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I do not want to start insulin. My friend who started insulin now has to stay on it forever.
This is true to all patients with type 1 diabetes and partially true to certain people with type 2 diabetes. For patients with type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin and so will need     more
Question Posted:
2010-09-17 16:32
Question: 
What supplements or herbs can help control diabetes? Are commercially available combinations of supplements effective for controlling blood sugar?
Answer: 

Many herbal supplements claim to lower blood glucose or cure diabetes. It is reasonable to assume that there are substances in nature that have the potential to impact glucose levels when consumed in a specific manner and amount. But, so far there have been no universally accepted herbal supplements that have been rigorously shown to be effective.

Be careful! Just because the product may be "natural" does not mean it is necessarily safe. Even if a certain product affects glucose levels, it might even cause more irregularity in your blood glucose if you take it intermittently. Therefore if you are taking any supplements, it is always important to discuss it with your health care team.

Answered by: William Hsu, M.D.