Guest guest Posted August 2, 2000 Report Share Posted August 2, 2000 Herbs for Diabetes By Christie Aschwanden WebMD Medical News Medically reviewed by Dr. Jeannie Brewer July 31, 2000 -- When 40-something Jeff Cottingham was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, his doctor immediately started him on drugs to control his blood sugar. But Cottingham worried. Some drugs for diabetes can have dangerous side effects. In a striking example, on March 21, 2000, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) removed one of the most widely prescribed diabetes drugs, Rezulin (troglitazone), from the market after it was linked to 90 cases of liver failure and 63 deaths. Already concerned about such problems two years ago, the Aptos, Calif., resident began taking Sweet Eze, a mixture of herbs and minerals sold for diabetes. The supplement seemed to work wonders for the self-described " old hippie. " His level of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) -- a protein that reflects blood glucose levels over the past two to three months -- plummeted from 11 to well below the danger threshold of 6. " I feel great, " says Cottingham, who has experienced no side effects from the supplement. " I'm completely off diabetes medications now. " A success story? Perhaps. But experts advise caution. For one thing, because Sweet Eze contains six different ingredients -- and because the severity of diabetes symptoms can fluctuate on their own -- it's hard to say what exactly is responsible for Cottingham's improvement. For another, supplements carry their own risks. Some products don't contain the ingredients listed on their labels. Others come mixed with dangerous -- and unlisted -- ingredients. And scientists are just beginning to verify which ones actually work. Doing Ginseng Justice One herb touted for diabetes got a boost recently from a Canadian clinical trial. University of Toronto researcher Vladamir Vulksan, PhD, announced at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) annual meeting in June 2000 that he'd gotten some positive results using ginseng. In addition to their usual diabetes regimen -- a careful diet, regular exercise, and in some cases, medication -- 23 type 2 diabetic patients took either 3 grams of American ginseng or a placebo each day for eight weeks, at which point they switched treatments. The diabetic patients' fasting blood sugar levels dropped about 9% more when they took ginseng compared with when they took the placebo; glycosylated hemoglobin levels between the two groups differed by 4%, with the ginseng group being lower. Despite these encouraging results, Vulksan cautions that it's too early for diabetic patients to rely on ginseng. Herbs sold in this country are not standardized, he says, so it's difficult to know for certain what you're buying and impossible to ensure consistent dosages. Besides, his study looked only at American ginseng, and he's not certain the results would hold true for the seven other varieties. What's more, researchers haven't conclusively identified ginseng's active ingredients. Fenugreek Findings Meanwhile, other scientists are studying fenugreek seeds, a folk remedy for diabetes. Several studies, including one published in 1990 in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggest that this herb can lower blood sugar. Researchers found that type 1 diabetics who took 50 grams of fenugreek seed powder twice daily had significantly lower blood sugar levels than those who took a placebo. Little is known about how other herbs might help control diabetes. Stevia and bilberry have been studied in animal experiments, but have yet to undergo large, controlled human studies. The reputation of two other herbs, gymnome and jambul, rests on anecdotal evidence alone. The ADA steers people away from herbal remedies altogether. " The regulation of herbs isn't very good, " says Anne Daly, MS, RD, a diabetes educator with the organization. " And we can't be sure that all supplements are equivalent. " Some herbal diabetes products have turned out to be downright dangerous. In February 2000, the FDA recalled five Chinese herbal products after discovering that they contained various amounts of two prescription diabetes drugs, phenformin and glyburide. (The products are listed at www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/Herbal.html.) Phenformin was withdrawn from the U.S. market 20 years ago after it caused serious side effects, including several deaths. Given these uncertainties, some people are turning to mineral supplements instead of herbs. One that shows great promise, chromium, is a trace element that seems to help insulin work properly. Chromium Contribution U.S. Department of Agriculture scientist Richard Anderson, PhD, reviewed the research on the mineral for a 1998 article in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition and found at least 25 studies suggesting that it can benefit diabetes patients. " It's not a panacea, " he