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12 Benefits Of Turmeric In Diabetes [updated]
Diabetes is a chronic metabolic condition wherein blood sugar levels in the body remain high as the body fails to regulate it. Insulin is the hormone that plays a vital role in this disease. It is produced by the pancreas and it controls the blood sugar. Blood sugar or glucose acts as a fuel for various cellular activities. Insulin moves glucose from blood to muscles, fat and liver cells where it is stored or used as fuel. In diabetes either little insulin or insulin resistance hampers this transformation of glucose and in turn tends to affect the body negatively. There are three main types of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes: It is caused due to lack of insulin production. Type 2 diabetes: It is caused due to failure of cells to respond to insulin appropriately. Gestational diabetes: It occurs during pregnancy due to high blood glucose levels. Type 1 diabetes is not treatable while Type 2 can be cured by use of medications with or without insulin and lifestyle changes. Turmeric is a perennial herb that is cultivated mainly in Asia as a spice. Numerous research studies have proven the use of turmeric in treating diabetes and its complications. This article goes over various studies and developments made in utilizing the medicinal properties of turmeric to cure or prevent pathological conditions associated with diabetes. Composition of Turmeric The bioactive properties of turmeric are attributed to various components isolated from its rhizome. The important components are curcuminoids and the volatile oil. Curcuminoids comprise of curcumin, monodemethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin. They are natural antioxidants and impart the yellow color to the powder. Volatile oil consists of aromatic (containing benzene ring) compounds out of which tumerone and ar-tumerone are consider Continue reading >>
Can Turmeric Help You Fight High Blood Sugar?
Failure by the body to regulate the blood sugar levels results to a chronic condition that we know as diabetes. Pancreas produces a hormone called insulin which is responsible for controlling blood sugar levels. There are three types of diabetes namely, type 1 and 2 of diabetes as well as Gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes results due to lack of insulin production while the type 2 diabetes is caused due to the failure of the body cells to respond to insulin as required. Gestational diabetes occurs over the course of pregnancy as a result of high blood glucose levels. Diabetes results in complications, but they can occur after ten to twenty years from the time the disease is discovered. Such complications include the stroke and cardiovascular diseases which are associated with the damage of the large blood vessels. The damage to the small blood vessels includes kidney damage, nerves complications as well as vision problem. Insulin hormone is an important body fluid that moves glucose from blood to muscles as well as fat and liver cells where it is used and stored as a source of energy. Type 1 diabetes cannot be treated, but type 2 diabetes can be treated by use of medication. Interestingly, various studies and research have shown positive and favorable results when those with diabetes consume Turmeric. How Turmeric Can Help Fight Diabetes Turmeric is an ancient Indian spice and a perennial herb that is also mostly found in Asian parts. Turmeric spice is extracted from Curcuma, which is a perennial ginger family plant and is used extensively in cooking the Indian cuisines. It is also used as coloring agent in Hindu and Buddhist in their ceremony practices and also considered sacred. Turmeric has component known as Curcuminoids, which contains curcumin, a magical conten Continue reading >>
Does Turmeric Reduce Blood Sugar?
Alternative medicine systems such as Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine value a variety of herbs and spices for possessing proposed medicinal benefits. Both these ancient traditions use turmeric to treat a number of conditions. Scientists have shown interest in the potential blood sugar-lowering properties of turmeric and one of its active substances, curcumin. Most studies have looked at the effects of curcumin on animal models. Although few promising human studies exist, talk to your doctor before taking turmeric for therapeutic purposes. Side effects and drug interactions are possible. Promising Data for Type 2 Diabetics Researchers in China conducted a placebo-controlled trial on humans after discovering that curcuminoid compounds lowered glucose in diabetic rats. The human study involved 100 overweight and obese Type 2 diabetics who took either 300 milligrams of curcuminoids daily for 12 weeks or placebo. Researchers found curcuminoid supplementation significantly reduces fasting glucose and insulin resistance. The study was published in "Molecular Nutrition and Food Research" in September 2013. May Halt Prediabetes Insulin resistance occurs when your body fails to respond properly to insulin, resulting in elevated blood sugar. This is commonly called prediabetes because it increases the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Researchers in Thailand conducted a promising randomized, placebo-controlled study, which they published in the November 2012 edition of the journal "Diabetes Care." The study involved 240 participants with prediabetes who took curcumin extract for nine months or placebo. At the conclusion of the study, none of the participants who took curcumin developed diabetes, whereas 16 percent of the placebo group did. Mechanisms of Action The "Mole Continue reading >>
Diabetes And Turmeric: Is It Good Or Bad?
