By David Blyweiss, M.D.

Now that the holidays are over, things are getting back to normal, right? Well, when it comes to sugar cravings, maybe not. All those cookies, candies, pies and cakes you indulged in between Halloween and New Years have conditioned your body to crave sugar. And now you are left searching for your next sugar fix.

That rapid rise in blood glucose you get from eating sugar, along with the release of the feel-good hormone serotonin, may make you feel better in the short term, but when your glucose levels soon nosedive, you’ll return to your low-serotonin state—a prime candidate for yet more sugar craving. If you find yourself stuck in this high-low loop—a cycle that can lead to diabetes-related conditions like insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome—take heart, the ayurvedic herb gymnema sylvestre can break you free.

The leaves of this woody climbing plant have been used in India for more than 2,000 years to treat “honey urine” (diabetes) or high blood sugar levels. Today, it’s an effective way to lower and maintain normal blood sugar levels. I’ve seen my patients with type-2 diabetes lower or, in some cases, even eliminate the need for oral hypoglycemic medicines thanks to gymnema sylvestre.

No one knows exactly how the herb accomplishes this, but current evidence points to a trio of possible mechanisms. Gymnema sylvestre may increase insulin secretion from the pancreas, heighten overall sensitivity to insulin or decrease the gut’s sugar or fat absorption.

One thing I do know, however, is that gymnema sylvestre works. This has been shown in a number of clinical trials that support its use. In one, University of Madras researchers gave 400 mg. of a water-soluble extract of gymnema sylvestre leaves to 22 type-2 diabetic participants every day for 18 to 20 months. The herb helped regenerate the pancreas and raise its output of insulin to normal levels. Other studies suggest that gymnema sylvestre inhibits glucose uptake in the intestine, effectively blocking the absportion of sugar.

And what about those sugar cravings? When placed directly on the tongue, gymnema sylvestre alters the taste of sugar from sweet to bitter by depressing the tongue’s “sweet” receptors. This may explain the Hindi name gurmar, which means “destroyer of sugar.” The effect only lasts 15 minutes—but that’s just enough time to find some complex carbs or other low-glycemic food to substitute for that afternoon Snickers.

Since refined sugar is a fact of modern life—and not just during the holidays—supplementing with up to 800 mg. of gymnema sylvestre daily can help address blood-sugar problems. It just might be a sweet solution to your sugar addiction.

References:

Daisy P. A novel dihydroxy gymnemic triacetate isolated from Gymnema sylvestre possessing normoglycemic and hypolipidemic activity on STZ-induced diabetic rats. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2009;126:339-344.

Gent JF. Taste confusions following gymnemic acid rinse. Chemical Senses 1999;24:393–403.

Persaud SJ. Gymnema sylvestre stimulates insulin release in vitro by increased membrane permeability. Journal of Endocrinology. 1999;163:207-212.