2022/03/05
12:40 am
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The ongoing war on diabetes has intensified since it was estimated that 1 in 10 people in the UK could be affected by 2030.
Experts have warned that rising obesity rates are likely to exacerbate the crisis, but there is an antidote to the condition. According to one study, the supplement can lower blood sugar levels by 15 percent.
Diabetes can be divided into two different types, but the second type is responsible for the majority of cases. The condition is largely understood as a lifelong disease, but where lifestyle is the cause, some cases are reversible.
Losing weight and following a healthy diet are as important as prevention as they are in treatment. But a supplement may also benefit diabetics by increasing insulin sensitivity and lowering blood sugar levels.
Milk thistle is loaded with antioxidants that may provide protection against high blood sugar levels.
This plant, widely promoted for its health and medicinal benefits, has been traditionally used to treat a variety of ailments.
These health benefits extend from brain function to liver and bone health, but diabetics may benefit from the plant as well.
The antidiabetic effects of milk thistle are attributed to the plant’s ability to increase insulin sensitivity.
To increase insulin production in the pancreas, blood sugar levels may eventually drop.
One study in a sample of 51 participants with diabetes confirmed these effects.
Subjects were assigned to receive either a daily supplement of milk thistle, or a placebo, and were examined at monthly intervals.
Fasting blood glucose levels decreased from 156 mg/dL to 133 mg/dL, while placebo fasting blood glucose decreased from 167 to 188 mg/dL.
The study’s lead author, Falah Hosseini, of the Institute of Medicinal Plants, said: “The results are very encouraging, and we now need to do more large, multicenter studies.”
The researchers noted: “The results showed that although there were no significant differences between the two groups of patients at the start of the study, milk thistle extracts significantly reduced blood glucose levels in diabetic patients at the end of the study.”
It has also been shown that herbal supplements have a significant effect on lowering levels of bad cholesterol in diabetics.
In fact, LDL cholesterol levels were reduced by 12 percent, as well as total cholesterol, after treatment with milk thistle supplements.
What is Diabetes? The pancreas produces the hormone insulin to absorb blood sugar into the blood, allowing it to enter cells where it is converted into energy.
When insulin sensitivity decreases or hormone production stops completely, blood sugar levels increase.
High blood sugar, also known as hyperglycemia, can lead to serious health problems if left untreated for an extended period of time.
First, it can damage the vessels that supply blood to vital organs, which in turn increases the risk of stroke, kidney problems, and vision problems.
But neurological problems, such as peripheral neuropathy, may also develop, which can lead to amputation in severe cases.
Symptoms of high blood sugar may include increased thirst, a frequent need to urinate, unintended weight loss, and fatigue.
However, signs of prolonged high blood sugar levels may include tingling or numbness in the hands and feet.
These symptoms are usually indicative of nerve damage in the extremities of the body, where the nerves are more sensitive to touch.