Turmeric has been used in Indian and Chinese medicine for centuries. Also known as Curcuma longa, it belongs to the ginger family. Curcumin is the yellowish/orangish powder which gives turmeric its beautiful color in curry powder. In some Asian cuisine, especially in Indian food, turmeric is used extensively for cooking purposes. It is widely used in many regions of the world for its pain-relieving features, improving digestion and liver functions. Due to its anti-inflammatory nature, it is also used in treating bruises, aches and much more. Health benefits of turmeric Turmeric has shown to fight cancer, promote health loss and prevent diabetes. The antioxidant properties in turmeric help fight infection and inflammation. A combination of study review by Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and McGill University show that the use of turmeric can treat diabetes related complications such nephropathy, retinopathy and microangiopathy. Another study shows the effects of turmeric on triple-negative breast cancer. In this study, researchers concluded that curcumin, the bright yellow active ingredient in turmeric, can potentially inhibit the proliferation of TNBC cells “possibly due to a change in the signaling pathway of the cancer’s underlying molecular mechanism.” Turmeric is also found to have properties which improve the skin’s hydration. One study, where the extracts of turmeric were used on damaged skin for six consequent weeks, showed subjects with improvements in hydration and in the sebaceous glands (which has lubricating properties) of their skin. In brief, some of the most fascinating positive health benefits of turmeric are the following: Anti-inflammatory Relieves pain (including joint pain, arthritis) Improves digestion Improves liver functioning Fight Continue reading >>
The Surprising Truth About Turmeric
Turmeric is a spice which in its raw form looks a bit like ginger root, but when its ground down you get a distinctive yellowy orange powder thats very popular in South Asian cuisine. Until recently the place you would most likely encounter turmeric would be in chicken tikka massala, one of Britains most popular dishes. These days, thanks to claims that it can improve everything from allergies to depression, its become incredibly trendy, not just cooked and sprinkled on food but added to drinks. Turmeric latte anyone? Now Im usually very cynical about such claims, but in the case of turmeric I thought there could be something to it. There are at least 200 different compounds in turmeric, but theres one that scientists are particularly interested in. It gives this spice its colour. Its called curcumin. Thousands of scientific papers have been published looking at turmeric and curcumin in the laboratory some with promising results. But theyve mainly been done in mice, using unrealistically high doses. There have been few experiments done in the real world, on humans. This is exactly the sort of situation where we on Trust Me like to make a difference. So we tracked down leading researchers from across the country and with their help recruited nearly 100 volunteers from the North East to do a novel experiment. Few of our volunteers ate foods containing turmeric on a regular basis. Then, in true Trust Me style, we divided them into three groups. We asked one group to consume a teaspoon of turmeric every day for six weeks, ideally mixed in with their food. Another group were asked to swallow a supplement containing the same amount of turmeric, and a third group were given a placebo, or dummy pill. The volunteers who were asked to consume a teaspoon of turmeric a day were in Continue reading >>
Can Turmeric Lower My Blood Sugar?
YES, turmeric can lower blood sugar levels in case of hyperglycemia. Studies have shown that it decreases blood sugar only in diabetes patients but not in healthy individuals. Turmeric and its active ingredient curcumin assist in maintaining glucose concentrations within optimum levels and thus, have been identified as potential anti-diabetic agents which could aid in the treatment and prevention of diabetes mellitus or type 2 diabetes. Also, it is safe to take turmeric in the diet by non-diabetic individuals and by diabetic persons on medications, without the risk of hypoglycemia. Read : Most comprehensive list of turmeric benefits> Let us study these effects in detail with scientific evidence. Turmeric lowers Sugar Levels in Diabetes Numerous studies have reported the hypoglycemic (sugar lowering) effect of turmeric. [1] [2] Turmeric targets various organs, cells, genes, enzymes and processes and regulates glucose levels in multiple ways: The enzyme insulin responsible for glucose regulation is produced by the β-cells in the pancreas. Turmeric enhances the functioning of these cells and stimulates insulin secretion. [3] By increasing the production of insulin, it helps in correcting abnormal glucose levels. [4] It improves insulin sensitivity [5] and reduces glucose intolerance [6] [7]which results in better metabolism and utilization of glucose by the body. An excess of free fatty acids in the serum can cause insulin resistance, diabetes, and other complications. [8] Turmeric assists in lowering blood glucose by reducing the concentrations of these free fatty acids (FFAs) . [9] Alpha-glycosidase and Alpha-amylase are enzymes which convert the complex carbohydrates like starch and disaccharides into glucose. This raises blood glucose levels. Curcumin found in turmeri Continue reading >>
Why All Diabetics Should Know About Turmeric
