Diabetes Alternative Treatments

Maintaining blood sugar levels is part of managing diabetes. Doctors often prescribe traditional treatments, like insulin injections to keep blood sugar levels normal. Some people with diabetes also use complementary and alternative therapies (CAM). These therapies aim to treat the body and the mind.

Alternative treatments for diabetes include:
• herbs
• supplements
• diet
• exercise
• relaxation techniques

There is little evidence whether some CAM therapies work. Supplements may be considered “all natural.” But that doesn’t mean they won’t interfere with traditional medications.
Diet and exercise
Most of us don’t think of diet and exercise as “alternative medicine.” But they do fall under this category. Diet and exercise are important in treating diabetes. What you eat and how active you are impacts your blood sugar level and health. Having a healthy diet and staying active have a positive impact on diabetes.

Having an exercise regimen is a standard recommendation for people with diabetes. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends doing resistance exercises twice per week for people without activity restrictions. Examples could be lifting free weights or using resistance bands. Those with type 2 diabetes should also aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate to intense aerobic activity every week.
The review found physical activity is one of the best treatments to control type 2 diabetes. Exercise can reduce blood pressure, improve glucose tolerance, and reduce too-high blood sugar levels.

Herbs and supplements
Herbs and supplements are popular CAM therapies for people with diabetes. But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t consider these therapies “medicines.” They aren’t regulated. There are also no definitive studies that support treating diabetes with supplements.
Most support for these substances comes by word of mouth. Always speak with your doctor before you start taking any new supplements. Some supplements can interact with medications you’re taking.

Some of the most popular supplements used for diabetes include:
Aloe vera
In two clinical trials, researchers found participants who took aloe vera for six weeks had lowered fasting blood sugar.
Alpha-lipoic acid
Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is an antioxidant found in foods like:
• spinach
• broccoli
• potatoes

Chromium
People with diabetes lose more chromium in their urine than the general population. This may affect insulin resistance. One studyTrusted Source found people taking a type of oral diabetes medication experienced improved control of blood sugar levels when they also took chromium supplements.
Cinnamon
Garlic
Ginseng
Magnesium
Omega-3 fatty acids
Polyphenols