says, but because chromium supplements seem safe at the doses most commonly recommended, he believes there's no harm in trying them. He recommends starting with 200 micrograms of chromium three times per day, and then reducing the dose to twice per day if blood sugar levels improve. Other researchers have focused on magnesium, noting that people with diabetes have lower than normal levels of this mineral. But there's little evidence that consuming more magnesium helps treat the disease. And the ADA advises against taking any mineral supplements for diabetes. " If you eat the kind of balanced diet you're supposed to, then supplements aren't necessary, " says Daly. If you do decide to try herbs or minerals, the best strategy is to get your doctor's help in balancing them with your medications. Most important, be honest with your doctor about the supplements you're taking. If you can, bring the supplement containers with you on your next visit. Cottingham did just that. He enlisted his doctor's help in deciding how to cut back on his medications as the supplements apparently brought his blood sugar levels under control. " The doctor said, 'I can't recommend this stuff, but if I were you I wouldn't stop,' " says Cottingham. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 2, 2000 Report Share Posted August 2, 2000 James Ramholz wrote: > > Herbs for Diabetes > By Christie Aschwanden > WebMD Medical News > > Medically reviewed by Dr. Jeannie Brewer Does it bother anybody that this article needed the approval of Dr. Brewer to be posted? -- Al Stone L.Ac. <AlStone http://www.BeyondWellBeing.com Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. Attachment: vcard [not shown] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 3, 2000 Report Share Posted August 3, 2000 Sorry for the mistake. , Al Stone <alstone@b...> wrote: > > > James Ramholz wrote: > > > > Herbs for Diabetes > > By Christie Aschwanden > > WebMD Medical News > > > > Medically reviewed by Dr. Jeannie Brewer > > Does it bother anybody that this article needed the approval of Dr. > Brewer to be posted? > > -- > Al Stone L.Ac. > <AlStone@B...> > http://www.BeyondWellBeing.com > > Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 3, 2000 Report Share Posted August 3, 2000 It isn't your mistake, James. Just a cultural stigma. Dr.=credible, L.Ac.=Lacking. Maybe I can also ressurect the debate on the importance of giving our doctorate a title that doesn't sound like the word " dumb " (DOM). James Ramholz wrote: > > Sorry for the mistake. > > James Ramholz wrote: > > > > > > Herbs for Diabetes > > > By Christie Aschwanden > > > WebMD Medical News > > > > > > Medically reviewed by Dr. Jeannie Brewer > > > > Does it bother anybody that this article needed the approval of Dr. > > Brewer to be posted? -- Al Stone L.Ac. <AlStone http://www.BeyondWellBeing.com Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. Attachment: vcard [not shown] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 3, 2000 Report Share Posted August 3, 2000 Sweet Eze contains six different ingredients >>>do you know the what are the six ingredients? alon - James Ramholz Wednesday, August 02, 2000 9:51 PM From MSN News Herbs for Diabetes By Christie Aschwanden WebMD Medical NewsMedically reviewed by Dr. Jeannie Brewer July 31, 2000 -- When 40-something Jeff Cottingham was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, his doctor immediately started him on drugs to control his blood sugar. But Cottingham worried. Some drugs for diabetes can have dangerous side effects. In a striking example, on March 21, 2000, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) removed one of the most widely prescribed diabetes drugs, Rezulin (troglitazone), from the market after it was linked to 90 cases of liver failure and 63 deaths. Already concerned about such problems two years ago, the Aptos, Calif., resident began taking Sweet Eze, a mixture of herbs and minerals sold for diabetes. The supplement seemed to work wonders for the self-described "old hippie." His level of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) -- a protein that reflects blood glucose levels over the past two to three months -- plummeted from 11 to well below the danger threshold of 6. "I feel great," says Cottingham, who has experienced no side effects from the supplement. "I'm completely off diabetes medications now." A success story? Perhaps. But experts advise caution. For one thing, because Sweet Eze contains six different ingredients -- and because the severity of diabetes symptoms can fluctuate on their own -- it's hard to say what exactly is responsible for Cottingham's improvement. For another, supplements carry their own risks. Some products don't contain the ingredients listed on their labels. Others come mixed with dangerous -- and unlisted -- ingredients. And scientists are just beginning to verify which ones actually work. Doing Ginseng Justice One herb touted for diabetes got a boost recently from a