Metformin is a first-line medication for people with type 2 diabetes. Although doctors also prescribe it for different disorders, from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) to prostate cancer, the majority of people taking it use it to control their blood sugar. Consequently, the news that several metformin drugs are contaminated with the probable carcinogen NDMA is alarming. Perhaps you, like other readers, are wondering if you can manage your blood sugar naturally. With type 2 diabetes, this is possible, though it may require significant effort. People with prediabetes may have good success with natural approaches, however.
How Do You Manage Your Blood Sugar?
Q. I recently read that some metformin pills are contaminated with a potential carcinogen. I would like to control my slightly elevated blood sugar levels naturally. Can you educate me on some natural approaches?
Learning About Metformin Contamination:
A. Valisure is the testing laboratory that found many batches of metformin contained the nitrosamine NDMA. You might ask your pharmacist to check into the purity of the metformin he or she is using to fill your prescription.
Natural Ways to Manage Your Blood Sugar:
A variety of tactics can help control blood sugar for those with type 2 diabetes. (People with type 1 diabetes must use insulin, although changes in diet and exercise could help reduce the amount and timing of insulin they need to inject.)
Cutting back on carbs is a good first step. Exercise can also be quite beneficial (Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews, online March 13, 2020). Losing weight can often make a difference to help you manage your blood sugar (Nutrients, April 26, 2019). Scientists have found that intermittent fasting could help you manage type 2 diabetes as well (Current Diabetes Reports, March 12, 2020).
You may also be able to benefit from cinnamon and herbs like bitter melon, fenugreek and nopal (prickly pear) cactus. No matter what your strategies, frequent blood glucose monitoring is essential for measuring success. You must also work closely with your physician as you institute new ways to manage your blood sugar.
Keep in mind also that product purity is a problem for supplements as well as for pharmaceuticals. It makes sense to check the results of a testing organization such as ConsumerLab.com before you purchase a supplement you will be taking regularly.
Will Berberine Lower Insulin Resistance?
Q. I’ve tried taking berberine to lower insulin resistance. Even at the lowest dosages, it gives me very uncomfortable gastrointestinal distress. Do you have any suggestions to mitigate this problem?
A. Berberine, an alkaloid compound found in the roots of several plants in the barberry family, can help lower insulin resistance (Nutrients, July 16, 2024). This, in turn, can reduce the risk of prostate cancer or dementia as well as diabetes.
The digestive problems you have experienced are the most common side effects. Usually, providers expect these to get better after about a month.
Since you react badly to berberine, you might want to try a different approach to managing your blood sugar. We discuss several nondrug approaches, including some herbal medicines you may not have considered, in our eGuide to Preventing and Treating Diabetes.
Learn More:
To learn more, you could listen to our interview with Dr. Kasia Lipska. It is Show 1173: How Is Diabetes Diagnosed and Treated? An earlier interview may also interest you. It is Show 1036: How to Prevent Diabetes by Changing Your Life.
More recently we discussed the vicious cycle of COVID and diabetes with Dr. Mitchell Lazar of the University of Pennsylvania. It is Show 1275.
