Hundreds of dietary supplements including herbals, vitamins and minerals have been reported to have beneficial anti-glycemic effects for patients with diabetes though, in most cases, evidence is of poor quality. The best current evidence on supplements is presented below.

Note: Dietary supplements are intended to supplement the diet. They are not medicines and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure disease. In some cases, dietary supplements may have unwanted effects, especially if taken before surgery or with other dietary supplements or medicines, or if you have certain health conditions. Also, supplements are not regulated with the same degree of oversight as medications. Products vary greatly in terms of accuracy of labels, presence of contaminants, and the validity of claims on the label. Work with your health care provider to determine how best to achieve optimal health.

Herbal Supplements

Many modern pharmaceuticals have natural plant origins. Among them, metformin was derived from Galega officinalis (goat’s rue or French lilac), a traditional remedy for diabetes used in Europe since the Middle Ages. Many botanicals are used for glycemic control and management of diabetic complications. Below are two examples of botanicals, cinnamon and Nigella sativa, that have more than one review/meta-analysis to support their efficacy in diabetes. Some botanical supplements have one recent review/meta-analysis supporting their role in diabetes. These include:

• Milk thistle¹
• Purslane²
• Ginseng-related therapies³
• Nettle⁴

Other botanicals that have less robust evidence supporting their use in managing blood sugars include the following:

• Bitter melon
• Fenugreek
• Gymnema
• Pycnogenol
• Prickly pear