Seeking A Natural Treatment for Type 2 Diabetes
More than 400 million people have diabetes worldwide, and the number keeps growing. The vast majority of diabetes cases are Type 2, which is caused primarily by lifestyle choices such as poor diet and inactivity. Many different drugs for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes are available, but they are not without adverse effects, such as gastrointestinal complications and cardiovascular risks. Researchers are looking for alternative treatments for this pervasive condition, and they’ve turned their eyes to the haskap berry.
An Overview of Current Research
Case in point: a June 2019 article in Nutrition Research and Practice examined the anti-diabetic potential of haskap berry extract on diabetic mice and found that it was effective in reducing many diabetic complications. [i] Here’s how the study worked: researchers divided mice into groups that were fed different types of diets: some received normal rodent food (NFD) while others got a high-fat version of a rodent diet (HFD). Additionally, there were 3 versions of the high-fat rodent diet that added varying levels of haskap berry extract (100, 200 or 400 mg). Finally, one group of mice was fed the high-fat version along with metformin (250 mg), a well-known drug for Type 2 diabetes.
After 12 weeks on the specialized diets, researchers took a variety of measurements. Here’s what they found:
Insulin - Insulin was significantly higher by 291.58% in the HFD-fed mice group than in the NFD control group. On the other hand, these increases in insulin concentrations were reduced by supplementation of all four agents (haskap berry extract and metformin) in contrast to the HFD-fed group. Mice treated with haskap berry extract at the 400, 200 and 100 mg levels displayed a decrease of 50.39, 43.10 and 37.44%, respectively, in their serum insulin levels. Also, a 52.75% decrease was observed in the metformin group.
Hemoglobin A1c - HbA1c level was increased significantly in the HFD-fed mice group in contrast to the NFD control group; the percentage change was 258.93%. However, the HbA1c content of blood was decreased after haskap berry supplementation compared to that of the HFD-fed mice group. A decrease in the HbA1c contents of 42.20, 37.13 and 28.87% was observed with the haskap berry extract treatments at 400, 200 and 100 mg, respectively, compared to that of the HFD group, whereas a 46.11% reduction was observed in the metformin-treated group.
Blood glucose - Compared to the NFD control, the blood glucose level was elevated significantly in the HFD-fed mice group, by a factor of 252.83%. However, significant improvements in glucose were observed after the administration of the four trial materials compared to the HFD-treated group. With the four different treatment agents, i.e., metformin at 250 mg and haskap berry extract at 400, 200 and 100 mg, a 48.74, 46.45, 37.62, and 23.53% decrease in the blood glucose level, respectively, compared with the HFD-fed mice control was observed.
Similar results were observed for measurements of BUN and creatinine (both measures of kidney function) and other kidney and pancreas statistics – that is, haskap berry extract supplementation inhibited these typical diabetic complications.
The Results
To summarize, then, this study indicates that using haskap berry extract as a test agent showed a favorable response against Type 2 diabetes and its related complications in diabetic mice. At the 400 mg level, the haskap berry extract had a response that nearly matched metformin for improvements in insulin, HbA1C and blood glucose, among others. While much research remains to be done in the area of diabetes treatment, you can enjoy the delicious taste and health benefits of our Pure Haskap Berry Juice Shots and Powder today. Click here to learn more about our products.