The Mayo Clinic Diet Book, learn more

Free

E-newsletter

Subscribe to Housecall

Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics.

Sign up now

Alternative medicine

By Mayo Clinic staff

Controlling Your Diabetes

Subscribe to our Controlling Your Diabetes e-newsletter to stay up to date on diabetes topics.

Sign up now

Many alternative therapies — including cassia cinnamon, chromium, ginseng, glucomannan, guar gum, gymnema, magnesium, milk thistle, prickly pear cactus, soy and stevia — have been touted as possible ways to treat or prevent type 2 diabetes. Although some of these substances have shown promise in early trials, there's no definitive evidence that any of these alternative therapies are effective.

If you're considering dietary supplements or other alternative therapies to treat or prevent prediabetes, consult your doctor. He or she can help you weigh the pros and cons of specific alternative therapies.

Prevention Treatments and drugs
References
  1. Prediabetes FAQs. American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/prevention/pre-diabetes/pre-diabetes-faqs.html. Accessed Oct. 4, 2011.
  2. Insulin resistance and pre-diabetes. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/DM/pubs/insulinresistance/. Accessed Oct. 4, 2011.
  3. Standards of medical care in diabetes — 2011. Diabetes Care. 2011;34:S11.
  4. Diabetes mellitus (DM). The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/endocrine_and_metabolic_disorders/diabetes_mellitus_and_disorders_of_carbohydrate_metabolism/diabetes_mellitus_dm.html?qt=diabetes%20mellitus&alt=sh. Accessed Oct. 7, 2011.
  5. Chaput JP, et al. Sleep duration as a risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance: Analyses of the Quebec Family Study. Sleep Medicine. 2010;10:919.
  6. Glucose. Lab Tests Online. http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/glucose/tab/test#. Accessed Oct. 7, 2011.
  7. Karam JG, et al. Update on the prevention of type 2 diabetes. Current Diabetes Reports. 2011;11:56.
  8. DeFronzo RA, et al. Pioglitazone for diabetes prevention in impaired glucose tolerance. New England Journal of Medicine. 2011;364:1104.
  9. Natural medicines in the clinical management of diabetes. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed Oct. 4, 2011.
  10. Ratner RE, et al. Treatment recommendations for prediabetes. Medical Clinics of North America. 2011;95:385.
DS00624 Jan. 26, 2012

© 1998-2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

  • Reprints
  • Print

  • Share on:

  • Email

Advertisement


Text Size: smaller largerlarger