Contents:
- Medical Video: Sugar: The Bitter Truth
- Is it true that Chinese medicine can reduce the risk of diabetes?
- So, is Chinese medicine safe for consumption?
- So that prediabetes does not become diabetes
Medical Video: Sugar: The Bitter Truth
Chinese medicine is another name for herbal medicine from China. This drug has been used for thousands of years to treat various health problems, one of which is diabetes.
Although most Chinese medicines have not been scientifically proven to treat diabetes, a recent study says that Chinese medicine can prevent the development of diabetes in people who have been diagnosed with prediabetes.
Is it true that Chinese medicine can reduce the risk of diabetes?
Based on the latest research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, traditional herbal medicines from China can prevent diabetes in patients with prediabetes.
About 400 residents from China with prediabetes were randomly selected to consume one of the Chinese herbal medicines and placebo. For one year, the participants were ordered to consume the Chinese medicine three times a day. Then the blood sugar levels of each participant are checked every three months.
As a result, the blood sugar levels of the participants were well controlled, so the prediabetes they experienced did not develop into type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes itself is a condition where your blood sugar levels are higher than usual, but not high enough to be categorized as type 2 diabetes. Well, people with this condition tend to be at high risk for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and stroke.
At the end of the trial, 36 participants who routinely took Chinese medicine and 56 participants who took placebo were found to have type 2 diabetes. After taking into account the age and sex of participants, those who regularly took Chinese medicine, 32 percent had a lower risk of diabetes than those who consumed placebo.
So, is Chinese medicine safe for consumption?
Many people often have difficulty making lifestyle changes to control their blood sugar. The drugs that are available today also often have side effects for the digestive system.
This is why the researchers in the study made traditional medicines from China as an alternative to regulating blood sugar levels, whether it was used as a single treatment or combined with other treatments. In addition, the researchers also believe that the side effects of herbal medicines are basically lighter compared to chemical-based drugs.
Unfortunately, many experts oppose the results of this study on the grounds that it is still too early to recommend these Chinese herbal medicines as a treatment to prevent diabetes. Pieter Cohen, a specialist in internal medicine at the Cambridge Health Alliance also stated something similar.
He said that changes in blood sugar levels from participants who routinely consume Chinese medicine, does not mean the herbal medicine is good for health.
The reason, research on herbal medicines for other diabetes actually shows an increase in activity or liver burden when using the drug. This is evidenced by the high test results (serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase) in people taking Chinese herbal medicines. While when someone stopped taking Chinese herbal medicine, it was found that the SGPT levels returned to normal.
Well, the amount of debate among experts finally concludes that bigger research is needed with a longer period of time to really ensure that Chinese medicine can prevent diabetes and is safe for consumption.
So that prediabetes does not become diabetes
Basically, if you have just been diagnosed with prediabetes, then you don't need to take medication to control blood sugar levels. Applying a healthy lifestyle is a safe and effective way you can do to prevent prediabetes being treated. Here are some ways to prevent diabetes, including:
- Pay attention to food intake
- Change your intake of sugar with low-calorie sweeteners
- Set meal portions
- Diligent exercise and leave the lifestyle alone (lazy motion)
- Maintain ideal body weight
- Quit smoking
