Type II and Pre Diabetes May Be Controlled With Bitter Melon

If you have Pre diabetes or Type II diabetes, you may be interested to learn that, just this year, four different research groups have called for large scale clinical trials to prove the efficacy of a natural supplement in the control and treatment of the conditions. The botanical is called bitter melon.

It's not a favorite food, due to its very bitter flavor, the gourd, as well as its shoots and leaves, is eaten in China, Pakistan, India and the Philippines. It has been used for at least 2000 years to control symptoms of pre diabetes, type II diabetes and other forms of the disease. Although the names are new, the condition has been described since ancient times.

For over 20 years now, scientific researchers have again and again described the effectiveness of bitter melon extracts in controlling blood sugar levels. But, despite the growing evidence of its safety and efficacy, there have yet to be large scale clinical trials. Why?

Primarily, it's because large scale clinical trials cost money. Volunteers are often reimbursed for travel time and expenses. They are not charged for the medications or supplements that they receive. In order to fund this type of study, you need a "backer".

That backer is typically a pharmaceutical company, but they are only interested in sponsoring research for synthetic compounds that can be patented. So, regardless of the effectiveness of bitter melon in treating type II diabetes and pre diabetes, it is unlikely that the requested clinical trials will take place.

If they do happen to get a sponsor like the US National Institutes of Health or other government organization, it will take years to complete the study and then another year or so to analyze the results. Why is any of this necessary?

No one wants to use something that is unsafe or untested, but the drugs for treating the condition are ineffective and accompanied by numerous unwanted side effects (like weight gain) that tend to make the condition even worse. The only natural approaches that have recently been tested in large clinical studies are the effects of a totally vegan diet. The results of the research have yet to be published.

Over 18 million people in the US alone have type II diabetes. Another 54 million fall into the category you pre diabetes. The condition affects their families, their lifestyle and quality of life. It threatens to shorten their life-spans.

Conventional treatments are obviously not working. A new approach is obviously needed. Hopefully, someone will listen to the researchers that have requested large scale clinical trials this year, so that more people can learn about effective natural remedies. But, we'll have to wait and see.

In the meantime, there are numerous supplements on the market designed to help control type II diabetes. Just remember to carefully evaluate the manufacturer, before you buy. They should test every batch for purity and use sophisticated processes to ensure effectiveness.

If you have pre diabetes, consider investigating the more natural approaches and make every effort to stop the disease, now.

Patsy Hamilton is a freelance writer with over 20 years of experience as a health care professional. To learn more about supplements for pre diabetes and type II diabetes, visit http://www.diabetes-type-two-info-guide.com

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By Patsy Hamilton