Condition
Diabetes
Diabetes is a long-term condition in which the body makes too little insulin or can't respond to it well, so sugar lingers in the blood. Bitter melon has the most research among supplements, and trials found it was well tolerated, with side effects similar to placebo, mostly stomach upset and headache. TB-500 improved blood sugar and insulin resistance in diabetic mice, but that is animal work only, so the evidence is very limited.
Sources: PMID 22217673
- Updated
- How we grade
- 92 studies cited
- Supplements studied
- 1
- Medicines and peptides
- 1
- Graded outcomes
- 6
Evidence by supplement
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Safety and Tolerability RCTs show good tolerability - adverse events similar to placebo. Common AEs: GI symptoms (nausea, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort), headache. No significant liver enzyme changes in 12-week trials. ALT/AST stable or slightly declined. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Moderate effect | ||||
| Hypoglycemia Risk SAFETY CONCERN: Hypoglycemic coma and convulsions reported in children. Risk increases when combined with diabetes medications. Case reports of serious hypoglycemia. Caution required with concurrent antidiabetic therapy. | Worsens (the measure goes up) | Moderate effect | ||||
| Fasting Blood Glucose Meta-analysis of RCTs: No significant effect on fasting blood glucose vs placebo (MD -0.03, 95% CI -0.38 to 0.31). High heterogeneity among studies. Individual trials show mixed results with some showing reductions and others showing no effect. | NoneNo effect | |||||
| HbA1c Reduction Meta-analysis: No significant effect on HbA1c (MD -0.12, 95% CI -0.35 to 0.11, I²=56%). Short study durations and small sample sizes may explain inconsistent results. Some individual studies report modest HbA1c reductions. | NoneNo effect | |||||
| Postprandial Glucose Korean prediabetes RCT (12 weeks): Improved postprandial glucose levels, possibly via glucagon suppression. More consistent effect than fasting glucose. Long-term cohort studies needed to confirm prophylactic benefits. | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect |
Prescription medicines and peptides studied, for context
TB-500
- Insulin Sensitivity: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insulin Sensitivity Ameliorates hyperglycemia and improves insulin resistance in diabetic mouse models. Preclinical evidence only. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 3 studies | 30 people |
Key findings
- Safety and TolerabilityImproves (the measure goes up)
- Hypoglycemia RiskWorsens (the measure goes up)
- Fasting Blood Glucose
Safety notes in the studies
- RCTs show good tolerability - adverse events similar to placebo.
- Risk increases when combined with diabetes medications.
- Caution required with concurrent antidiabetic therapy.
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Support alongside medical care. These supplements are not a treatment for Diabetes. If you are being treated for it, talk to your clinician before adding one: supplements can interact with medicines.
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Studies cited
92 studies from PubMed
- Thymosin beta 4 as an Alzheimer disease intervention target identified using human brain organoids
- Thymosin Beta-4 Modulates Cardiac Remodeling by Regulating ROCK1 Expression in Adult Mammals
- CCN5 suppresses injury-induced vascular restenosis by inhibiting smooth muscle cell proliferation and facilitating endothelial repair via thymosin β4 and Cd9 pathway.
- Tβ4-exosome-loaded hemostatic and antibacterial hydrogel to improve vascular regeneration and modulate macrophage polarization for diabetic wound treatment.
- Corrigendum to 'Tβ4-exosome-loaded hemostatic and antibacterial hydrogel to improve vascular regeneration and modulate macrophage polarization for diabetic wound treatment' [Mater. Today Bio,Volume 31, 2025, 101585].
- Mechanistic study of the Tβ4/SLC7A11 signaling pathway regulating breast cancer evolution.
- Identification of glutamine as a potential therapeutic target in dry eye disease.
- Epimedin C promotes mitochondrial transfer and delays thymus atrophy in 4-VCD induced mimetic-menopausal mice.
- Thymosin β4 Regulates Tissue Inflammatory Response in Mouse Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease by Promoting Macrophage M2-Type Polarization.
- Tβ4-Engineered ADSC Extracellular Vesicles Rescue Cell Senescence Through Separable Microneedle Patches for Diabetic Wound Healing.
