Controlling Diabetes Naturally with Ashwagandha

If you're looking for a natural herb to help control the symptoms of diabetes, ashwagandha may be the answer. It may even be able to reduce the risks of heart disease associated with diabetes.

Diabetes is a disease characterized by dysfunctional carbohydrate metabolism in the body that leads to high blood sugar levels. It is considered a growing and serious health threat to populations of both developed and developing areas worldwide. The related cardiovascular complications that develop in uncontrolled type-2 non-insulin-dependent diabetics are particularly dangerous.⁴¹

Evidence of Benefit

Studies on animals with type-2 diabetes found that hyperglycemia could be reduced and insulin sensitivity improved when taking ashwagandha.⁴ Other research indicates that the herb can also cholesterol-lowering benefits as well.⁴¹

Results of a clinical trial published in 2009 demonstrated that oral intake of a combination of ashwagandha and shilajit significantly reduced fasting blood sugar in diabetic patients. This study sought to determine the effects of combining two herbs which smaller studies indicated had beneficial effects by themselves.⁴¹

Participants had been newly-diagnosed with type-2 diabetes, and results were compared to pre-treatment levels. After four weeks of taking two 500-mg capsules twice a day treatment, along with restricted diet, 18 of the 32 participants showed significant improvement in both blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Each capsule contained 250 mg each of ashwagandha and shilajit.⁴¹