Which herbs should diabetics be careful about using? Do you know why they're!
Question: Any herbs that would be a problem for diabetics would typically have a warning on the label (which is rather few).
The main nutrients that you should be careful of when you are diabetic would be any product that helps with blood sugar. Yes, it's a bit ironic, but too much support for blood sugar can be just as bad (if not worse) than not enough support.
Those main ones would be Cinnamon, Chromium, Gymnema Sylvestre, Fenugreek Seed, Nopal Cactus, Momordica (Bitter Melon), Alpha Lipoic Acid, and Vanadium. The best recommendation is to check with a doctor that knows about supplements or a natural doctor to see which one would be safest for each different person. Good luck!
Answers: Any herbs that would be a problem for diabetics would typically have a warning on the label (which is rather few).
The main nutrients that you should be careful of when you are diabetic would be any product that helps with blood sugar. Yes, it's a bit ironic, but too much support for blood sugar can be just as bad (if not worse) than not enough support.
Those main ones would be Cinnamon, Chromium, Gymnema Sylvestre, Fenugreek Seed, Nopal Cactus, Momordica (Bitter Melon), Alpha Lipoic Acid, and Vanadium. The best recommendation is to check with a doctor that knows about supplements or a natural doctor to see which one would be safest for each different person. Good luck!
i don't think there are any herbs that diabetics should avoid, but then again i could be wrong.
One herb in particular that comes to mind is fenugreek which has the ability to not only lower blood cholesterol levels but at high doses can cause hypoglycemia.
According to Natural Standard, there are no herbs that should be avoided. However, there is a potential of overdosing on them for anyone (not just diabetics).
For example, a popular natural supplement for diabetes is chromium. Chromium is effective, but it is possible to take too much, which can create a toxicity in the body.
Such products as Vitabase Blood Sugar Formula (one of the more popular herbal supplements for blood sugar management) contain around 100 mcg of chromium which is quite appropriate if not on the conservative side. On the other hand, you should watch any products you take to make sure that the chromium is not too high.
I can't find anything.
Most herbs are in general safe even for diabetics. One of the Yahoo answers here earlier, by carmelcavalier, seems to suggest that excess fenugreek causes hypoglycemia. May be, but remember the caveat that even any good thing in excess can be dangerous. For example, fiber is good for diabetics, but if you take it in excess, you end up with constipation, and may be hypoglycemia as well. So, singling out fenugreek as being bad when taken in excess is not a good perspective. First, when you eat any food that contains fenugreek as the major ingredient, you quickly feel satiated. Second, fenugreek is so bitter, it is not so readily likeable. Third, if you are a diabetic, you are probably on some tablets like Amaryl (glimepiride), which even in smallest doses can cause hypoglycemia. So, the important thing to watch for, by any diabetic, is for symptoms of hypoglycemia, and avoid the causative factors. If fenugreek caused hypoglycemia, then reduce the quantity next time. Hypoglycemia is always a subdued threat for diabetics on medication and low-carb food, so always have some sugar-candy on hand, just in case. In summary, there is nothing to worry about fenugreek, as long as you know your limits.