Gymnema – sources, health benefits, nutrients, uses and constituents at NaturalPedia.com

Wednesday, August 23, 2017 by Jhoanna Robinson

Gymnema, which has the scientific names Gymnema sylvestre and G. sylvestris, is a crawling vine, with oval-shaped leaves and yellow flower clusters. The most used part of gymnema would have to be its leaves.

Gymnema has been long used by Ayurvedic medicine practitioners in India. Its Hindi name is Gurmar, which means “destroyer of sugar”.

List of known nutrients

Gymnemic Acid

Medicinal uses for gymnema

According to the University of Michigan Health System, gymnema can be used as treatment for type-1 and type-2 diabetes, constipation, gastrointestinal issues, liver disease, and water retention.

Gymnema can be used to reduce blood sugar levels without lowering it below normal levels by blocking the paths that sugar molecules go through during digestion, delaying sugar absorption. According to a study that was titled Effect of Extended Release Gymnema Sylvestre Leaf Extract that was published in DiabetesInControl.com on Jan. 6, 2011, “Reducing postprandial blood glucose significantly caused a decrease of HbA1c (average blood glucose), therefore reducing the complications of diabetes.”

Gymnema can be used as an effective aid in any weight-loss program. A study that was published in the International Journal of Crude Drug Research showed that rats that were given gymnema lost interest in consuming sweets.

Gymnema has anti-inflammatory properties. Active ingredients in gymnema heighten beneficial liver enzymes and the body’s natural antioxidants to neutralize inflammatory free radicals. As such it addresses inflammatory issues such as arthritis and gout.

Gymnema also helps lower cholesterol levels. It can improve the ratio of high-density lipoprotein or good cholesterol to low-density lipoprotein or bad cholesterol, thus lowering your chances of incurring heart ailments.

Body systems supported by gymnema

Gymnema is good for the female reproductive system. Women who have diabetes and insulin-resistant polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have a harder time than other women when it comes to having a baby; luckily, ingestion of gymnema can change that. It can also address hormonal imbalance and decrease the risk of gestational diabetes in new mothers.

Gymnema is good for the male reproductive system. By reducing blood glucose levels, gymnema addresses the lower sperm count issue in men with high amounts of blood sugar in their bodies.

Gymnema is good for the cardiovascular system. Naturopathic doctor and author of Herbal Medicine From the Heart of the Earth, Dr. Sharon Tilgner, said gymnema decreases the amount of lipids in your bloodstream, thus preventing the onset of atherosclerosis.

Gymnema is good for the digestive system. It has laxative properties that facilitate the smooth exit of waste from the body.

Gymnema is good for the circulatory system. It provides for the smooth flow of blood all over the body.

Ways to use gymnema

Gymnema can be taken via capsules, liquid tincture, loose powder, and tablets. However, you should be careful not to ingest gymnema if you are already taking supplements such as St. John’s wort, aspirin, or white willow bark, for doing so will result in you having extremely low blood pressure levels.