Juvenile diabetes, or type 1 diabetes, means that your blood glucose runs abnormally high due to genetic defects in insulin action. Juvenile diabetes accounts for about 5 percent to 10 percent of all diabetes cases in the United States, the American Diabetes Association reports. It commonly appears in children and young adults, but can develop at any age. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas, which allows glucose to enter the cells of your body to supply energy. Juvenile diabetics produce little or no insulin, so glucose builds up in their blood and they can't utilize the body's main source of fuel. There are herbs that hold promise for treatment for juvenile diabetes, but you must always consult with your doctor before taking any herbal therapies.
Green Tea
Green tea comes from the tea plant Camellia sinensis, an evergreen shrub native to Asia. Antioxidant compounds called polyphenols found in green tea apparently act to improve blood sugar regulation in patients with juvenile diabetes by supporting the normal functions of pancreas, according to Harvard Stem Cell Institute. Green tea may exert a possible preventive effect against type 1 diabetes due to the free-radical scavenging activities of its polyphenol compounds. Many of these claims have not been well substantiated and are based on animal, rather than human, studies.
Fenugreek
Fenugreek is a Eurasian herb. The seeds of fenugreek are used medicinally. The plant has been associated with many health benefits for centuries, but its protective effect on juvenile diabetes seems to be the most medicinally well-documented. Fenugreek sends are a particularly rich source of soluble fiber called mucilaginous fiber, which is thought to account for the herb's hypoglycemic affect, according to University of Maryland Medical Center. Normally, the soluble fiber slows down glucose absorption in the gut, therefore, avoiding spikes in circulating blood glucose levels after meals.
Korean Ginseng
Korean ginseng, or Asian ginseng, is a perennial herb of the family Araliaceae. Chinese herbal practitioners widely use this multi-purpose herb to treat human maladies, most notably juvenile diabetes, which is sometimes referred to as insulin-dependent diabetes, notes Herbal Safety. Korean ginseng contains substances called ginsenosides, which could be the basis for the herb's purported hypoglycemic activity in the prevention and management of juvenile diabetes.