Canadian clinical trial. University of Toronto researcher Vladamir Vulksan, PhD, announced at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) annual meeting in June 2000 that he'd gotten some positive results using ginseng. In addition to their usual diabetes regimen -- a careful diet, regular exercise, and in some cases, medication -- 23 type 2 diabetic patients took either 3 grams of American ginseng or a placebo each day for eight weeks, at which point they switched treatments. The diabetic patients' fasting blood sugar levels dropped about 9% more when they took ginseng compared with when they took the placebo; glycosylated hemoglobin levels between the two groups differed by 4%, with the ginseng group being lower. Despite these encouraging results, Vulksan cautions that it's too early for diabetic patients to rely on ginseng. Herbs sold in this country are not standardized, he says, so it's difficult to know for certain what you're buying and impossible to ensure consistent dosages. Besides, his study looked only at American ginseng, and he's not certain the results would hold true for the seven other varieties. What's more, researchers haven't conclusively identified ginseng's active ingredients. Fenugreek Findings Meanwhile, other scientists are studying fenugreek seeds, a folk remedy for diabetes. Several studies, including one published in 1990 in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggest that this herb can lower blood sugar. Researchers found that type 1 diabetics who took 50 grams of fenugreek seed powder twice daily had significantly lower blood sugar levels than those who took a placebo. Little is known about how other herbs might help control diabetes. Stevia and bilberry have been studied in animal experiments, but have yet to undergo large, controlled human studies. The reputation of two other herbs, gymnome and jambul, rests on anecdotal evidence alone. The ADA steers people away from herbal remedies altogether. "The regulation of herbs isn't very good," says Anne Daly, MS, RD, a diabetes educator with the organization. "And we can't be sure that all supplements are equivalent." Some herbal diabetes products have turned out to be downright dangerous. In February 2000, the FDA recalled five Chinese herbal products after discovering that they contained various amounts of two prescription diabetes drugs, phenformin and glyburide. (The products are listed at www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/Herbal.html.) Phenformin was withdrawn from the U.S. market 20 years ago after it caused serious side effects, including several deaths. Given these uncertainties, some people are turning to mineral supplements instead of herbs. One that shows great promise, chromium, is a trace element that seems to help insulin work properly. Chromium Contribution U.S. Department of Agriculture scientist Richard Anderson, PhD, reviewed the research on the mineral for a 1998 article in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition and found at least 25 studies suggesting that it can benefit diabetes patients. "It's not a panacea," he says, but because chromium supplements seem safe at the doses most commonly recommended, he believes there's no harm in trying them. He recommends starting with 200 micrograms of chromium three times per day, and then reducing the dose to twice per day if blood sugar levels improve. Other researchers have focused on magnesium, noting that people with diabetes have lower than normal levels of this mineral. But there's little evidence that consuming more magnesium helps treat the disease. And the ADA advises against taking any mineral supplements for diabetes. "If you eat the kind of balanced diet you're supposed to, then supplements aren't necessary," says Daly. If you do decide to try herbs or minerals, the best strategy is to get your doctor's help in balancing them with your medications. Most important, be honest with your doctor about the supplements you're taking. If you can, bring the supplement containers with you on your next visit. Cottingham did just that. He enlisted his doctor's help in deciding how to cut back on his medications as the supplements apparently brought his blood sugar levels under control. "The doctor said, 'I can't recommend this stuff, but if I were you I wouldn't stop,' " says Cottingham. Chinese Herbal Medicine, a voluntary organization of licensed healthcare practitioners, matriculated students and postgraduate academics specializing in Chinese Herbal Medicine, provides a variety of professional services, including board approved online continuing education. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 3, 2000 Report Share Posted August 3, 2000 > It isn't your mistake, James. Just a cultural stigma. Dr.=credible, L.Ac.=Lacking.