By Sayer Ji • Originally published on GreenMedInfo.com Many diabetics already know about the benefits of a low-glycemic diet, but why haven’t they heard about turmeric, one of the world’s most extensively researched anti-diabetic plants? A recent literature review published in the International Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism titled, “Anti-Hyperglycemic Effect and Insulin Sensitizing Effects of Turmeric and Its Principle Constituent Curcumin,” adds promising new support to the notion that the ancient Indian spice turmeric may provide an ideal drug alternative to treating and perhaps even preventing type 2 diabetes, which has become of the world’s most prevalent diagnoses. The study reviewed research published between 1998 to 2013 that indicates the active polyphenol in turmeric known as curcumin may provide an ideal intervention for type 2 diabetes, capable of mitigating characteristic pathophysiological hallmarks of the disease such as elevated blood sugar (hyperglycemia) and insulin resistance. Nineteen of the studies reviewed were cell (in vitro) and animal (in vivo), all which showed beneficial effects. Five of the studies were human clinical trials using turmeric or curcumin, three of which were performed in those with either diabetes or prediabetes. Amazingly, the animal and cell research literature review concluded that curcumin could improve the type 2 diabetic state through 10 distinctly different mechanisms, such as: Reduction in liver glucose production Reduction in liver glycogen production Stimulation of increased glucose uptake (by increasing GLUT4, GLUT2 and GLUT3 gene expressions) Increasing the activation of AMP kinase Promoting PPAR γ ligand- binding activity Suppressing hyperglycemia-induced inflammatory state Stimulating insulin Continue reading >>
Which Supplements Can Help Lower Or Control My Blood Sugar?
Question: Answer: Many different supplements may help lower or control blood sugar in people with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes who experience hyperglycemia (when blood glucose rises higher than normal). These supplements are discussed below. More details about each, including dosage, drug interactions, potential side effects, and ConsumerLab.com's reviews of products on the market, can be found by clicking on the links. Due to the seriousness of hyperglycemia, it is important to consult with your physician regarding use of these supplements. Cinnamon supplements may modestly improve blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes whose blood sugar is not well controlled with medication. In addition, one small study found that a branded cinnamon extract reduced fasting blood sugar by an average of about 10 mg/dL in prediabetic men and women with metabolic syndrome. Keep in mind, however, that only certain varieties of cinnamon have been shown to have this effect, and long-term safety studies have not been conducted. Curcumin (from turmeric) may improve blood sugar levels, according to preliminary studies, and one study found curcumin to dramatically lower the chances of prediabetes in middle-aged, slightly overweight men and women with somewhat higher than normal blood sugar levels. Alpha lipoic acid may improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes, although it may only slightly reduce levels of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Chromium picolinate may help some people with type 2 diabetes decrease fasting blood glucose levels as well as levels of insulin and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). However, be aware that high doses may worsen insulin sensitivity in healthy people who are not obese or diabetic. Having adequate blood levels of vi Continue reading >>
Taking This Much Turmeric Daily Can Reduce Your Diabetes Risk, Scientists Say
This year on April 7th, the World Health Organization (WHO) will hold its annual World Health day. This year’s campaign is focusing on what WHO forecasts as the 7th leading cause of death by 2030: diabetes. What is Diabetes? With how widespread this chronic disease is, you may know of people around you who have diabetes or at risk for diabetes. Diabetes happens when the pancreas either does not produce enough insulin or the body does not make use of this insulin. Insulin is important as it regulates your blood sugar levels and burns it as energy. There are 2 main forms of diabetes: type-1 and type-2. This article is concerned with the most prevalent form, type-2 (this makes up around 90% of cases). People with type-2 diabetes produce insulin but are not able to take advantage of it. Over time, having a high blood sugar can impact every system in your body. With the diabetes epidemic expanding, there’s a great sense of urgency – but what is there to do? You might want to consider looking to some of the spices you may be preparing meals with! Turmeric and Diabetes One thing that has emerged time and time again as a preventative of diabetes is the spice turmeric. In the past few years, many studies have emerged finding more evidence of turmeric’s health benefits. Best known as an ingredient in curry, turmeric has long been used in Chinese and Indian medicine as an anti-inflammatory to treat bruises, toothaches, and more. This healing power comes from turmeric’s volatile oils. But the spotlight is not on the volatile oils but the pigment that gives turmeric its orange-yellow color: curcumin. Curcumin Benefits and it’s Effect on Type II Diabetes Curcumin has been found to be an effective treatment for high blood sugar. It also addresses many of the symptoms assoc Continue reading >>
Can You Control Your Blood Sugar With Turmeric?
