Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels is essential for overall health and wellbeing. Fortunately, there are a number of supplements that can help regulate blood sugar. Cinnamon, American ginseng, probiotics, aloe vera, berberine, vitamin D, magnesium, alpha lipoic acid, and chromium are all supplements that have been shown to help lower blood sugar. Cinnamon is one of the most popular supplements for regulating blood sugar.
Studies suggest that it helps lower blood sugar and improves diabetes control (1). In one three-month study, people with type 2 diabetes who took 120 or 360 mg of cinnamon extract before breakfast experienced an 11% or 14% decrease in fasting blood sugar, respectively, compared to people who received a placebo (2). All participants took the same diabetes medication during the study (2). American ginseng is another supplement that can help lower blood sugar.
A variety grown primarily in North America, it has been shown to lower blood sugar after meals by approximately 20% in healthy people and in people with type 2 diabetes (3). Probiotic supplements are also beneficial for regulating blood sugar. Studies have found that probiotics, especially those containing more than one species of beneficial bacteria, can help lower fasting blood sugar and A1C (4). Aloe vera is another supplement that can help those who are trying to lower their blood sugar.
Supplements or juices made from the leaves of this cactus-like plant may help lower fasting blood sugar and A1C in people with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes (5). However, aloe can interact with several medications, most notably digoxin. Berberine is not a specific herb, but rather a bitter-tasting compound extracted from the roots and stems of certain plants, such as golden seals and phelodendrons (6). The review also noted that berberine supplements taken together with diabetes medications helped lower blood sugar more than medications alone (6).
Vitamin D deficiency is considered a possible risk factor for type 2 diabetes (7). In one study, 72% of participants with type 2 diabetes were vitamin D deficient at the start of the study (8). After two months of taking a supplement of 4,500 IU of vitamin D daily, both fasting blood sugar and A1C improved. In fact, 48% of participants had an A1C that showed good blood sugar control, compared to only 32% prior to the study (8).
Gymnema sylvestre is another supplement that may help lower fasting blood sugar and A1C in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. In one study, people with type 2 diabetes who took 400 mg of gymnema leaf extract daily for 18 to 20 months experienced a 29% drop in fasting blood sugar. The A1C decreased from 11.9% at the start of the study to 8.48% (9). Other research suggests that this herb may help lower fasting blood sugar and A1C in type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent) and may reduce cravings for sweets by suppressing the sensation of a sweet taste in the mouth (10, 11).
Low blood magnesium levels have been seen in 25 to 38% of people with type 2 diabetes and are more common in people who do not have their blood sugar under good control (12). In a systematic review, eight of the 12 studies indicated that administering magnesium supplements for 6 to 24 weeks to healthy people or people with type 2 diabetes helped lower fasting blood sugar levels, compared to a placebo. In addition, each increase of 50 mg in magnesium intake resulted in a 3% decrease in fasting blood sugar in people who were admitted to studies with low levels of magnesium in their blood (12). Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) is a vitamin-like compound and a powerful antioxidant that is produced in the liver and is found in some foods, such as spinach, broccoli and red meat (13).
When people with type 2 diabetes took 300, 600, 900, or 1200 mg of ALA along with their usual diabetes treatment for six months (on an empty stomach), their blood sugar and A1C decreased more as the dose increased (13). It also has antioxidant effects that can reduce the damage caused by high blood sugar. Still, it may interfere with therapies for thyroid conditions. Chromium deficiency reduces the body's ability to use carbohydrates converted to sugar for energy and increases insulin needs (14).
There is little evidence to suggest that chromium may also help lower blood sugar in people with type 1 diabetes (14). Chromium may improve the action of insulin in the body and reduce blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes and possibly in people with type 1 diabetes, but it won't cure the disease.Many supplements can help regulate blood sugar levels. Cinnamon, American ginseng, probiotics, aloe vera, berberine, vitamin D, magnesium, alpha lipoic acid, and chromium are all supplements that have been shown to help lower blood sugar.
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