Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Therapies Help Control Diabetes

The Chinese language includes two terms for diabetes. The traditional name, Xiao-ke, correlates closely with diabetes in most instances. Xiao-ke syndrome means “wasting and thirsting.” The more modern term, Tang-niao-bing, means “sugar urine illness.” Reference to diabetes by the traditional term appears in the earliest texts, including the first medical text in Chinese history, Huang Di Nei Jing, or The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic.

Diabetes is classically divided into three types: upper, middle, and lower Xiao-ke. Each has characteristic symptoms. The upper type is characterized by excessive thirst, the middle by excessive hunger, and the lower by excessive urination. These types are closely associated with the lungs, stomach, and kidneys, respectively, and all three are associated with Yin deficiency. At some point during the course of their illness, most people with diabetes manifest symptoms of all three types.

According to TCM, Xiao-ke is attributed to three main factors: improper diet (consuming large quantities of sweets, fatty or greasy foods, alcohol, and hot drinks such as hot coffee or tea), emotional disturbances (stress, anxiety, depression,) and a constitutional Yin deficiency (fatigue, weakness, lethargy, pale complexion). To the Western ear, TCM diagnoses sound esoteric, even poetic. In the case of a person with diabetes presenting with symptoms of excessive thirst, the diagnosis can be described as kidney Yin deficiency along with lung Yin deficiency and “internal heat that consumes fluids, thus bringing on wasting and thirsting.

TCM Therapies: Five key methods for treating diabetes

Unlike Western medicine, TCM is not concerned with measuring and monitoring blood glucose levels in diabetic patients. Treatment is individualized and geared toward assessing and treating the symptoms that compose patterns of deficiency and disharmony.

1. Acupuncture/moxibustion

Acupuncture and moxibustion traditionally have been used in the treatment of diabetes to reduce blood glucose levels and normalize endocrine function. Clinical and experimental studies have demonstrated that acupuncture has a beneficial effect on lowering serum glucose levels.

A typical acupuncture treatment involves needling 4–12 points and allowing the needles to remain in place for ∼10–30 min. Needles may be stimulated manually or by using a small electrical current. In addition, the practitioner may warm the points with moxibustion.

Moxibustion (Moxa)

The number of treatments for chronic conditions such as diabetes ranges from 6 to 14 sessions. This may be followed by “tune up” sessions every 2–6 months.6 The cost for the initial session is about $75 –$150, with the follow-up visits costing $65–100 each. Third-party payment for complementary and alternative therapies varies from state to state. Some insurers, such as Blue Cross Blue Shield, cover certain therapies for specific diagnoses only, i.e., acupuncture for pain-related diagnoses. For an additional cost, a few insurance companies offer a separate complementary medicine package that allows the insured to see complementary medicine practitioners at a discounted rate.

Auricular acupuncture (inserting needles into specific points on the ear) may be used alone or in conjunction with body acupuncture. According to TCM, the entire body is represented on the ear. Examination of the ears often reveals surface irregularities, such as superficial capillaries, scars, pitting, pimples, flaking, discoloration, or swelling. Upon probing the auricle of the ear with a rounded, blunt instrument the practitioner may discover tender areas that may correspond to the area of the patient’s pain or disturbance. A sample auricular treatment for diabetes might include needling a master point, for example, Shen Men (a good point for almost all disorders), along with the endocrine point, lung point (for thirst), stomach point (for hunger), kidney and bladder points (for frequent urination), and pancreas point (for increasing insulin secretion).

Peripheral neuropathy, one of the most common complications of type 2 diabetes, occurs most often in the distal extremities and typically affects the sensory, motor, and autonomic systems. Acupuncture has been demonstrated to exert a beneficial effect on neuropathic pain. The effects of acupuncture, particularly on pain, are mediated in part by the release of endogenous opioids from the spinal cord, brainstem, and hypothalamus. In addition, it has been demonstrated that neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and substance P, are released during acupuncture treatments. Increases in local blood flow and vasodilation and increased levels of cortisol have also been demonstrated. A 300% increase in plethysmographic recordings of blood flow has been demonstrated in the digits of limbs stimulated with electroacupuncture.