> > Maybe I can also ressurect the debate on the importance of giving our> doctorate a title that doesn't sound like the word " dumb " (DOM). > Hmmmmm.... I am liking the possibilities of having DOM after my name... after all it is short for DominateTeresa Hall, Class of 2000 *S* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 3, 2000 Report Share Posted August 3, 2000 Teresa Hall wrote: > Hmmmmm.... I am liking the possibilities of having DOM after my > name... after all it is short for Dominate hmmm. OMD begins with the sound of God as it echos through the universe. Top that. : ) -- Al Stone L.Ac. <AlStone http://www.BeyondWellBeing.com Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. Attachment: vcard [not shown] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 3, 2000 Report Share Posted August 3, 2000 Hmmmmm.... I am liking the possibilities of having DOM after my name... after all it is short for Dominate Teresa Hall, Class of 2000 *S* woof, woof, Theresa. It might change my mind about being known as OOOOOMMMMMMMMd. Which I guess is no longer a future option because too many people were putting oMD on their letterheads like the little o was a typo. But I digress, back to herbs. L.Ac. safe, compassionate care acupuncture, herbs, Chinese Internal Medicine Santa Monica, California Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 3, 2000 Report Share Posted August 3, 2000 , " James Ramholz " <OMJournal@m...> wrote: > > The ADA steers people away from herbal remedies altogether. " The > regulation of herbs isn't very good, " says Anne Daly, MS, RD, a > diabetes educator with the organization. " And we can't be sure that > all supplements are equivalent. " > > Some herbal diabetes products have turned out to be downright > dangerous. In February 2000, the FDA recalled five Chinese herbal > products after discovering that they contained various amounts of two > prescription diabetes drugs, phenformin and glyburide. (The products > are listed at www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/Herbal.html.) Phenformin > was withdrawn from the U.S. market 20 years ago after it caused > serious side effects, including several deaths. Another example of mainstream organizations demanding standardization before even considering the use of herbs for their members. Another black mark for Chinese herbology, because of the ease of distributing drugs labeled as herbs. This has really gone on long enough. I urge all practitioners to immediately discontinue the use of chinese patent medicine that have NOT been produced according to GMP standards. For practical purposes, this would be most of the products that come in cheap glass jars with waxed corks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 3, 2000 Report Share Posted August 3, 2000 , Al Stone <alstone@b...> wrote: > > > James Ramholz wrote: > > > > Herbs for Diabetes > > By Christie Aschwanden > > WebMD Medical News > > > > Medically reviewed by Dr. Jeannie Brewer > > Does it bother anybody that this article needed the approval of Dr. > Brewer to be posted? > >Dr. Brewer appears to have been reviewing the work of a layperson. This standard proceedure at Webmd, I'm sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2000 Report Share Posted August 6, 2000 Most glass jars, but not all. May Way sells Min Shin brand, which is supposed to be clean, and I'm sure this isn't the only brand out there with integrity. herb-t wrote: > , " James Ramholz " > <OMJournal@m...> > wrote: > > > > > The ADA steers people away from herbal remedies altogether. " The > > regulation of herbs isn't very good, " says Anne Daly, MS, RD, a > > diabetes educator with the organization. " And we can't be sure that > > all supplements are equivalent. " > > > > Some herbal diabetes products have turned out to be downright > > dangerous. In February 2000, the FDA recalled five Chinese herbal > > products after discovering that they contained various amounts of > two > > prescription diabetes drugs, phenformin and glyburide. (The > products > > are listed at www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/Herbal.html.) > Phenformin > > was withdrawn from the U.S. market 20 years ago after it caused > > serious side effects, including several deaths. > > > Another example of mainstream organizations demanding standardization > before even considering the use of herbs for their members. Another > black mark for Chinese herbology, because of the ease of distributing > drugs labeled as herbs. This has really gone on long enough. I urge > all practitioners to immediately discontinue the use of chinese > patent > medicine that have NOT been produced according to GMP standards. For > practical purposes, this would be most of the products that come in > cheap glass jars with waxed corks. > > > > > Chinese Herbal Medicine, a voluntary organization of licensed healthcare practitioners, matriculated students and postgraduate academics specializing in Chinese Herbal Medicine, provides a variety of professional services, including board approved online continuing education. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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