Gymnema sylvestre is a woody branched vine growing in the wild forests of Central and South India. The plant has been used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for centuries for many different conditions, but is mainly known for enhancing blood sugar metabolism. It does this by reducing glucose absorption from the intestines and increasing peripheral insulin sensitivity, and some evidence even suggests that it may support the body’s ability to produce its own insulin by helping to repair the cells in the pancreas that make it. Clinical trials have found that gymnema can lower blood glucose and decrease the need for insulin in both insulin-dependent (type 1) and insulin-independent (type 2) diabetes.
Balancing blood sugar will help not only to manage diabetes but also to reduce weight gain. When used as a mouthwash, gymnema inhibits the sensation of sweetness by interfering with the tongue’s sugar receptors. Gymnema has been found to lower blood lipids in diabetic subjects and it also inhibits the growth of Candida albicans, an opportunistic fungus that is known to cause a wide array of health issues.
