Gymnema sylvestre is an herbal medicine used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. Traditionally, gymnema has always been noted to support blood sugar and diabetic patients.
Gymnema is also called “Gurmar” in Hindi which means “destroyer of sugar” !
- Despite the rumor that berberine is “nature’s Ozempic”, Gymnema actually has more similar mechanisms of action when you compare the two.
- HOWEVER, Gymnema is NOT as strong as Ozempic (nor does it tend to cause the same side effects). So, let’s not get carried away here!
So, what does gymnema do?
We have learned a good amount on its likely mechanisms of action (MOA) in recent years. Some of the updated MOA (ie: gene expression) is from animal studies but we also have human research on gymnema due to its longstanding traditional use for diabetes. Research has found the following effects of gymnema:
- Gymnema can reduce fasting, post meal and HBA1C levels in patients with prediabetes/insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. PMID
- It has been found to increase GLP-1 production in animals studies, causing insulin to be released. It’s thought this is one of the mechanisms by which it manages elevated blood sugar. PMID
- Decreases glucose uptake from the intestine, adding to its benefits for glycemic control. PMID
- Reduces sugar cravings and appetite (in particular for sweets) . Gymnemic acids may interact with glucose receptors in the gut, and sweet taste receptors on the tongue. PMID
- May support regeneration of pancreatic beta cells based on research on diabetic animals with diabetes and pancreatic damage.
- Improves lipids like triglycerides and LDL cholesterol and protects the liver. PMID
If you want to learn if gymnema could be right for you, book an appointment here!
