Gymnema Sylvestre
A natural remedy for diabetes
Gymnema or Gurmari (in Hindi)
Gymnema Sylvestre (Botany)
Anytime someone wants you to try a new remedy for your health condition,you will want to find out as much as you can about the remedy before you begin.If you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes,you can benefit from Gymnema Sylvestre for diabetes.
Gymnema Sylvestre is commonly used in Ayuverdic Medicine by people in India as a natural cure for diabetes.The Gymnema plant rises up as a woody climber in the tropical forests of central and southern India, which made it easy for Indian people to use it as natural treatment for diabetes for more than two millennia, as well as a treatment for other body conditions.
Since the 1990’s, Scientific researchers have concluded that Gymnema Sylvestre can help people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes beat diabetes naturally.
What does Gymnema Sylvestre do for diabetes? Can a daily regimen with Gymnema Sylvestre really help?
QUESTION: What can Gymnema Sylvestre do for diabetes?
If you are suffering from Type 1 diabetes, Gymnema Sylvestre can reduce the need for insulin and lower the fasting blood glucose levels.
QUESTION:How is this possible?
Due to its active component GS4,which acts by raising the number of beta cells in the pancreas.Thus,the internal production of insulin (the amount of insulin produced by our body itself) is enhanced.The same thing happens if you have Type 2 diabetes, because in the same way it can enhance your body insulin production and lower the fasting glucose levels.
In addition,the other hypoglycemic action of gymnema sylvestre for diabetes is the lowering of your high blood sugar levels due to its component called gymnemic acid.Also,it can aid in reducing the intestinal glucose uptake.Thus, you can have low blood sugar levels.These healthy benefits from taking gymnema sylvestre can lead to your reduced need for conventional drug therapy and fewer side effects.
Obesity is one aggravating factor for those suffering from Type 2 diabetes.Gymnema sylvestre can help you in losing weight, especially if it is combined with calcium citrate and chromium.This combination can also give you a suppression effect to your appetite.Always try it in combination with other minerals and herbs for diabetes.Here are one combination I prefer most: calcium, chromium, copper, magnesium, manganese, banaba, bitter melon, black cumin, green tea, alpha lipoic acid and gymnema sylvestre.
Other benefits of gymnema sylvestre are related to a decrease of your total cholesterol levels, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol.Instead, the HDL (good) cholesterol levels will be enhanced.Due to its components, Gymnema sylvestre can inhibit the absorption of oleic acid, which is one of the omega-9 fatty acids found in vegetable oil, animal fat, and other sources of dietary fat. Gymnema Sylvester is not only used for treating diabetes naturally, but it can also be used for your general well-being too.The leaves of the Gymnema plant were used for stomach ailments, constipation, water retention and liver disease.
Another name that Hindi has given to Gymnema Sylvestre is “gurmar” which means “destroyer of sugar”.It can be used also as a gymnema gum, and if chewed can reduce sugar cravings, by blocking the ability to “taste” sugar (sweetness).
Benefits Of Gymnema Sylvestre Leaf
Gymnema Sylvestre is a herb that has been used as a natural treatment for diabetes for hundreds of years.It is native to the southern and central India tropical forests.Some other names commonly used for this herb are Gurmari and Meshasringa.This herb is a descendent of the milkweed family.
QUESTION:What Is Gymnema Sylvestre Leaf, and what are the benefits?
Gymnema Sylvestre leaf is believed to benefit people with diabetes,rheumatoid arthritis and gout.In people with Type 2 diabetes,it has been shown that the majority of patients who took this herb were able to reduce their prescription medications.It helps support healthy blood sugar levels and also possesses antiviral and lipid lowering effects.For this reason, Gymnema Sylvestre leaf is also thought to help maintain healthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Other benefits include suppressing the appetite by reducing the sugar cravings.It is also touted for effectively blocking the absorption of sugar and carbohydrates, and enhancing pancreatic function.Anemia and osteoporosis sufferers have also been shown to benefit from the use of Gymnema sylvestre leaf. Cardiopathy, jaundice and constipation have also been treated effectively with this botanical herb.
Gymnema Sylvestre Leaf Weight Loss
Gymnema Sylvestre leaf has been effective for weight loss because of its ability to curb sweet cravings and the effect it has on blocking sugar absorption. It is also thought to boost metabolism and energy levels. Gymnema sylvestre leaf is also known to be an effective herb for appetite control and cravings for certain foods. Carbohydrates and sweets are especially problematic for people trying to lose weight, and this herbs absorption blocking capabilities have proven to show very beneficial results in weight loss.
Gymnema Sylvestre Leaf Supplement
Gymnema sylvestre leaf supplements are herbal and all natural,causing no known side effects.If you take prescription drugs for diabetes or other sugar related health problems, consult your physician before using.Because of their superior ability to block carbohydrates and sugar from the intestines,these herbs are commonly used in natural weight loss supplements.Gymnema sylvestre leaf curbs the desire to eat and helps maintain a healthy metabolism, both important for healthy weight loss.
Gymnema sylvestre, a tropical herb originating in southern India, has been used for thousands of years to treat Type 2 diabetes and several other medical conditions.Today, practitioners of Ayurvedic traditional medicine recommend gymnema as a treatment for high blood sugar, diabetes, high cholesterol, inflammation and obesity. Gymnema is generally regarded as safe and associated with few side effects or drug interactions.
