August 1st 2023.
Kombucha is a fermented tea drink that has become increasingly popular in the last few years. Its potential health benefits have scientists calling for large trials to examine whether it can help reduce blood sugar levels among patients with type 2 diabetes.
To explore this possibility, a team of researchers from the US conducted a ‘feasibility study’ on 12 type 2 diabetes patients. Half of them were asked to drink about 8 ounces of kombucha every day for four weeks, while the other half were given a placebo, or dummy, drink. After a two-month break, they swapped over and drank kombucha or a placebo for four weeks.
The study found that kombucha appeared to lower average fasting blood glucose levels after a month. This was determined by taking a blood sample from participants who had not eaten for at least eight hours. The group consuming the placebo, however, showed no difference.
The results of this small study were recently published in Frontiers in Nutrition, and the authors called for a larger trial to confirm and expand upon their findings. Professor Dan Merenstein from Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington DC said: “Some laboratory and rodent studies of kombucha have shown promise and one small study in people without diabetes showed kombucha lowered blood sugar, but to our knowledge this is the first clinical trial examining effects of kombucha in people with diabetes. A lot more research needs to be done but this is very promising.”
He added, “A strength of our trial was that we didn’t tell people what to eat because we used a crossover design that limited the effects of any variability in a person’s diet.”
With more research, kombucha may prove to have significant health benefits for type 2 diabetes patients. Until then, it is important that people consult with their doctor before making changes to their diet or lifestyle.
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