Gymnema sylvestre is an Ayurvedic herb known as the “sugar destroyer”. It has been in use for thousands of years, long before the term diabetes was given to advanced insulin resistance. The leaf of the plant is the only part used to produce the herb. The key constituents of Gymnema leaves include saponins as glycosides and acylated gymnemic acid.
Ayurvedic physicians traditionally would smell and taste the urine of their patients as a part of their clinical evaluation. When the serum glucose exceeds 180, the kidneys begin to dump the excess sugar into the urine. This results in a sickly sweet smell and taste to the urine. Gymnema was the herb that resolved that smell and taste, hence the name “sugar destroyer”.
Controlled studies involving patients with insulin-dependent diabetes have found that Gymnema extract reduced insulin requirements, fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, and glycosylated plasma protein levels compared to patients receiving insulin therapy alone. Cholesterol, triglycerides, free fatty acids, and serum amylase were also lowered. Some suggestion of enhancing endogenous insulin production, possibly by pancreatic regeneration, was demonstrated as well.
Clinically, I find Gymnema to be the most effective supplement for balancing blood sugar issues. I use it for hypoglycemia as well as type II diabetes. It will reduce all the lab values noted above and combined with an improved diet and exercise can reverse diabetes.
Personally, I use it to control my nocturnal hypoglycemia. In combination with Chaste tree, it has dramatically improved by sleep patterns.