Diabetes Treatment
Ayurvedic practitioners have used gymnema to treat type 2 diabetes for at least 2,000 years. A 2007 systematic review, published by the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, examined dozens of peer-reviewed studies to determine the herb's efficacy as a treatment option for diabetes. The authors of the study concluded that scientific evidence strongly--but not conclusively--supports the use of gymnema as a treatment for Type 2 diabetes and high blood sugar.
GYMNEMA SYLVESTRE BENEFITS, GYMNEMA SIDE EFFECTS, GYMNEMA EXTRACT
Weight loss, diabetes, blood sugar, dosage
Gymnema Sylvestre has been widely used in India for years.Its preparations have profound actions on the modulating taste, particularly suppressing sweet taste sensations. For this reason gymnema sylvestre is known in Hindi as gurmar, or "sugar destroyer". It has been believed that gymnema sylvestre has benefits of anti-allergic,antiviral and lipid lowering activities. Gymnema may also offer health benefits for people suffered from diabetes mellitus. With very limited information, chemicals of gymnema sylvestre are believed to be able to lower the sugar available in the stomach for absorption, raise the insulin levels and block the dietary fat absorption.
Gymnema Side Effects
Gymnema appears to be safe when used appropriately for up to 20 months. Short-term uses of low gymnema sylvestre dosage of Gymnema Sylvestre may have only un-noticeable side effects.
Japanese researchers found that there was no toxic effect in rats treated with Gymnema sylvestre at up to 1.00% in the diet for 52 weeks. The no-observable-effect level from this study is 1.00% Gymnema sylvestre, i.e., gymnema sylvestre dosage of 504 mg/kg/day for male and gymnema sylvestre dosage of 563 mg/kg/day for female as mean daily intake, for 52 weeks. In another study of rats, long-term uses of the Gymnema sylvestre leaves extract did not show any influence on hematological and blood chemical parameters.
Though some studies show the safety of gymnema, there may be some unwanted side effects such as high blood pressure and low blood sugar levels.Though some people may consider "blood sugar lowering" as a benefit,while, low blood sugar level may lead to shakiness, sweating, confusion, distorted speech, and loss of muscle control. To avoid these potential gymnema side effects, individuals with diabetes should not overdose themselves and consult with doctor before use of this herb.
Gymnema Side Effect - Liver Intoxication
Toxic hepatitis or drug-induced liver injury encompasses a spectrum of conditions ranging from mild biochemical abnormalities to acute liver failure. A case of drug-induced liver injury in a patient who was treated with Gymnema Svlstre for diabetes mellitus was reported. More studies are needed to support this claim.
GYMNEMA SYLVESTRE SCIENTIFIC STUDIES
Gymnema Sylvestre Weight Loss
Hong Kong Scientists determined the anti-sweet activities of Gymnema Sylvestre are related to Saponin 1 and the sodium salt of alternoside.In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 8 week-study of 60 overweight subjects, combo of (-)-hydroxycitric acid, niacin-bound chromium and gymnema sylvestre extract facilitated a reduction in excess body weight and BMI, and promoted healthy blood lipid levels.
Gymnema Sylvestre Benefits - Anti-Bacterial Effects
Indian researchers demonstrated antimicrobial activity of an ethanolic extract of Gymnema sylvestre leaves against Bacillus pumilis, B. subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus.
Gymnema Sylvestre Benefits On- High Fat Levels
In a study of rats, extract of Gymnema sylvestre R. Br leaves improved serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels through influence over a wide range of lipid metabolism. It also increased the excretion of neutral sterols and acid steroids into feces. [9] However, in another study of rats, extract of Gymnema sylvestre leaves were helpful in decreasing plasma triglyceride but not total cholesterol in rats with normal fat diets. In the same study, the extract suppressed body weight gain and accumulation of liver lipids in rats with high fat diets.
Gymnema Sylvestre Diabetes, Gymnema Blood Sugar
As early as 1980s, researchers have started to study the anti-diabetic effects of Gymnema sylvestre leaf extracts.Gymnema sylvestre leaf extract appears to have the benefits on supporting blood glucose homeostasis of diabetic rats through increased serum insulin levels via repair or regeneration of the endocrine pancreas. [12] In diabetic rabbits, dried leaf powder of Gymnema sylvestre regulated the blood sugar levels by increasing the enzyme activities affording the utilization of glucose by insulin dependent pathways. Thus, Gymnema sylvestre appears to correct the metabolic derangements in liver, kidney and muscle of the diabetic animals in the studies.
In 1990, researchers started to conduct study of Gymnema sylvestre leave extract on human beings. Researchers from India administered a water-soluble extract of the leaves of Gymnema sylvestre to 27 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) on therapy. They found that the Gymnema sylvestre leave extract enhanced endogenous insulin. In another study of 22 Type 2 diabetic patients on conventional oral anti-hyperglycaemic agents, researchers applied Gymnema sylvestre leave extracts as supplements to these patients, and five of the 22 diabetic patients were able to discontinue their conventional drug and maintain their blood glucose homeostasis with Gymnema sylvestre leave extract alone.
In late 1990s, researchers reported that gymnemic acid contributed to the anti-hyperglycemic effect of Gymnema sylvestre leave. In a study of rats, high doses of gymnemic acids increased fecal cholesterol and CA-derived bile acid excretion. While, other studies suggested that the stimulatory effects of gymnemic acid or Gymnema sylvestre leave on insulin release may be related to the increased cell permeability, rather than by stimulating exocytosis by regulated pathways. There are different kinds of gymnemic acids and related compounds.
Gymnemoside and gymnemic acids exhibit a little inhibitory activity against glucose absorption, but the principal constituents, gymnemic acid I and gymnema saponin V, lack this activity.