(foodconsumer.org) — A small trial released recently in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism suggests Chinese herbal medicine called Tianqi can help significantly lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus in individuals with prediabetes.
The study led by Chun-Su Yuan and Xiaolin Tong and colleagues shows that people with prdiabetes taking Tianqi for 12 months were 32% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes mellitus compared with those taking placebo.
People with prediabetes suffer impaired glucose tolerance and measures need to be taken to prevent the condition from progressing to become type 2 diabetes mellitus. Tianqi capsule consisting of 10 Chinese herbal medicines is commonly used in China to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus. The current study was intended to examine the effect of this Chinese medicine on prediabetes.
For the trial, 420 men and women with prediabetes were randomly assigned to receive either Tianqi or placebo for 12 months. Oral glucose tolerance tests were performed every three months.
Among those taking Tianqi, 18.18% developed type 2 diabetes mellitus and 63% had normal glucose tolerance. This is compared with 29.32% and 46.6% among those taking placebo developing type 2 diabetes mellitus and having normal glucose tolerance, respectively. The difference is statistically significant.
The risk of developing diabetes among those who took Tianqi was reduced by 32.1%, compared with those taking placebo.
No sever adverse effects or events were observed. Tianqi did not affect body weight and body mass index.
The researchers concluded
“Treatment with a Tianqi capsule for 12 months significantly decreased the incidence of T2DM (Type 2 diabetes mellitus) in subjects with IGT (Impaired glucose tolerance), and this herbal drug was safe to use.”
Early studies in India suggests that taking six grams of curcumin per day for three months can prediabetes from progressing to become type 2 diabetes mellitus in almost 100% cases. (David Liu)
Source: foodconsumer.org
