Gymnema

Botanical Name: Gymnema Sylvestre

Common Name: Gurmar, Gurmarbooti

Gymnema, The Sugar Destroyer

Two factors have conspired to deliver an ancient Indian remedy to health food stores and gyms across the United States. One is an interest in the ancient herbal remedies of India’s Ayurveda; the other an increasing interest in natural alternatives to blood sugar control and insulin secretion. Enter Gymnema sylvestre, a workout supplement and a supportive treatment for diabetes.

Gymnema sylvestre originates from India, where it was apparently taken up in Ayurveda centuries ago. The root and leaf have been used traditionally to treat a wide range of health conditions, including diabetes control, headache, poisoning, wounds and bronchial asthma, coughs and fever. Gymnema is a stout woody climber native to the forests of India. The leaves are used today, primarily to treat blood sugar disorders, notably diabetes. Gymnema sylvestre is also referred to as gur-mar, or “sugar destroyer.” When Gymnema leaf is placed directly on the tongue, it eliminates the sensation of sweetness, even if sugar is put in the mouth immediately following. When taken internally, it helps to control blood sugar levels in diabetes. Gymnema is an important ingredient in Ayurvedic formulas for diabetes.

Indian physicians first used gymnema to treat diabetes almost 2,000 years ago. In the 1920s, preliminary scientific studies found some evidence that gymnema leaves can reduce blood sugar levels. But nothing much came of this observation for decades.

How It Works

The active constituents in Gymnema sylvestre have been identified as a group of novel compounds collectively known as gymnemic acids. The leaves of Gymnema sylvestre perform two significant functions relative to diabetes. First, they suppress blood glucose, especially after eating. Secondly, they are are insulinotropic, and promote insulin secretion. Gymnema leaf and its extracts perform two important functions. By this two-pronged approach, Gymnema sylvestre proves a valuable aid in diabetes control.

Secretagogue….

Gymnema is found in powdered leaf form and standardized extract form, in tablets and capsules. The plant has been somewhat well investigated from a phytochemical standpoint, and has been studied in vitro (in test tubes), in animals, and in humans.

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