A recent study of 46 patients with painful peripheral neuropathy evaluated acupuncture analgesia to determine its short- and long-term efficacy. Using TCM acupuncture points, 34 patients (77%) experienced significant improvement in their symptoms. After a follow-up period of 18–52 weeks, 67% were able to stop or significantly reduce their pain medications. Only 8 (24%) required additional acupuncture treatment; (21%) stated that their symptoms had cleared completely

A randomized, sham-controlled, crossover study of 50 adults with type 2 diabetes evaluated the effectiveness of Percutaneous Nerve Stimulation (PENS) therapy in the treatment of neuropathic pain. PENS is a modern adaptation of acupuncture that uses percutaneously placed acupuncture needles to stimulate peripheral sensory and motor nerves innervating the region of neuropathic pain. The results showed that active PENS treatment improved neuropathic pain symptoms in all patients. In addition to reducing pain, the treatment improved physical activity levels, sense of well-being, and quality of sleep and reduced oral non-opioid analgesic medication requirements.

Because of poor peripheral circulation and slowed healing of skin infections and ulcerations, needling of the lower extremities in diabetic patients should be performed with extreme caution and sterile technique. In general, however, acupuncture appears to be a relatively safe form of treatment. An extensive worldwide literature search identified only 193 adverse events (including relatively minor events, such as bruising and dizziness) over a 15-year period. There have been approximately 86 reported cases of hepatitis B and 1 case of HIV transmission. In all of these cases, nondisposable needles were used.

Learn more: Traditional Chinese Medicine for Chronic Pain

2. Herbal medicine

Herbal medicine has been an integral part of TCM for more than 2,000 years. Many herbal formulations have been developed and are used in the treatment of diabetes. The Huang Di Nei Jing (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic), which dates from the Han Dynasty 206 B.C.–220 A.D., listed 13 herbal formulations, 9 of which were patent medicines including pills, powders, plasters, and tinctures. The sources of Chinese remedies are varied and include plants, minerals, and animal parts.

Chinese herbs have specific functions (i.e., warming, heat-clearing, eliminating dampness, and cooling) and can be classified according to those functions. They are also classified according to four natures (cool, cold, warm, and hot) and five tastes (sweet, pungent, bitter, sour, and salty). Herbs may be prescribed individually or as part of a formula.

Formulas promote the effective use of herbs. A typical formula has four components, including:

The Chief (principal) ingredient, which treats the principal pattern of disease,

The Deputy (associate) ingredient, which assists the Chief ingredient in treating the major syndrome or serves as the main ingredient against a coexisting syndrome,

The Assistant (adjutant) ingredient, which enhances the effect of the Chief ingredient, moderates or eliminates the toxicity of the Chief or Deputy ingredients, or can have the opposite function of the Chief ingredient to produce supplementing effects, and

The Envoy (guide) ingredient, which focuses the actions of the formula on a certain meridian or area of the body or harmonizes and integrates the actions of the other ingredients.

Herbal prescriptions for diabetes are formulated or prescribed based on the patient’s predominant symptoms. For instance, a patient presenting primarily with excessive thirst (lung Yin deficiency) might be given a single herb, such as radix panacis quinquefolii; or a combination of herbs in a patent formulation such as yu chuan wan, which is used in general to treat diabetes of mild to moderate severity and specifically to treat excessive thirst due to Yin deficiency, and ba wei di huang tang (“eight-ingredient pill with rehmannia”), which was originally used to treat people exhibiting weakness, fatigue, and copious urine soon after drinking water.

Some of the most commonly used herbal substances for diabetes in TCM include:

1. The Chief (principal) ingredient, which treats the principal pattern of disease
2. The Deputy (associate) ingredient, which assists the Chief ingredient in treating the major syndrome or serves as the main ingredient against a coexisting syndrome,
3. The Assistant (adjutant) ingredient, which enhances the effect of the Chief ingredient, moderates or eliminates the toxicity of the Chief or Deputy ingredients, or can have the opposite function of the Chief ingredient to produce supplementing effects, and
4. The Envoy (guide) ingredient, which focuses the actions of the formula on a certain meridian or area of the body or harmonizes and integrates the actions of the other ingredients.