We are in the midst of a diabetes epidemic. Not only in the US, but around the world, type 2 diabetes has become frighteningly common. While drugs can be useful in lowering high blood sugar, there are many non-drug approaches to control your blood sugar. Have you thought about turmeric? How Do You Control Your Blood Sugar Naturally? Q. My doctor recently diagnosed me with diabetes. I don’t want to deal with pills and shots, so I started experimenting. Through trial and error, I found that turmeric controls my blood sugar. I don’t like the taste or smell, but if I sprinkle some ground turmeric on my food at dinner in the evening, my blood sugar reading the following morning is just where it should be. This works great! Other Spices That Can Help You Control Your Blood Sugar: A. Turmeric (which makes curry yellow) is not the only spice that can help control your blood sugar (Kato et al, Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, March 2017). According to the researchers, consuming curcumin, an active compound in turmeric, might allow you to lower the dose of your diabetes medicines. You might want to try cinnamon and fenugreek as well (Yilmaz et al, Journal of Pharmacy Practice, online Sep. 11, 2016). In addition, finishing your meal with a salad dressed with vinaigrette can be a useful tactic, since vinegar will help you control your blood sugar (Lim et al, Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, Aug. 2016). You can learn even more about nondrug approaches to type 2 diabetes as well as find out about some popular medications for blood sugar control in our Guide to Managing Diabetes. Anyone who would like a print copy of this 8-page guide, please send $3 in check or money order with a long (no. 10) stamped (70 cents), self-addressed envelope: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, N Continue reading >>
Can Turmeric Help Manage Or Prevent Diabetes?
Diabetes is a common condition related to disruptions in your blood sugar level. Your blood sugar level plays an important role in how your body metabolizes food and how it uses energy. Diabetes occurs when your body can’t properly produce or use insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. It affects nearly 13 percent of people ages 20 and older. Turmeric is a plant that comes from ginger root. Over the years, turmeric has been recognized for its medicinal properties. It’s believed to have a wide range of health benefits, including pain relief and possible disease prevention. For example, curcumin, the active component in turmeric, may help prevent type 2 diabetes. Turmeric is a spice often found in Asian food and curries. It helps give the food its yellowish color. For centuries, it has been used in Eastern medicine for general health. It’s often used for improving liver and digestion functions, as well as for easing pain from conditions such as arthritis. The spice has a large following among alternative medicine users and is gaining popularity in mainstream medicine. Recently, it has received a lot of attention for its potential use in preventing cancer and other diseases. Turmeric is believed to have antioxidant properties that could help fight infection and inflammation. Research has also suggested that taking turmeric could treat and prevent diabetes. Turmeric’s active component, curcumin, is credited with many of the spice’s purported benefits. A 2013 review of studies suggests that curcumin can decrease the level of glucose in blood, as well as other diabetes-related complications. Researchers also found that curcumin may have a role in diabetes prevention. More clinical trials with humans are needed for a better understanding of curcumin and turmeric’s Continue reading >>
Can Turmeric Help Manage Diabetes? What The Evidence Says
Turmeric has been used for centuries in both food and medicine. The spice is believed to have many potential benefits for the human body. But could turmeric be a new tool to help manage diabetes? Turmeric is the common name for the root Curcuma longa. It is a bright yellow-orange spice that is a staple in traditional food dishes from many Asian countries. In this article we explore the role of turmeric in alternative and Western medicine. We go on to analyze the potential benefits of the spice for diabetes management. Turmeric and medicine Turmeric plays an important role in medical practices, such as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Medical science is interested in the herb, as well, due to the high levels of friendly compounds it contains. Of particular interest is a class of compounds called curcuminoids. One curcuminoid found in turmeric is curcumin. This name is sometimes loosely used to describe all of the curcuminoids in turmeric. Turmeric and curcumin are being studied for a number of human conditions such as: inflammatory bowel disease h. pylori infections Turmeric is also often added to the diet to help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. Can turmeric help people with diabetes? Including turmeric in the diet seems to promote general wellbeing. There is also evidence that indicates turmeric may be especially beneficial for people with diabetes. It is believed that curcumin is the source of many of the medical benefits of turmeric. The focus of most research has been on curcumin itself, rather than whole turmeric. A review in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine compiled more than 13 years of research on the connection between diabetes and curcumin. The result suggests curcumin can help people with diabetes in d Continue reading >>
Can Turmeric Cause Blood Sugar Levels To Drop?
