Researchers say more studies need to be conducted to determine whether taking Chinese herbal medicines can reduce the risk of developing diabetes.
Herbal teas, pills and powders are used in many Asian countries to treat pre-diabetes as well as diabetes. They are thought to work in a number of different ways to help normalize blood sugar levels, including improving pancreatic function and increasing the availability of insulina hormone that regulates blood sugar levels.
Cochrane researchers studied data on the effectiveness of 15 different herbal formulations gathered from 16 separate clinical trials. They said that combining herbal medicines with lifestyle changes is twice as effective as lifestyle changes alone at normalizing patients blood sugar levels.
In addition, those given the herbal formulations were less likely to develop full blown diabetes during the study period.
“Our results suggest that some Chinese herbal medicines can help to prevent diabetes, but we really need more research before we can confidently say that these treatments work,” said lead researcher Suzanne Grant.
Other natural remedies for treating pre-diabetes include proper diet, weight loss and exercise.
According to The Mayo Clinic, alternative therapies including beta glucans, bitter melon, cassia cinnamon, ginseng, gymnema and stevia are believed to help prevent the disease.