Alternative medicine
- References
- References Links to abstracts or books are included when possible. Josefson D. Complementary medicine is booming worldwide. BMJ. 1996;313:131-133. Marwick C. Alterations are ahead at the OAM. JAMA. 1998;280:1553-1554. Eisenberg DM...
- Reasons for Concern
- Reasons for Concern Two major reasons for concern with CAM use include the potential for side effects and/or drug interactions. Other concerns include problems with standardization and misidentification or mislabeling of ingredients. There may b...
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in Diabetes
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in Diabetes Two landmark surveys have indicated that use of alternative treatments is increasing in the United States. One survey in 1990 found that 33.8% of Americans were using some form of alternat...
- Gymnema Sylvestre
- Gymnema Sylvestre Gymnema sylvestre is thought to impair the ability to discriminate "sweet taste," and increase enzyme activity responsible for glucose uptake and utilization, or possibly stimulate beta cell function. Side effects include hypog...
- Fenugreek
- Fenugreek Fenugreek is a member of the legume family, along with chickpeas, peanuts, and green peas. It has been used as a cooking spice for centuries. It has been used to treat diabetes, constipation, and hyperlipidemia. It is thought to delay...
- Bitter Melon
- Bitter Melon Bitter melon is a vegetable, eaten in certain countries such as India and Asia. It is thought to have direct hypoglycemic activity, but this may depend on having viable beta cell function in the pancreas. There may be some other a...
- Nopal
- Nopal Nopal is prickly pear and has been used as a food source in Mexico and the southwestern United States. It contains fiber and pectin components that are thought to have hypoglycemic activity. It is also thought to lower cholesterol. In ty...
- Ginseng
- Ginseng Ginseng, primarily Korean and American ginseng, have been used in diabetes. It may work by decreasing the rate of carbohydrate absorption into the portal hepatic circulation and possibly increasing glucose transport and uptake. It may...
- Aloe, Bilberry, and Milk Thistle
- Aloe, Bilberry, and Milk Thistle Aloe, bilberry, and milk thistle have less evidence than other botanical products. Topically, aloe has been used for wound healing. There are two forms used and one form is used as a laxative. The aloe gel is w...
- Chromium
- Chromium Chromium is a trace element and supplementation may benefit diabetes only when deficiency has been established. It has been studied in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Although the mechanism is unknown, the potential effect may be to...