Herbal prescriptions for diabetes are formulated or prescribed based on the patient’s predominant symptoms. For instance, a patient presenting primarily with excessive thirst (lung Yin deficiency) might be given a single herb, such as radix panacis quinquefolii; or a combination of herbs in a patent formulation such as yu chuan wan, which is used in general to treat diabetes of mild to moderate severity and specifically to treat excessive thirst due to Yin deficiency,12 and ba wei di huang tang (“eight-ingredient pill with rehmannia”), which was originally used to treat people exhibiting weakness, fatigue, and copious urine soon after drinking water.

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Some of the most commonly used herbal substances for diabetes in TCM include:

1. Panax ginseng (Korean ginseng), which has a long history of use as a hypoglycemic agent. At least five constituents of this herb have been shown to exert hypoglycemic effects. In one study, treatment with ginseng lowered blood glucose levels and improved mood and psychological performance as compared with placebo. Recommended dosage is 100–200 mg/day.
2. Momodica charantia (balsam pear), which is dried, powdered, and made into pills. A dosage of 18 g/day has been shown to reduce blood glucose.
3. Lagenaria siceraria (bottle gourd), given as a decoction or pills. The recommended dose is 3 g/day. This, too, has been shown to reduce blood glucose levels.
4. Psidium gnajava, taken in the form of fresh leaves or as an infusion and drunk as a tea. The dosage is 9 g/day. It acts to reduce blood glucose levels.

The above herbs do not appear to increase insulin levels, but rather enhance carbohydrate utilization. Patients should have their type of diabetes and any other diagnoses confirmed before initiating any herbal treatment. In addition, one should first ascertain the credibility of the herbal therapist by inquiring about where and for how long the person received training and about membership in herbal associations such as the American Herbalists Guild. To become members, herbalists must submit three letters of reference from other professional herbalists, a description of their training, and an account of at least 4 years of experience working with medicinal herbs. As part of their training, TCM practitioners learn about the proper use of herbals.

Many Chinese herbs and formulations have been used safely for centuries in the hands of trained TCM practitioners. It is important to recognize, however, that data on drug-herb interactions are scarce, and there are clear contraindications to the use of specific herbs in certain populations, such as pregnant women.

Discontinuing conventional medications in favor of herbal formulations may lead to serious complications such as significant hyperglycemia, and combining conventional hypoglycemic agents with herbal preparations without proper monitoring could lead to hypoglycemia.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate herbs, minerals, animal products, and patent formulas that come into the United States from China. Herbal products are considered dietary supplements according to the Dietary Supplement and Health Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994; therefore, the manufacturers do not need FDA approval or evaluation for safety, purity, and efficacy before bringing their products to market. There have been reports of some formulas imported from China containing heavy metals such as lead and mercury and of others being deliberately adulterated with conventional Western pharmaceuticals, such as corticosteroids, anti-inflammatory agents, and benzodiazepines.

3. Diet therapy

According to TCM, diet plays an important role in maintaining health and treating disease. In the TCM paradigm, foods are valued and prescribed for their energetic and therapeutic properties rather than solely for their chemical makeup. Attention is paid to the quantity, quality, method of preparation, and time of food intake, as well as to the patient’s body type, age, vitality; geographic location; and seasonal influences.

Because TCM defines diabetes as a disease characterized by Yin deficiency and excess internal heat, an example of a dietary prescription would be to consume spinach, which is cooling, “strengthens all the organs, lubricates the intestines, and promotes urination.”7 A recommendation might be to boil tea from spinach and drink 1 cup three times/day. Other foods considered to be cooling and beneficial for diabetes include vegetables and grains, such as celery, pumpkin, soybeans (i.e., tofu, soymilk), string beans, sweet potato/yam, turnips, tomato, wheat bran, and millet. Fruit remedies, which act in specific therapeutic ways, include crab apple, guava, plum, strawberry, and mulberry.7 It is generally recommended that patients eat a wide variety of seasonal foods and avoid or minimize consumption of sweets and fruits. Meals should be smaller, eaten more frequently, and eaten at regular times each day.

4. Qigong

Qigong (pronounced “chi gong”) is literally translated as “function of Qi.” It emphasizes the connection between the mind and body. It is a meditative method that consists of breathing techniques that can be combined with body movements in order to regulate, harness, and enhance Qi. Qigong is used as a means of promoting health, healing, spiritual growth, and overall well-being. While Qigong is not typically used as a major treatment modality for diabetes, it has been found to be a valuable adjunctive therapy for this condition. There are specific Qigong exercises for diabetes.

