- "Leave your drugs in the chemist's pot if you can cure the patient with food." -Hippocrates, 420 BC
- Turmeric Extract May Reverse Pancreatic Damage In Type 1 Diabetes
Turmeric Extract May Prevent, Even Reverse Diabetes (Type 1 and 2)
Sunday, August 30th 2015 at 3:45 pm
Written By: Sayer Ji, Founder
What if the long sought after "cure" for diabetes was as safe,
affordable, and accessible as a spice sitting in your kitchen
cupboard?
Leave your drugs in the chemist's pot if you can cure the patient
with food." -Hippocrates, 420 BC
affordable, and accessible as a spice sitting in your kitchen
cupboard?
Leave your drugs in the chemist's pot if you can cure the patient
with food." -Hippocrates, 420 BC
Slowly but surely the world is waking up to the reality that diabetes is not only a preventable but a reversible condition, and that the drug-based model of
symptom suppression and disease management has fatal flaws. For instance,
some of the drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes actually increase the risk of
death, with a recent study showing GMO insulin given to type 2 diabetics may
lead to the development of so-called "double diabetes": type 2 and type 1
diabetes, together. Clearly, if medicine can't at least abide by its founding principle
to "do no harm," it must seek the answer somewhere other than from the
"chemist's pot."
As the pharmaceutically-driven medical paradigm continues to lose adherents
by the droves, and the public seeks a system that identifies and resolves the
root causes of disease, interest is growing in the use of natural substances
and lifestyle modifications to prevent and treat blood sugar disorders.
And unlike a few decades ago, where most of the evidence for "natural healing"
was anecdotal, there are now thousands of studies on hundreds of natural substances
and therapeutic activities that may ameliorate blood sugar disorders and their
complications. You can check out a good portion of the relevant research on
the topic on GreenMedInfo.com's blood sugar disorder database.
by the droves, and the public seeks a system that identifies and resolves the
root causes of disease, interest is growing in the use of natural substances
and lifestyle modifications to prevent and treat blood sugar disorders.
And unlike a few decades ago, where most of the evidence for "natural healing"
was anecdotal, there are now thousands of studies on hundreds of natural substances
and therapeutic activities that may ameliorate blood sugar disorders and their
complications. You can check out a good portion of the relevant research on
the topic on GreenMedInfo.com's blood sugar disorder database.
While plants like cinnamon and gymnema sylvestre have received plenty of
attention for diabetes over the years, one special plant extract that is beginning
to stand out from the crowd as being exceptionally valuable as an anti-diabetic
agent is turmeric. There are, in fact, 21 articles on turmeric's value in type
2 diabetes on our database alone.
attention for diabetes over the years, one special plant extract that is beginning
to stand out from the crowd as being exceptionally valuable as an anti-diabetic
agent is turmeric. There are, in fact, 21 articles on turmeric's value in type
2 diabetes on our database alone.
Turmeric's primary polyphenol curcumin is the main compound in the plant
that has been researched for it's blood sugar regulating properties.
One particularly striking study, published in the American Diabetic Association's
own journal, Diabetes Care, found turmeric extract to be 100% effective in
preventing pre-diabetics from developing type 2 diabetes -- a feat of
prevention that no FDA approved drug for type 2 diabetes has yet come even
close to accomplishing.
that has been researched for it's blood sugar regulating properties.
One particularly striking study, published in the American Diabetic Association's
own journal, Diabetes Care, found turmeric extract to be 100% effective in
preventing pre-diabetics from developing type 2 diabetes -- a feat of
prevention that no FDA approved drug for type 2 diabetes has yet come even
close to accomplishing.
Turmeric Extract May Reverse Pancreatic Damage
In Type 1 Diabetes
It turns out that this spice may be a powerful therapeutic intervention for more
than just type 2 diabetics. Pre-clinical research now reveals it may have a role in
reversing pancreatic damage in insulin-dependent, type 1 diabetics, who are
routinely told that their condition can not be cured. Type 1 diabetics are rarely
educated to the fact that the root cause of their disorder can be addressed:
namely, that the deficiency and/or dysfunction of the beta cells in the pancreas
responsible for producing insulin can be repaired, as well as the autoimmune
issues at the heart of the problem.
than just type 2 diabetics. Pre-clinical research now reveals it may have a role in
reversing pancreatic damage in insulin-dependent, type 1 diabetics, who are
routinely told that their condition can not be cured. Type 1 diabetics are rarely
educated to the fact that the root cause of their disorder can be addressed:
namely, that the deficiency and/or dysfunction of the beta cells in the pancreas
responsible for producing insulin can be repaired, as well as the autoimmune
issues at the heart of the problem.
