Diabetes, a chronic metabolic disorder, affects 20.8 million Americans, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center. Characterized by uncontrolled blood glucose levels, diabetes occurs when the body does not produce insulin or is unable to use it effectively. If diabetes remains untreated it can lead to serious health problems including blindness and nerve damage. Fortunately, diabetes can be controlled through insulin injections and medicines that lower blood sugar levels. Bitter melon might also help to reduce elevated blood glucose levels, but is not a substitute for diabetes medicines. Consult your doctor before using incorporating it into your diet.
Properties and Potential Benefits
Bitter melon, also known as bitter apple or wild cucumber, is used as food in many parts of Asia. It might also have medicinal properties and is sometimes used as a complementary treatment for numerous conditions including HIV and cancer. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that it is also sometimes used to lower blood glucose in patients with diabetes. It contains a host of active compounds including charantin, vicine and polypeptide-P which, according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, may increase glucose uptake and improve glucose tolerance.
Effectiveness
The results of a randomized, double-blind, four-week clinical trial in newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients, published in the March 2011 issue of the "Journal of Ethnopharmacology," show that 2,000 mg of bitter melon daily helps to lower blood glucose levels. However, the authors notes that bitter melon was not as effective as metformin, an oral diabetes drug used to treat type 2 diabetes.
How to Use
Bitter melon may be eaten raw, taken as a tea, juice or in capsules or tablets. Guidance regarding a suitable amount is unclear and may vary according to your age and overall health. Mississippi Baptist Health Systems reports that a typical dosage of bitter melon is one small, unripe, raw melon or 50 ml to 100 ml of fresh juice, daily. As the name suggests, bitter melon tastes very bitter, so you might want to incorporate the flesh or juice into a smoothie with other fruits to mask the taste.
Safety Considerations
Since bitter melon is regarded as a food, it is considered safe, according to Mississippi Baptist Health Systems. However, there is a risk that it might lower blood glucose levels too much, especially when used alongside precription diabetes medicines. For this reason, it is important that you regularly check your blood glucose levels while using it. Don't use bitter melon if you are pregnant as it may have abortive effects. If you have any concerns or questions about using bitter melon, consult your doctor.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Diabetes
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Bitter Melon
- Mississppi Baptist Health Systems: Bitter Melon
- "Journal of Ethnopharmacology"; Hypoglycemic Effect of Bitter Melon Compared With Metformin in Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Patients; A.Fuangchan, et al.; March 2011
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