Turmeric is a spice widely used in Indian, Asian and African cuisines. The dried roots have also been used in traditional Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine systems for more than 4,000 years to treat inflammation, liver disease, gallstones and arthritis. There is evidence that the herb’s active ingredient, curcumin, may have antioxidant properties, although few studies have been done in humans. Because this compound may cause blood sugar to drop, consult your physician before using turmeric therapeutically if you have diabetes. Video of the Day The botanical name for turmeric is Curcuma longa, also known by the common name Indian saffron. This shrub-like plant is a member of the Zingiberaceae family of plants, which also includes cardamom and ginger. Native to India, and widely cultivated throughout South Asia and Africa, turmeric is the seasoning that provides the characteristic warm flavor to Indian curry. The rootstock of this herb also lends golden color to mustard, butter and certain cheeses and flavors soups, baked goods and sweet foods in Middle Eastern cooking. Turmeric is also a food additive used as a preservative and coloring agent, often in combination with annatto. Pharmacology and Actions The medicinal part of the plant is the stewed and dried rhizome, which, according to the “Physicians’ Desk Reference for Herbal Medicines,” contains up to 5 percent volatile oils, including highly aromatic alpha- and beta-tumerone and zingiberene. The root also contains up to 5 percent curcuminoids, most notably curcumin. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, this plant phenol demonstrates antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activity in some animal and in vitro studies. The University of Maryland Medical Center says th Continue reading >>
Turmeric And Diabetes: 10 Ways Turmeric Can Help
One diabetes medicine may lower blood sugar and cholesterol, protect your eyes and kidneys, relieve pain, prevent cancer, and improve your sex life. It also tastes good. This medicine is turmeric, made from the root Curcuma longa, a member of the ginger family. About 2% to 5% of turmeric is the yellow/orange powder called curcumin, which gives curry powder its beautiful color. The taste has a bite to it, but with the right recipe, you’ll love it. Or you can take capsules. Turmeric has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic (Indian) and Chinese medicine. They give it for pain relief, improved digestion and liver function, and for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Curcumin may also help treat aspects of diabetes, both Type 1 and Type 2. A scientific paper from the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and McGill University reviewed multiple studies of curcumin from around the world. Most of these are studies of diabetic rats and mice. They need to be repeated in humans to gain scientific acceptance, but I’m convinced. • In many of these studies, curcumin reduced blood sugar and cholesterol levels. In addition: • Curcumin prevented liver fat accumulation. Rats who consumed curcumin had reduced liver fat on a high-fat diet compared to rats not consuming curcumin. • Curcumin suppressed the activities of white blood cells called macrophages that cause inflammation. This action of turmeric/curcumin could potentially slow down many complications of diabetes, in which inflammation plays a role. • Curcumin improves insulin function. It reduces insulin resistance by helping insulin get into cells, perhaps on the AMPK pathway that exercise also opens up. In a study of 240 people in Thailand, curcumin prevented prediabetes from progressing to diabetes. Rou Continue reading >>
Curcumin And Diabetes: A Systematic Review
Go to: 2. Effect of Curcumin on Glycemia in Animal Model of Diabetes Since Srinivasan discovered that curcumin has an effect on glycemia in one patient, a lot of papers have been published to discuss the ability of curcumin in controlling blood glucose in various rodent models (Table 1). The most used animal in studying the effect of curcumin is the rat. Various diabetic rat models were employed to probe the effect of curcumin on glycemia. In alloxan-induced diabetes rats, streptozotocin- (STZ-) induced rats models, and STZ-nicotinamide-induced rats models [14], oral administration of various dosages of curcumin (80 mg/kg·body weight (BW) for 21 days [15] and 45 days [16]; 60 mg/kg·BW for 14 days [17]; 90 mg/kg·BW for 15 days [18]; 150 mg/kg·BW for 49 days [19]; 300 mg/kg·BW for 56 days [20]; 100 mg/kg·BW) for 4 weeks [21], 7 weeks [22], and 8 weeks [23] were able to prevent body weight loss, reduce the levels of glucose, hemoglobin (Hb), and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) in blood [15], and improve insulin sensitivity [16]. In addition, oral administration of turmeric aqueous extract (300 mg/kg·BW) [24] or curcumin (30 mg/kg·BW) for 56 days [25] resulted in a significant reduction in blood glucose in STZ-induced diabetes model in rats. In high fat diet (HFD) induced insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes models in rats, oral administration of curcumin (80 mg/kg·BW) for 15 and 60 days, respectively, showed an antihyperglycemic effect and improved insulin sensitivity [26]. Dietary curcumin (0.5% in diet) was also effective in ameliorating the increased levels of fasting blood glucose, urine sugar, and urine volume in STZ-induced diabetic rats [27]. Diabetic mice models were also employed to show the effect of curcumin on glycemia. In type 2 diabetic KK-A(y) mic Continue reading >>