Back in 2013, an exciting study published in the journal Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrometitled, "The effect of a novel curcumin derivative on pancreatic
islet regeneration in experimental type-1 diabetes in rats (long term study),
"found that diabetic rats who received a novel water-soluble, high concentrate
(53.21%) curcumin derivative orally for 40 days showed an improvement of
their plasma glucose, insulin and C-peptide (a marker for the health and insulin
producing capability of the beta cells) levels, that began after about 4 months,
and continued to improve until the 10 month mark, when their values were almost
completely normalized and evidence of significant pancreatic regeneration could
be observed.
The researchers concluded the novel curcumin derivative (NCD):
"...possesses antidiabetic actions and enhanced pancreatic islets
regeneration."
islet regeneration in experimental type-1 diabetes in rats (long term study),
"found that diabetic rats who received a novel water-soluble, high concentrate
(53.21%) curcumin derivative orally for 40 days showed an improvement of
their plasma glucose, insulin and C-peptide (a marker for the health and insulin
producing capability of the beta cells) levels, that began after about 4 months,
and continued to improve until the 10 month mark, when their values were almost
completely normalized and evidence of significant pancreatic regeneration could
be observed.
The researchers concluded the novel curcumin derivative (NCD):
"...possesses antidiabetic actions and enhanced pancreatic islets
regeneration."
The daily dose used in this rodent study (80 mg/kg) was the body weight
equivalent of 6,400 mg or 6.4 grams of curcumin for an average North American
male adult (80 kilograms/176 lbs). Rodent and human physiology is, of course,
radically different, but significant crossovers nonetheless do exist.
In anotherarticle, titled "Why Turmeric May Be the Diseased Liver's Best
Friend," wereviewed research indicating that turmeric may help to reverse damage
in andeven regenerate the diabetic liver, as well as safety literature on what is a safe
human dose:
A 2001 study in cancer patients reported that quantities of curcumin up to
8 g, administered per day for three months, were not toxic and resulted in significant anti-cancer properties in a number of those treated.[5]
Considering that turmeric is only 3-4% curcumin by weight, this implies that
a larger quantity of turmeric can be consumed safely, as well.
Given that organ transplantation (pancreatic islet transplants) is exceedingly expensive
and prohibitive due to a lack of donor material and the potential for rejection by the host,
the notion that a safe, affordable, and non-prescription spice extract like curcumin may
have significant therapeutic value and may even regenerate damaged pancreatic tissue,
is truly exciting.
That said, it should be noted that since curcumin is not patentable, it is unlikely the
800 million dollars or more needed to fund the requisite clinical trials needed
to obtain FDA drug approval will materialize. Because the so-called "evidence"
needed to justify the use of a new treatment is locked behind an insurmountably high paywall, don't count on randomized, controlled, trials being performed on this "natural
cure" in the near or distant future.
The researchers theorized that curcumin likely produces,
"...a favorable systemic and pancreatic environment to foster bone marrow transplantation and islet neogenesis. Accordingly, administration of curcumin;
as an established anti-inflammatory and immune modulatory drug; would likely boost and preserve the process of islet regeneration; which was evidently
proven true in this study."
Curcumin's "immunomodulatory" benefit in type 1 diabetes, also known as autoimmune diabetes, appears to be based on it reducing the activity of the host immune system in attacking self-structures. In fact, another recent study, published in 2014 in the journal Clinical and Experimental Immunology titled,
"Curcumin ameliorates autoimmune diabetes. Evidence in accelerated murine models of type 1 diabetes," found that curcumin down-regulates the T cell response
that destroys pancreatic beta cells, resulting in an improvement in autoimmune or type
1 diabetes.
It is important for the reader to know that curcumin is not a magic bullet; nor is it the
only natural substance studied to have potential beta cell regenerative properties.
