Gymnema Sylvestre herbal supplement health benefit by Ray Sahelian, M.D.
Plus: Diet Rx for blood sugar and cholesterol management

Gymnema sylvestre herb grows in South-east Asia. Its therapeutic role in relation to diabetes mellitus, rheumatic arthritis, weight management and gout have been well known for a long time. Extracts of this plant are widely used in Australian, Japanese, Vietnamese and Indian folk medicine. However, gymnema is best known for its benefits in diabetes. Gymnema helps support healthy blood sugar levels. Gymnema sylvestre contains compounds known as gymnemic acids and tritepenoid saponins, gymnemasins A, B, C and D.
   Gymnema sylvestre leaves have antibacterial compounds. Anti-allergic, antiviral, lipid lowering and other effects are also reported. Rodent studies indicate that gymnema may have the capacity to maintain healthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels. If you would like to eat less and have better blood cholesterol and blood sugar control, consider Diet Rx appetite suppressant. See below for details.

What's in gymnema sylvestre leaf extract?
In addition to active saponin ingredients called gymnemic acids, gymnema sylvestre contains a number of other saponins,anthraquinones, and flavonoid compounds including kaempferol and quercetin.

Gymnema safety and side effects
A one year study on rodents given gymnema sylvestre did not show any toxicity.

 Gymnema Sylvestre extract, 260 mg, 120 Tablets - Source Naturals

Gymnema Sylvestre extract may help to maintain healthy blood sugar levels when used as part of your diet. Gymnema has been used traditionally in India for centuries and has been shown in research to support healthy glucose metabolism by mediation of insulin release and activity and enhancement of healthy pancreatic function. Source Naturals Gymnema Sylvestre extract is standardized to 25% gymnemic acids, the same concentration used in clinical research.


Gymnema Sylvestre extract Supplement Facts:
Serving Size: 1 Tablet
Gymnema Leaf Extract 25% - 260 mg
    (Yielding 65 mg Gymnemic Acids)

Suggested Use:  2 gymnema tablets daily. Take 1 tablet after breakfast, and 1 after dinner, or as recommended by your health care professional .
* Gymnema sylvestre leaf extract daily value not established

Click here to buy Gymnema Sylvestre supplement, or to see a complete list of high quality products
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Diet Rx for better blood sugar, cholesterol, and weight control management
This natural appetite suppressant works without stimulants. Diet Rx has no added caffeine, ephedra, ephedrine alkaloids, synephrine, hormones, guarana, ginseng, or stimulating amino acids. 

Benefits of Diet Rx

All natural appetite suppressant, decreases appetite so you eat less
Helps you maintain healthy blood sugar levels
Helps you maintain healthy cholesterol and lipid levels
Provides a variety of antioxidant from two dozen herbs and nutrients
Provides healthy fiber
Improves energy
Balances mood
Improves mental concentration and focus
Improves will power and choice of food selection

Diet Rx is available for sale. You can also find out the ingredients in this product, and see a list of hundreds of high quality natural supplements

Cinnamon 6 - 750 mg
243 Tablets - Veggie caps
Herbal Promise

Cinnamon is one of the oldest remedies used in traditional Chinese herbalism. Recent studies show cinnamon (Cinnamomum aromaticum) may support healthy blood sugar levels when used as part of your diet, by activating insulin and glucose transport and improving glucose metabolism.

Additional herbs involved in sugar management include gymnema, prickly pear, fenugreek, and bitter melon.
Click here to buy Cinnamon-6 or to see a complete list of products at Physician Formulas
 

Cinnamon 6 Supplement Facts:
Serving Size: 9 Tablets
Amount Per Serving:
Calories 10
Carbohydrate 3 g
Dietary fiber 2 g
Chromium picolinate - 450 mcg

Proprietary blend 6750 mg:
Cinnamon , Gymnema Sylvestre leaves (Gumar), Nopal (prickly pear), American ginseng, fenugreek herb, and Bitter-Melon. *

Suggested Use: Take 1 - 3 cinnamon 6 tablets 2 to 3 times daily, with breakfast, lunch, and if needed dinner, or as recommended by your healthcare professional. Take 3 days off each month.

