Diet

Gymnema: Can This Herbal Supplement Help Sugar Cravers?

Author:
Anne Danahy, MS, RDN
Scottsdale, Arizona

Resisting cravings for sugary foods can be difficult, and if the standard advice to fill up on protein-rich foods first, brush your teeth, or try to satisfy a sweet tooth with fruit doesn’t work, your patients may wish to try an herbal supplement called Gymnema sylvestre.

Gymnema is a climbing plant, native to subtropical regions of India, as well as parts of Africa, Asia, and Australia. The leaves and roots of the plant contain triterpene saponin compounds, which are thought to provide various health-related benefits. Gymnema has been long used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat a wide range of health conditions including arthritis, osteoporosis, indigestion, constipation, elevated cholesterol, cardiomyopathy, malaria, infections, and even snake bites. It has also been shown to reduce sugar cravings, inhibit sugar absorption, and lower blood glucose levels.

How It Works

One of the main active triterpene saponin compounds in the plant is gymnemic acid, which in combination with other compounds in the plant, suppresses both sweet and bitter taste receptors on the tongue.1 Gymnema appears to reduce not only the amount of sweets eaten, but also the desire to eat sweet foods.

In a study that looked at the impact of a gymnema lozenge on candy intake, those who took the supplement had reduced ad lib candy intake compared with those who took a placebo lozenge. Researchers also took magnetic resonance imaging scans of all study participants and determined that the gymnema group had reduced reward region responses to both intake and anticipated intake of high-sugar foods.2

Gymnemic acids may also improve glucose levels by inhibiting absorption of glucose in the intestine, increasing the release of insulin, and stimulating β cells. Much of the research on gymnema and diabetes has been done in the laboratory and on animals, but a few studies have been conducted in humans.

In one smaller study (65 participants), taking an extended-release form of a gymnema supplement (Beta Fast GXR, one 400-mg tablet twice daily for 90 days) resulted in an 11% reduction in mean preprandial glucose concentrations, a 13% reduction in mean 2-hour postprandial glucose concentrations, and a 0.6% reduction in mean hemoglobin A1C concentrations, which went from 8.8% to 8.2%. A smaller subset of participants with a baseline A1C concentration of 9% or lower had more profound results for all measurements, with some even able to reduce their prescription medication dose.3

Cautions

Gymnema appears to be safe, with few adverse effects. However, patients who take glucose-lowering medications should be aware that gymnema may have an additive effect, which can result in hypoglycemia. In addition, as with all supplements, gymnema is not regulated by the FDA.

References:

  1. Tiwari P, Mishra BN, Sangwan NS. Phytochemical and pharmacological properties of Gymnema sylvestre: an important medicinal plant. Biomed Res Int. 2014;2014:830285. doi:10.1155/2014/830285.
  2. Stice E, Yokum S. Effects of gymnemic acids lozenge on reward region response to receipt and anticipated receipt of high-sugar food. Physiol Behav. 2018;194:568-576.
  3. Joffe DJ, Freed SH. Effect of extended release Gymnema sylvestre leaf extract (Beta Fast GXR) alone or in combination with oral hypoglycemics or insulin regimens for type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Diabetes in Control Newsletter. 2001;76(1). http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/effect-of-extended-release-gymnema-sylvestre-leaf-extract-beta-fast-gxr/. Accessed December 5, 2018.