Blood sugar is the glucose that is in your blood. Blood sugar levels may be monitored as fasting blood sugar when you have not recently eaten or as postprandial blood glucose after a meal. High blood sugar can be dangerous, and it indicates that your body is unable to remove sugars in the blood from the foods that you eat. Blood sugar may be controlled with diet and exercise, but you may require additional methods to keep your glucose at acceptable levels. Prescription medications are available, and scientists are now studying supplements to determine their effectiveness in reducing blood sugar.
Cinnamon
A 2009 study in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine found that taking cinnamon twice daily for 90 days in addition to a patient's usual care methods lead to decreased levels of A1C. A1C measures blood sugar levels over a period of two to three months. According to the Mayo Clinic, experts are not fully sure how cinnamon can lower blood sugar, but it may work by enhancing the action of insulin, which is the hormone that your body uses to clear sugars from the blood after eating or drinking. More research is needed to determine the exact benefits of cinnamon supplementation for reducing blood sugar, so do not attempt to treat high blood sugar with cinnamon supplements without notifying your physician.
Chromium
Chromium is a mineral that was found to be the active component of a compound called glucose tolerance factor. This compound was first extracted from pork kidney, and scientists believe that it may play a role in lowering blood glucose levels. A Journal of the American College of Nutrition study reports that chromium supplements improved blood glucose, insulin and A1C levels. A dose of 200mg per day was effective in those with mild glucose intolerance, while those with more severe intolerance of glucose required more chromium to obtain similar effects. The study states that this mineral may reduce blood sugar by encouraging insulin binding, increasing the number of insulin receptors available for binding and increasing phosphorylation of insulin receptors. The University of Maryland Medical Center indicates that, although some studies show benefits of chromium supplementation for lowering blood glucose, others have shown no benefit. Therefore, more research is necessary to draw a definitive conclusion.
Ginseng
Ginseng is a root that has been used to treat various illnesses in many cultures. American ginseng is closely related to Asian ginseng, and both have been studied for treatment of illness. According to UMMC, human studies have shown that American ginseng may decrease both fasting and postprandial blood sugar levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Medline Plus indicates that taking ginseng with prescription blood sugar medications may cause glucose levels to decrease too much. It is important to monitor your blood glucose closely if you take ginseng with other medications.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Can Cinnamon Lower Blood Sugar?
- Journal of American Clinical Nutrition: Chromium, Glucose Intolerance and Diabetes
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Chromium
- University of Maryland Medical Center: American Ginseng
- Medline Plus: Panax Ginseng
- Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine: Effectiveness of Cinnamon for Lowering Hemoglobin A1C in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