All the herbs used in this product are either organic, wild harvested, non-fumigated, non-irradiated, pesticide free and/or non-genetically altered.

Gymnema sylvestre for diabetes mellitus
Antidiabetic effect of a leaf extract from Gymnema sylvestre in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus patients.
 J Ethnopharmacol 1990 Oct;30(3):295-300. Postgraduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Madras, India
The effectiveness of GS4, an extract from the leaves of Gymnema sylvestre, in controlling hyperglycaemia was investigated in 22 Type 2 diabetic patients on conventional oral anti-hyperglycaemic agents. Gymnema (400 mg/day) was administered for 18-20 months as a supplement to the conventional oral drugs. During Gymnema supplementation, the patients showed a significant reduction in blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin and glycosylated plasma proteins, and conventional drug dosage could be decreased. Five of the 22 diabetic patients were able to discontinue their conventional drug and maintain their blood glucose homeostasis with Gymnema alone. These data suggest that the beta cells may be regenerated/repaired in Type 2 diabetic patients on Gymnema sylvestre supplementation. This is supported by the appearance of raised insulin levels in the serum of patients after Gymnema sylvestre supplementation.

Gymnema sylvestre and weight loss
Decreased bodyweight without rebound and regulated lipoprotein metabolism by gymnemate in genetic multifactor syndrome animal.
 Mol Cell Biochem. 2007 May. Department of Pathophysiological and Therapeutic Science, Division of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, 683-8503, Japan.
In our previous studies, gymnemate extracted from Gymnema sylvestre, inhibited oleic acid absorption. The effect of gymnemate on obesity in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty rat was investigated. Supplementation with gymnemate promoted weight loss by its ability to reduce hyperlipidemia, which was no withdrawal rebound: an important discovery. Supplementation with gymnemate is a novel therapeutic tool for weight management, especially in multifactor syndrome.

 Gymnema Sylvestre Research studies
Gymnema sylvestre leaf extract: a 52-week dietary toxicity study in Wistar rats
 Center for Biological Safety and Research, National Institute of Health Sciences: 1-18-1, Kamiyoga, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 158-8501, Japan.
A 52-week study of oral-repeated-dose toxicity for the extraction powder of Gymnema sylvestre, Indian-native genus, Metaplexis japonica, was conducted in both genders of Wistar rats. The rats were administered a graded dose of Gymnema sylvestre at 0.01, 0.10 and 1.00% of basal powder diet, along with a group fed solely with the basal powder diet without gymnema, for 52 weeks. General conditions were recorded daily. Body weights and food consumptions were recorded weekly up to 12 weeks, and thereafter at longer intervals. At 26 weeks, for an intermediate examination, and 52 weeks, for the final examination, animals were subjected to hematology, serum chemistry, and pathological examination. None of the animals died in the period up to 52 weeks. No exposure-related changes in body-weight, in the food consumption, in the hematological examinations, or in the serum biochemical examinations were recognized. No histopathological alterations were seen. Thus, it was concluded that there was no toxic effect in rats treated with gymnema at up to 1.00% in the diet for 52 weeks. The no-observable-effect level from this study is 1.00% gymnema sylvestre, i.e., 504 mg/kg/day for male and 563 mg/kg/day for female as mean daily intake, for 52 weeks.

Effect of administration with the extract of Gymnema sylvestre R. Br leaves on lipid metabolism in rats.
 Biol Pharm Bull. 2001 Jun;24(6):713-7.
Extract of Gymnema sylvestre R. Br leaves was orally administered once a day to rats fed a high fat diet or normal fat diet for 3 weeks to investigate its influence on lipid metabolism. As a result, Gymnema sylvestre did not influence body weight gain or feed intake in both diet groups during the experimental period. The apparent fat digestibility was significantly decreased by Gymnema sylvestre in both diet groups for the last 2 weeks of the experimental period, though not the apparent protein digestibility. In addition, the excretion of neutral sterols and acid steroids into feces was increased by Gymnema sylvestre in both diet groups. Furthermore, Gymnema sylvestre decreased the total cholesterol and triglyceride levels in serum. On the other hand, blood lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) activity was increased by Gymnema sylvestre. Moreover, it was suggested that Gymnema sylvestre influenced cecal fermentation and that propionic acid and acetic acid contents in cecum were significantly increased by Gymnema. Consequently, it was suggested that gymnema improved serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels through influence over a wide range of lipid metabolism in rats.

