Can Chinese Medicine Improve the Diabetes Treatment?

Diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs due to high glucose levels in the bloodstream. When people eat food, it breaks down into glucose by the liver, and it is absorbed by the cells of the muscles and the fat. Then it is stored as energy. Diabetes occurs when the pancreas is not able to make enough insulin. Insulin is a hormone that allows the body to absorb sugar. The two most common types of diabetes are diabetes type 1 and type 2.

More About Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body produces no or little insulin. Therefore there is a need for injections of insulin on a daily basis. This type usually develops during adolescence or childhood. On the other hand, type 2 diabetes is when the body produces insulin but is not able to use it properly. This type of diabetes usually develops in adulthood but is more prevalent in kids because of the high obesity rates. As a matter of fact, type 2 diabetes accounts for more than 90 percent of the cases of diabetes. In the case of diabetes is not suitably controlled and treated it can lead to certain complications. Complications such as nerve damage, stroke, heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, and limb amputations. There are many natural ways to deal with this condition, such as Chinese medicine.

Can Chinese Medicine Treat Diabetes?

Chinese herbs have been used to control blood glucose levels for thousands of years in Asia. As a matter of fact, many studies are investigating the effectiveness of different Chinese herbs when it comes to treating diabetes. The scientists considered data from sixteen clinical trials which included around 1,391 people who got 15 different herbal formulations. Based on their findings, the combination of lifestyle changes and herbal medicines is actually twice more effective at normalizing the blood glucose levels of the participants. This is in comparison to only making lifestyle changes.

Study on This Topic

This study notes that the combination of diabetes medication and Chinese medicine can give promising results in those with diabetes. This particular study included 800 participants all with type 2 diabetes. The participants either got the combination of the anti-diabetic medication Glibenclamide and Chinese medicinal herbs or only the medication. The participants who got the combination of the medication and the Chinese herbs were a third less likely to have low blood sugar. This is a comparison to the participants who had only taken the medication. The director of the Queensland Clinical Trials and Biostatistics Center in the School of Population Health in UQ, Sanjoy Paul talks about this. According to Sanjoy Paul, the participants were less likely to have other signs of diabetes. Signs such as palpitation, fatigue, and hunger.

More About Chinese Herbs

According to Paul, these herbs have been used to deal with diabetes for decades. However, this was accepted in mainstream healthcare systems, only because of the researchers who confirm the safety of the practice. This study is actually the largest clinical trial till now about the efficacy of these herbs as a method of controlling the blood glucose levels in those who have diabetes. Based on these findings Chinese herbs might be a good option for all countries where this condition is at epidemic proportions. There is a need for more studies on this topic. Paul says that most individuals in developing countries depend on herbal medicine when it comes to basic health care. These findings might improve the safe delivery of adequate health care to individuals who otherwise might not be able to get treatment. The journal PLOS One published this study.