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Do Goji Berries Lower Blood Sugar?

Jun 20, 2011 | By Owen Bond
Do Goji Berries Lower Blood Sugar?
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Goji berries have become a popular dietary supplement, marketed as being able to enhance well-being and even prolong life. Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine assert that goji berries have been used to prevent diabetes by properly regulating blood sugar levels. Goji berries have a low glycemic index and animal research is supportive, but human studies are lacking. High blood-sugar levels stemming from uncontrolled diabetes are very harmful to your body and you should consult with your doctor before embarking on any supplement regimen.

Diabetes and Blood Sugar

The hallmark of diabetes is high levels of glucose, a sugar, in the blood. Diabetes is caused by a lack of insulin production from your pancreas, which leaves too much glucose circulating in your bloodstream, or from a developed cellular resistance to the affects of insulin, which prevents excess glucose from entering your cells and being metabolized for energy. Too much glucose in your blood has toxic effects on your nerves, tissues and organs, which leads to reduced sensations in your feet and hands, blood vessel damage, headaches, kidney and heart disease and eye damage, as cited in "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine." Diabetics either take synthetic insulin or dramatically change their diets in order to lower their blood-sugar levels. Goji berries contain nutrients that may help to regulate your glucose levels.

Goji Berries

Goji berries, also called wolfberries, are indigenous to Tibet, Mongolia and some parts of China. They are rich in numerous nutrients, including many amino acids, polysaccharides, glycosides, beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene and a variety of vitamins and minerals. In fact, some goji berries contain 70 times more vitamin C per ounce than oranges, more carotenoids than carrots and are good sources of vitamins B-1, B-2, B-6 and E, according to "Contemporary Nutrition." Gogi berries also contain calcium, potassium, iron, selenium, zinc, magnesium and chromium. Goji berries display strong antioxidant activity and are able to efficiently scavenge free-radicals, enhance immunity and possibly lower blood sugar levels.

Animal Studies

A Chinese study published in a 2004 edition of "Life Sciences" found that rabbits given goji berry extract experienced a significant reduction in blood-glucose levels and blood triglycerides, while getting a boost in "good" HDL cholesterol levels. Another Chinese study published in a 2005 edition of the "Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan" found that rats given goji berry extract experienced an increase in their sensitivity to insulin, as well as reduced blood triglycerides and reduced weight. The amounts given in these studies are the equivalent of hundreds of goji berries daily, which would be very difficult and uneconomical for you to eat. However, goji berry extract may one day be more commercially available than it was in 2011.

Glycemic Index

The glycemic index is a measure of how quickly a food affects your blood-sugar levels based on its digestibility. Diabetics are often told to consume foods that have low glycemic indexes, which deliver sugar in a slow, but steady stream to the blood. Somewhat paradoxically, the sweet goji berry has a glycemic index of only 29, compared to 38 for most apples, 64 for raisins and 72 for watermelon, according to "Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism." As such, goji berries help keep your hunger satisfied for longer periods of time without "spiking" your insulin levels.

Chromium and Magnesium

According to "Human Biochemistry and Disease," chromium and magnesium deficiencies are both linked to poor blood glucose control and increase the risks of developing diabetes. Goji berries contain both minerals, albeit in trace amounts.

References

Article reviewed by GlennK Last updated on: Jun 20, 2011

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