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Bitter melon has been used in traditional medicine to treat various ailments, including diabetes. Some studies have shown it can lower blood sugar levels, but more research is needed. Bitter melon has serious side effects, including hypoglycemia, which can be fatal for diabetics. Pregnant women should not take it. It should only be taken under the supervision of a healthcare professional.
Bitter melon, also known as bitter gourd, wild cucumber, or balsamic pear, is a member of the gourd family. It has been used in traditional medicine for hundreds of years to treat a variety of ailments, including diabetes, digestive problems, and malaria. Although some small studies have shown that the chemical constituents of bitter melon can lower blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity in diabetics, most scientists agree that these studies need to be repeated with more recent controls. stringent and a larger group of subjects. In the absence of such studies, most doctors do not feel comfortable recommending bitter melon for diabetes. Additionally, there are a number of serious side effects associated with this tropical fruit.
Research on the benefits of using bitter melon for diabetes was conducted on 100 patients with type 2 diabetes in 1999 at a clinic in Bangladesh. The researchers checked the patients’ 12- and 24-hour fasting blood sugar levels, and again after the patients drank 75 grams (2.65 ounces) of glucose. After this, the patients were given bitter melon pulp to drink, and their blood sugar was checked again. Out of 100 patients, 86 showed a 14% reduction in their fasting and post-meal blood sugar levels. A 2007 Philippine study showed that a dose of bitter melon of 100 milligrams per kilogram (0.004 ounces per 2.2 pounds) lowered blood sugar levels as effectively as a 2.5-milligram (8.81 ounce) dose of the diabetes drug Glibenclamide twice a day.
Researchers at the Garvan Institute in Australia and the Shanghai Institute in China have conducted research showing that certain chemicals in bitter melon activate an enzyme called adenosine monophosphate kinase, or AMPk. The enzyme is responsible for regulating glucose metabolism and uptake in the muscles. Japanese research showed that bitter melon acts in a similar way to animal insulin. Despite these promising studies, much more rigorous testing is needed to validate previous research.
Bitter melon has possible side effects that can be fatal for diabetics. Hypoglycemia, a condition in which blood sugar drops too low, is the main risk involved in taking bitter melon for diabetes. If hypoglycemia is not treated promptly, the diabetic patient could slip into a coma and result in death. Pregnant women should not take bitter melon to treat diabetes because it can cause uterine bleeding and contractions and may lead to miscarriage. People who want to take bitter melon for diabetes should do so only under the close supervision of a healthcare professional.
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