Indeed, pancreatic regeneration has been induced experimentally for at least 23
different natural substances. We have a keyword dedicated to indexing relevant research
on the topic here: beta cell regeneration. We've highlighted 10 of the most compelling ones in our article, "10 Natuaral Substances That Could Help Cure Type 1
Diabetes."
equivalent of 6,400 mg or 6.4 grams of curcumin for an average North American
male adult (80 kilograms/176 lbs). Rodent and human physiology is, of course,
radically different, but significant crossovers nonetheless do exist.
In anotherarticle, titled "Why Turmeric May Be the Diseased Liver's Best
Friend," wereviewed research indicating that turmeric may help to reverse damage
in andeven regenerate the diabetic liver, as well as safety literature on what is a safe
human dose:
A 2001 study in cancer patients reported that quantities of curcumin up to
8 g, administered per day for three months, were not toxic and resulted in significant anti-cancer properties in a number of those treated.[5]
Considering that turmeric is only 3-4% curcumin by weight, this implies that
a larger quantity of turmeric can be consumed safely, as well.
Given that organ transplantation (pancreatic islet transplants) is exceedingly expensive
and prohibitive due to a lack of donor material and the potential for rejection by the host,
the notion that a safe, affordable, and non-prescription spice extract like curcumin may
have significant therapeutic value and may even regenerate damaged pancreatic tissue,
is truly exciting.
That said, it should be noted that since curcumin is not patentable, it is unlikely the
800 million dollars or more needed to fund the requisite clinical trials needed
to obtain FDA drug approval will materialize. Because the so-called "evidence"
needed to justify the use of a new treatment is locked behind an insurmountably high paywall, don't count on randomized, controlled, trials being performed on this "natural
cure" in the near or distant future.
In this study, the authors surmised that the
ameliorative effects curcumin treatment on
type 1 diabetic rodents observed were the result of beta cell regeneration and they
explained the theory behind how this works:Each tissue or organ is believed to contain a small sub-population of
cells that is capable of self-renewal and has the ability to give rise to
each mature cell type [47]. Thus, one of the most promising sources of
beta cells might be pancreatic stem cells.
type 1 diabetic rodents observed were the result of beta cell regeneration and they
explained the theory behind how this works:Each tissue or organ is believed to contain a small sub-population of
cells that is capable of self-renewal and has the ability to give rise to
each mature cell type [47]. Thus, one of the most promising sources of
beta cells might be pancreatic stem cells.
The researchers theorized that curcumin likely produces,
"...a favorable systemic and pancreatic environment to foster bone marrow transplantation and islet neogenesis. Accordingly, administration of curcumin;
as an established anti-inflammatory and immune modulatory drug; would likely boost and preserve the process of islet regeneration; which was evidently
proven true in this study."
Curcumin's "immunomodulatory" benefit in type 1 diabetes, also known as autoimmune diabetes, appears to be based on it reducing the activity of the host immune system in attacking self-structures. In fact, another recent study, published in 2014 in the journal Clinical and Experimental Immunology titled,
"Curcumin ameliorates autoimmune diabetes. Evidence in accelerated murine models of type 1 diabetes," found that curcumin down-regulates the T cell response
that destroys pancreatic beta cells, resulting in an improvement in autoimmune or type
1 diabetes.
It is important for the reader to know that curcumin is not a magic bullet; nor is it the
only natural substance studied to have potential beta cell regenerative properties.
Indeed, pancreatic regeneration has been induced experimentally for at least 23
different natural substances. We have a keyword dedicated to indexing relevant research
on the topic here: beta cell regeneration. We've highlighted 10 of the most compelling ones in our article, "10 Natuaral Substances That Could Help Cure Type 1
Diabetes."
As
the research continues to accumulate on the value of natural substances for
disease prevention and treatment, it is clear the future of medicine will rely
on returning to the wisdom of the ancients, where Hippocrates' fundamental
principle that one can "cure the patient with food" is once again
passionately embraced.
__
Originally published: 2015-08-30
Article updated: 2019-09-06
Article updated: 2019-09-06
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed
here do not necessarily reflect those of GreenMedInfo or its staff.
Monday, July 27, 2015
Disqus commenting is available to everyone