Beneficial effects of non-herbal supplements on patients with diabetes

Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2022 Jun;16(6):102510. doi: 10.1016/j.dsx.2022.102510. Epub 2022 May 16.

Abstract

Background and aims: Controlling glycemic levels is crucial for patients with diabetes mellitus to improve their disease management and health outcomes. Beyond lifestyle modification and pharmacotherapy, some supplements have been shown to lower blood glucose as well as mitigate diabetic complications.

Methods: Information was primarily gathered by employing various PubMed scholarly articles for real-world examples in addition to data extraction from supplementary manuscripts. Only original human trials were used, and those published within the past two decades were primarily chosen. However, background information may contains review articles.

Results: Some non-herbal supplements have been suggested to lower fasting blood glucose, postprandial glucose, glycated glucose (HbA1c), lipid profiles, oxidative stress, and inflammation, as well as improving body composition, insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, and nephropathy.

Conclusion: This review discusses ten non-herbal supplements that have been reported to have beneficial effects among different types of patients with diabetes as well as potential future clinical application. However, more long-term studies with a larger amount and more diverse participants need to be conducted for a robust conclusion. Also, mechanisms of action of antidiabetic effects are poorly understood and need further research.

Keywords: Diabetes mellitus; Glycemic management; Non-herbal; Supplemental nutrients.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Blood Glucose
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2*
  • Glycated Hemoglobin
  • Humans
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Insulin Resistance*

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Glycated Hemoglobin A
  • Hypoglycemic Agents