Supplement
Salacia reticulata is a woody vine from South Asia whose root and stem contain compounds that slow carbohydrate digestion in the gut. People mostly look at it for blood sugar, and studies found blood glucose improved, with moderate evidence, while HbA1c also improved in one small trial in type 2 diabetes. Still, the HbA1c evidence is limited, and the studies involved fewer than 100 people each.
Sources: PMID 15707755
- Updated
- How we grade
- 4 studies cited
- Best evidence
- Grade B
- Conditions studied
- 2
- Outcomes
- 5
- Graded outcomes
- 0120
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blood glucose Moderate Improvement | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 82 people | |||
| Insulin | Changes; see studies | 3 studies | 82 people | |||
Studies that measured insulin
| ||||||
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HbA1c Small Improvement | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 1 study | 51 people | ||
| Blood glucose Moderate Improvement | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 66 people | |||
| Insulin | Changes; see studies | 3 studies | 66 people | |||
Studies that measured insulin
| ||||||
Key findings
- Blood glucoseImproves (the measure goes down)
- HbA1cImproves (the measure goes down)
Shop the evidence-backed picks
Third-party tested Salacia Reticulata products, in the forms the graded studies used where we can match them.
- Grade B
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Studies cited
4 studies from PubMed
- Effects of a nutritional supplement containing Salacia oblonga extract and insulinogenic amino acids on postprandial glycemia, insulinemia, and breath hydrogen responses in healthy adults
- Effects of a medical food containing an herbal alpha-glucosidase inhibitor on postprandial glycemia and insulinemia in healthy adults
- Extract of Salacia oblonga lowers acute glycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes
- A double blind randomised placebo controlled cross over study of a herbal preparation containing Salacia reticulata in the treatment of type 2 diabetes