Natural healers have used juniper berry for many years, but its effectiveness in treating diabetes is questionable. At the time of publication, research studies demonstrating positive outcomes are limited because they have been done mostly with animals. Human studies are needed to prove that juniper berry can help manage your blood sugar level. In her book "Healing Herbs of Home and Hearth," Ann Marie Wishard writes that juniper berry not only serves as the flavoring agent for gin, it also serves as a natural diuretic, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. Speak with your physician before taking supplements.
Diabetes
In the United States, nearly 19 million people have diabetes and know it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Another seven million people remain undiagnosed. Diabetes is a serious chronic disease that affects your body's ability to process sugar and properly use insulin, a pancreatic hormone. While the disease can be managed with diet, exercise and drugs, it can lead to chronic kidney disease, heart failure or stroke. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death among Americans.
Animal Studies
In the January 2011 issue of the "Journal of Ethnopharmacology," Nilufer Orhan and other researchers from Gazi University in Turkey discuss the results of their study of rats, diabetes and juniper berry. The rats tested for juniper were divided into four groups, based on being fed 500 mg of juniper berry extract, 1000 mg of juniper berry extract, 500 mg of juniper leaf extract, or 1000 mg of juniper leaf extract. At the end of 10 days, the fasting blood sugar levels of the rats in all four groups were lower than they were on the first day.
Recommendations
If you have diabetes, work with a physician to control your condition. Your doctor may also recommend that you see a nutritionist who specializes in diabetes. Although juniper berry supplements are available for purchase over the counter, little is known about human dosing. In "The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies," Joe Graedon writes that juniper berries should be taken for no longer than four weeks. The berries can be prepared as a tea by steeping 2 g of berries in hot water. At that dosage, juniper berry can be taken up to four times daily, according to Graedon. A pharmacologist, Graedon is a former Federal Trade Commission consultant for over-the-counter drugs.
Considerations
Do not take juniper berry if you also take lithium. You should also avoid it if you are pregnant or nursing. According to the Langone Medical Center at New York University, juniper has caused miscarriage in pregnant rats.
References
- "Healing Herbs of Home and Hearth"; Ann Marie Wishard; 2004
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: National Diabetes Fact Sheet, 2011
- "Journal of Ethnopharmacology"; Effects of Juniperus Oxycedrus Ssp. Oxycedrus on Tissue Lipid Peroxidation, Trace Elements (Cu, Zn, Fe) and Blood Glucose Levels in Experimental Diabetes; Nilüfer Orhan, Ph.D., et al.; January 2011
- "The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies"; Joe Graedon, M.S., et al.; 2002
- The People's Pharmacy: About the Graedons
- NYU Langone Medical Center; Juniper Berry; August 2011
