiveness. However, in most cases, adding some of these natural remedies to your diet and using them alongside prescribed medication and treatments will do no harm and may offer some benefit.
Some of the natural diabetes treatments, especially fiber, fit well into a healthy diet, which is essential to controlling your diabetes.
A Word From Verywell
Before starting any new supplements, be sure to discuss any alternative therapies with a physician or trusted healthcare provider, as some may interact with the medications you may already be taking, and those medications may then need to be adjusted to prevent low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
It’s also important to note that self-treating with alternative medicine and avoiding or delaying standard care when you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes may be harmful to your health.