- Enhancing fat graft survival: thymosin beta-4 facilitates mitochondrial transfer from ADSCs via tunneling nanotubes by upregulating the Rac/F-actin pathway.
- Comparative effects of dietary sodium butyrate and tributyrin on broiler chickens' performance, gene expression, intestinal histomorphometry, blood indices, and litter.
- Recombinant human thymosin beta 4 improves ischemic cardiac dysfunction in mice and patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction after reperfusion.
- In Vitro Study of Thymosin Beta 4 Promoting Transplanted Fat Survival by Regulating Adipose-Derived Stem Cells.
- Thymosin β(4) and β(10) Expression in Human Organs during Development: A Review.
- Momordica charantia (bitter melon) efficacy and safety on glucose metabolism in Korean prediabetes participants: a 12-week, randomized clinical study
- The metabolic effect of Momordica charantia cannot be determined based on the available clinical evidence: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials
- Thymosin beta-4 denotes new directions towards developing prosperous anti-aging regenerative therapies
- Thymosin beta-4 - A potential tool in healing middle ear lesions in adult mammals
- Targeted Deletion of Thymosin Beta 4 in Hepatic Stellate Cells Ameliorates Liver Fibrosis in a Transgenic Mouse Model
- Deficiency of endothelial sirtuin1 in mice stimulates skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity by modifying the secretome.
- Thymosin β4 preserves vascular smooth muscle phenotype in atherosclerosis via regulation of low density lipoprotein related protein 1 (LRP1).
- Thymosin beta-4 participate in antibacterial immunity and wound healing in black tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon.
- Thymosin Beta 4 Inhibits LPS and ATP-Induced Hepatic Stellate Cells via the Regulation of Multiple Signaling Pathways.
- The Pathophysiological Role of Thymosin β4 in the Kidney Glomerulus.
- The preliminary study of exosomes derived from thymosin beta 4-treated adipose-derived stem cells in fat grafting.
- Momordica charantia L.-Diabetes-Related Bioactivities, Quality Control, and Safety Considerations
- Thymosin beta-4 improves endothelial function and reparative potency of diabetic endothelial cells differentiated from patient induced pluripotent stem cells.
- Aberrant Expression of Thymosin Beta-4 Correlates With Advanced Disease and BRAF V600E Mutation in Thyroid Cancer.
- The Role of Tβ4-POP-Ac-SDKP Axis in Organ Fibrosis.
- Thymosin beta 4 alleviates non-alcoholic fatty liver by inhibiting ferroptosis via up-regulation of GPX4
- Thymosin beta-4 prenatal administration improves fetal development and halts side effects due to preterm delivery
- Association between Thymosin beta-4, acute kidney injury, and mortality in patients with sepsis: An observational cohort study
- Adjunctive Thymosin Beta-4 Treatment Influences PMN Effector Cell Function during Pseudomonas aeruginosa-Induced Corneal Infection.
- Utilizing Developmentally Essential Secreted Peptides Such as Thymosin Beta-4 to Remind the Adult Organs of Their Embryonic State-New Directions in Anti-Aging Regenerative Therapies.
- Hypoglycemic efficacy and safety of Momordica charantia (bitter melon) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
- Thymosin-β4 induces angiogenesis in critical limb ischemia mice via regulating Notch/NF-κB pathway
- Thymosin beta 4 attenuates PrP(106-126)-induced human brain endothelial cells dysfunction.
- Antimicrobial Effects of Thymosin Beta-4 and Ciprofloxacin Adjunctive Therapy in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Induced Keratitis.
- The effect of bitter melon (Mormordica charantia) in patients with diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis
- Momordica charantia, a Nutraceutical Approach for Inflammatory Related Diseases
- Thymosin β4: A Multi-Faceted Tissue Repair Stimulating Protein in Heart Injury
- miR-200a mediates protection of thymosin β-4 in cardiac microvascular endothelial cells as a novel mechanism under hypoxia-reoxygenation injury.
- Inhibition of microRNA-34a mediates protection of thymosin beta 4 in endothelial progenitor cells against advanced glycation endproducts by targeting B-cell lymphoma 2.
- Thymosin β-4 is a novel regulator for primary cilium formation by nephronophthisis 3 in HeLa human cervical cancer cells.