5. Tui Na

Tui Na is a traditional form of Chinese massage that uses hand manipulations, such as pulling, kneading, pushing, and grasping to stimulate acupuncture points and other parts of the body to create balance and harmony in the system. It can be used effectively in lieu of acupuncture in patients who have an aversion to needles, particularly pediatric patients.

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Which Herbs and Plant Products Are Useful in Treating Diabetes?

Diabetes has been treated with plant and herbal medicines for centuries. Not surprisingly then, that recent scientific investigation has confirmed the effectiveness of many herbs for Diabetes. The following list of readily available herbs and natural medicines which are known to have a positive effect on type 2 diabetes, whilst at the same time, also being known to be relatively non-toxic are listed below.

* A plant grown predominantly in India, and also known as the Indian Kino Tree, has long been used in Indian medicine as a treatment for diabetes. An extract from the bark of this plant has been shown to regenerate functional pancreatic beta cells, where no other drug or natural agent has been shown to generate this activity before.

* Bitter Melon is a tropical fruit that has been used extensively as a remedy for diabetes also. The leaves of the plant are brewed in hot water to create a tea that has been used to treat both malaria and diabetes. The leaves are allowed to steep in hot water before being strained thoroughly so that only the remaining liquid is used for the tea. Also the fresh juice or extract of the unripe fruit has been shown to have blood sugar lowering ability. Diabetics taking insulin however should use bitter melon with caution, as it may lead to severe hypoglycemia.

* Gymnema Sylvestre assists the pancreas to produce insulin in Type 2 diabetics, and also improves the ability of insulin to lower blood sugar in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics. It also helps to decrease the cravings for sweet foods. This herb can be an excellent substitute for oral blood sugar-lowering drugs taken by Type 2 diabetics.

* Blueberry leaves. An extract of the leaves of the blueberry plant has a long history of use in the treatment of diabetes. Blueberry extracts in 'blind' placebo trials have shown a marked effect on reducing blood sugar levels after the ingestion of food.

* Onion and Garlic both have proven significant blood sugar lowering ability. Clinical evidence suggests that the active ingredient in Onions and Garlic lowers glucose levels by competing with insulin for the insulin inactivating sites in the liver, resulting in an increase of free insulin. Onion extract, in clinical trials was also found to reduce blood sugar levels during oral and intravenous glucose tolerance tests.

* Asian Ginseng which is commonly used in Chinese medicine for the treatment of diabetes has been shown to enhance the release of insulin from the pancreas and to increase the number of insulin receptors. It also has a direct blood sugar lowering effect.

* Fenugreek is another Herb for diabetes, Fenugreek seeds have shown anti diabetic characteristics in clinical studies.

* Bilberry has been suggested to assist in lowering the risk of some diabetic complications, such as the diabetic eye conditions common to diabetics, retinopathy for example.

* Ginkgo Biloba has been suggested to be helpful in the prevention and treatment of early-stage diabetic nerve damage.

* Cinnamon which is often used as a spice, also has the ability to triple the efficiency of insulin.

So, there really are some effective natural herbal treatments for diabetes, however whilst these natural herb treatments for diabetes can be readily available, and possibly very effective in treating type 2 diabetes naturally, we have listed these natural herb options for general interest point of view only. If you are wanting a natural (as opposed to the traditional drugs) treatment for type 2 diabetes we would suggest that you discuss the options with your Doctor and either a qualified dietitian, or naturopath, and also get a hold of the original Diabetes Reversal Report.

Maintaining good type 2 diabetes control is essential to minimize the damage high blood sugar can do to your body. It's not rocket science, but from the time you are diagnosed as a type 2 diabetic, it becomes important to take a concerted and focussed awareness of most things you eat and do in life. Taking natural herbs for diabetes that have proven positive effects can help. Having type 2 diabetes is definitely a life changing disease, but it needn't be a life sentence, because it really does provide the opportunity for you to start living a healthy, fulfilling life. If you want to get on top of your type 2 diabetes, there are natural treatments to control and normalize your blood sugar levels that definitely work. To find out how this can help you to control your pre-diabetes, or type 2 diabetes condition, go to Type2 Diabetes Control