Gymnema Sylvestre herbal supplement health benefit
Gymnema sylvestre is an herb that grows in Southeast Asia. Its therapeutic role in relation to diabetes mellitus, weight management and gout have been well known for a long time and taken advantage of by Ayurvedic doctors in India. Extracts of this plant are widely used in Australian, Japanese, Vietnamese and Indian folk medicine. In Western countries, gymnema is best known for its benefits as a treatment for those who have diabetes or high blood sugar.

What's in gymnema sylvestre leaf extract?
In addition to active saponin ingredients called gymnemic acids, gymnema sylvestre contains a number of other saponins and flavonoid compounds including kaempferol and quercetin.

Human studies
As of 2009, only two human studies have been published in the Western medical literature regarding the role of gymnema herb extract when used by itself. Both of these studies were done at the University of Madras in India. In one study, an extract of the leaves of gymnema sylvestre was administered to patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus on insulin therapy. Results showed insulin requirements came down together with fasting blood glucose. The researchers suggest gymnema therapy enhances endogenous insulin availability, possibly by regeneration or revitalisation of the residual pancreatic beta cells. These are cells that make insulin in the pancreas. In the second study, diabetic patients on conventional oral hypoglycaemic medications were given an extract of gymnema for 20 months as a supplement to the conventional oral medications. During gymnema supplementation, the patients showed a significant reduction in blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin and glycosylated plasma proteins. Another benefit was that conventional blood sugar-lowering drug dosage was decreased. Five of the 22 diabetic patients were able to discontinue their conventional medications. The researchers say that these data suggest that the beta cells may be regenerated or repaired in Type 2 diabetic patients on gymnema sylvestre supplementation.

Rodent and lab studies
Gymnema sylvestre leaf extracts have been found to have antibacterial, anti-allergic, antiviral, and lipid lowering effects when tested on rodents or in lab studies. However human studies are much more reliable when it comes to herbal and medication testing and the above benefits may or may not occur in humans.

Gymnema safety and side effects
A one year study on rodents given gymnema sylvestre did not show any toxicity. Limited human studies also confirm the safety of gymnema herb when used for about a year or two. Doctors in India who have extensive experience with this herb have not mentioned any major side effects with the use of this herb.

How is Gymnema herb available
Gymnema Sylvestre extract is often standardized to 25% gymnemic acids. Each tablet or capsule usually has between 200 to 300 mg and most users take one or two pills a day with breakfast or lunch.

Summary
Gymnema Sylvestre extract may help to maintain healthy blood sugar levels when used as part of a healthy diet. Gymnema has been used traditionally in India for centuries and has been shown in research to support healthy glucose metabolism by mediation of insulin release and activity and enhancement of healthy pancreatic function. Perhaps some diabetics may be able to reduce their required dosage of blood sugar lowering medications, but a few more studies would be helpful to confirm these early promises.
   There are a number of natural supplements potentially useful for diabetes including cinnamon, chromium, banaba, psyllium, alpha lipoic acid, and bitter melon. The best way to use these supplements or how to combine them and in what dosages remains to be investigated. In the meantime, some patients, in consultation with their doctors, are trying these options one a time to see how each supplement influences their blood sugar levels.

Gymnema sylvestre supplement questions
Q.  I am contacting you regarding Gymnema sylvestre supplement. Is this product safe for a diabetic who has had a kidney transplant? It is important to know these facts before trying this product. The anti-rejection medicines that my husband is taking include Cellcept, Prograf and prednisone.
   A. I have not seen studies regarding the use of gymnema sylvestre herb in patients who have had a kidney transplant, therefore it is not easy to give an answer. Cellcept (mycophenolate mofetil) is used to prevent rejection of a kidney. Prograf (tacrolimus) is indicated for the prophylaxis of organ rejection in patients receiving allogeneic liver, kidney, or heart transplants. I am not aware of studies regarding the interaction of gymnema sylvestre or other herbs used for diabetes with these medications.