- Ethosomal Gel for Improving Transdermal Delivery of Thymosin β-4.
- Thymosin beta 4 regulation of actin in sepsis
- Thymosin beta 4 and the eye: the journey from bench to bedside
- Sources of variability in quantifying circulating thymosin beta-4: literature review and recommendations.
- Thymosin beta-4 overexpression correlates with high-risk groups in gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors: A retrospective analysis by immunohistochemistry.
- Targeted delivery of thymosin beta 4 to the injured myocardium using CREKA-conjugated nanoparticles.
- Thymosin beta-4 regulates activation of hepatic stellate cells via hedgehog signaling.
- Potential role of thymosin beta 4 in the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
- Recombinant adeno-associated virus carrying thymosin β(4) suppresses experimental colitis in mice.
- Adsorption effects of the doping relevant peptides Insulin Lispro, Synachten, TB-500 and GHRP 5.
- Cardioprotection by Thymosin Beta 4
- Thymosin Beta 4: A Potential Novel Therapy for Neurotrophic Keratopathy, Dry Eye, and Ocular Surface Diseases
- Thymosin Beta 4 Is a Potential Regulator of Hepatic Stellate Cells
- Comparison of various in vitro model systems of the metabolism of synthetic doping peptides: Proteolytic enzymes, human blood serum, liver and kidney microsomes and liver S9 fraction.
- Thymosin beta 4 up-regulates miR-200a expression and induces differentiation and survival of rat brain progenitor cells.
- Thymosin β4: multiple functions in protection, repair and regeneration of the mammalian heart
- Thymosin Beta-4 Induces Mouse Hair Growth
- Potential role of thymosin Beta 4 in liver fibrosis
- MALDI-imaging reveals thymosin beta-4 as an independent prognostic marker for colorectal cancer.
- Primary Mechanisms of Thymosin β4 Repair Activity in Dry Eye Disorders and Other Tissue Injuries.
- Thymosin Beta-4 Recombinant Adeno-associated Virus Enhances Human Nucleus Pulposus Cell Proliferation and Reduces Cell Apoptosis and Senescence.
- N-acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline (Ac-SDKP): Potential target molecule in research of heart, kidney and brain.
- Potential for improved glycemic control with dietary Momordica charantia in patients with insulin resistance and pre-diabetes
- Thymosin beta 4 and thymosin beta 10 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma.
- Thymosin β4 enhances the healing of medial collateral ligament injury in rat
- Roles and mechanisms of β-thymosins in cell migration and cancer metastasis: an update.
- Thymosin β4: a multi-functional regenerative peptide. Basic properties and clinical applications
- The regenerative peptide thymosin β4 accelerates the rate of dermal healing in preclinical animal models and in patients
- Thymosin beta 4 ameliorates hyperglycemia and improves insulin resistance of KK Cg-Ay/J mouse
- Thymosin β4: a potential molecular target for tumor therapy.
- No muscle for a damaged heart: thymosin beta 4 treatment after myocardial infarction does not induce myocardial differentiation of epicardial cells.
- Thymosin β4 and cardiac protection: implication in inflammation and fibrosis.
- Thymosins and muscle regeneration.
- Thymosin beta4 and cardiac repair
- Thymosin beta4 enhances repair by organizing connective tissue and preventing the appearance of myofibroblasts
- Thymosin beta4 regulates migration of colon cancer cells by a pathway involving interaction with Ku80.
- Progression of ocular sulfur mustard injury: development of a model system.
- Thymosin beta4 and corneal wound healing: visions of the future.
- Treatment of chronic nonhealing neurotrophic corneal epithelial defects with thymosin beta4.
- Thymosin beta4 is cardioprotective after myocardial infarction
- Thymosin beta 4: A novel corneal wound healing and anti-inflammatory agent
- Adhesive and proteolytic phenotype of migrating endothelial cells induced by thymosin beta-4.
- Localization of thymosin beta-4 in tumors.
- Bitter melon (Momordica charantia): a review of efficacy and safety
- Antimicrobial peptides from human platelets.
- Thymosin beta4 accelerates wound healing
- Thymosin beta 4 stimulates directional migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells.