karela bitter melon tablets

BioHaZarD

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I have been taking cinnamon tablets everyday for the last 3 months, which I am sure is working(ish) I today received my Bitter Melon tablets this morning.

My levels today have been. With 2+ hour after food

Pre breakfast - 5.1
Post breakfast - 5.7
Tablets arrived so took one before having anything for lunch.
Pre lunch - 4.8
Post lunch - 4.9
Pre dinner - 4.9

It maybe a pure coincidence as I have been pretty good with food but I have not had a below 5.0 for many weeks.
 

GraceK

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That looks pretty impressive, I've heard that the cinammon and bitter melon supplements are good for lowering BG and I'd like to try them. Are you allowed to post here what brand you use and where you get them from? That would be really helpful. :)
 

andrew_333

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GraceK said:
That looks pretty impressive, I've heard that the cinammon and bitter melon supplements are good for lowering BG and I'd like to try them. Are you allowed to post here what brand you use and where you get them from? That would be really helpful. :)

Yes please :D I'm also interested in taking supplements and have ordered cinnamon and gymnema from Puritan's Pride, but bitter lemon capsules seem much more expensive and I haven't decided on a source. I'm always delighted when others are willing to share the benefit of their experience, and hope to do the same myself when I have more experience. :)
 

GraceK

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Yes please :D I'm also interested in taking supplements and have ordered cinnamon and gymnema from Puritan's Pride, but bitter lemon capsules seem much more expensive and I haven't decided on a source. I'm always delighted when others are willing to share the benefit of their experience, and hope to do the same myself when I have more experience. :)[/quote]

Andrew I've just looked at Amazon and found that they sell both cinammon and bitter melon by Swanson which I think is a reputable company. They're relatively cheap too compared to others. I'll check out Puritan's Pride also. Thanks. :)
 

BioHaZarD

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GraceK said:
Yes please :D I'm also interested in taking supplements and have ordered cinnamon and gymnema from Puritan's Pride, but bitter lemon capsules seem much more expensive and I haven't decided on a source. I'm always delighted when others are willing to share the benefit of their experience, and hope to do the same myself when I have more experience. :)

Andrew I've just looked at Amazon and found that they sell both cinammon and bitter melon by Swanson which I think is a reputable company. They're relatively cheap too compared to others. I'll check out Puritan's Pride also. Thanks. :)[/quote]

It's the Himalaya Karela(Bitter Melon) tablets, I got them from Amazon, there are numerous makes and sellers on amazon for this. So here is a random one I found.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Himalaya-Karela-Tablets-diabetes-mellitus/dp/B000N33SS0

I think the one I got was shipped from inda, but the links the same bottle,
 

BioHaZarD

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I got my cinnamon tablets from NutriCentre shop, also from Holland and Barret.
 

Amitadoshi

Newbie
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2
I make bitter melon...karela juice every 2 days.. Blood Sugar reduced from 12 to 7.6 in 4 months... And no damage to your organs...... If you can not dr ink the juice...please have tablets... I do. Not understand why NHS do not prescribe these??????will save lot of money...instead of metformin, glicizide, pioglitazone...and insulin injection... I am on all these for 25 years and I am sure karela has reduced my sugar level...cheap and it works...
 

izzzi

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Hi, Amitadoshi :)

Welcome to the forum.

How do you make bitter melon--karela juice, That sounds interesting.

Roy, :)
 

zanc

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Picked the following article after a Google search.

http://www.punjabnn.com/2010/07/08/top- ... ela-juice/

I'd like to try karela juice, but I'd also like to know how it works. Does it make you less insulin resistant, or increase your insulin production (perhaps at the expense of stressing out what's left of your pancreas), or does it actually "cure" your diabetes by correcting your metabolism. The above side effect seems to be particularly problematic.
 

makka

Active Member
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27
From Wiki on the T'internet

In 1962, Lolitkar and Rao extracted from the plant a substance, which they called charantin, which had hypoglycaemic effect on normal and diabetic rabbits.[25] Another principle, active only on diabetic rabbits, was isolated by Visarata and Ungsurungsie in 1981 Bitter melon has been found to increase insulin sensitivity. In 2007, a study by the Philippine Department of Health determined a daily dose of 100 mg per kilogram of body weight is comparable to 2.5 mg/kg of the antidiabetes drug glibenclamide taken twice per day. Tablets of bitter melon extract are sold in the Philippines as a food supplement and exported to many countries.
Other compounds in bitter melon have been found to activate the AMPK, the protein that regulates glucose uptake (a process which is impaired in diabetics).
Bitter melon also contains a lectin that has insulin-like activity due to its nonprotein-specific linking together to insulin receptors. This lectin lowers blood glucose concentrations by acting on peripheral tissues and, similar to insulin's effects in the brain, suppressing appetite. This lectin is likely a major contributor to the hypoglycemic effect that develops after eating bitter melon. As bitter melon is extremely bitter if eaten raw, it must be cooked to make it palatable. A simple recipe for bitter melon can help diabetics
 

kevinf1967

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45
Type of diabetes
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Tablets (oral)
Cinamon... don't need to take a supplement unless you don't like the taste i add it to my porridge on a morning nicer tasting.. i take the swanson bitter melon tablets not sure if they are working yet keep testing but i have a feeling they are.
 
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amandajane

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I have been taking Karela since a herbalist advised them in August - along with other supplements - cinnamon, alpha lipoic acid, chromium, turmeric and gemnema sylvestre (and others) I have reduced my Hb1ac from almost 9 to 6.5. I had run out of Karela recently and my blood sugars were in the 6's on waking - now I am taking these, they are back in the 4's or 5's. It might be coincidence but I wouldn't stop taking them.
 
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amandajane said:
I have been taking Karela since a herbalist advised them in August - along with other supplements - cinnamon, alpha lipoic acid, chromium, turmeric and gemnema sylvestre (and others) I have reduced my Hb1ac from almost 9 to 6.5. I had run out of Karela recently and my blood sugars were in the 6's on waking - now I am taking these, they are back in the 4's or 5's. It might be coincidence but I wouldn't stop taking them.

I'm newly diagnosed so am quite curious about these natural remedies. Do you take any other medication such as Metformin & did you check with your GP before taking them?
Thanks


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Karela has reduced my BG levels and I take less insulin.Also powdered CINNAMON with my breakfast cereals also reduces BG levels.Another vegetable which reduces BG level is Okra (ladies fingers)
 

MCMLXXIII

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Cinnamon you have to get the right type! Look for Cassia, NOT Celylon.
It has some paarmeceutical companies in a real tizz as they can't replicate it's qualities and sell it.
It's also excellent at lowering Cholesterol.
Be advised however of the courmarin levels which although minor some argue can be toxic,
One way to kill the courmarin its to strain the cinnamon into a tea leaving the bark behind, this way you get the goodness of the cinnamon without the toxic coumarin.
Of course tablet form may already have taken care of this, but Cinnamon is so cheap!
Gymnema I swear by, it's bloody brilliant and as note before can stimulate beta cell growth in the Pancreas, which is great for type 2.
Bitter melon is also potent and safe but I agree more expensive and from Himlilaya herbals has to be taken with each meal if memory serves me correctly.
I don't take metformin.
 

mo1905

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Did anyone tell their doctors prior to taking these supplements ? If so, we're they in agreement ?
My only worry would be going too low. Do you reduce insulin or any other conventional meds ? I'm thinking of ordering some but my blood glucose is pretty good at present so don't want to spoil things. Thanks
 

MCMLXXIII

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Always best to tell the doctor,
I would start off with any of the alternative meds by monitoring yourself closely, i don't just mean with you're blood monitor either.
Its vital you listen to your body and stop if you experience any complications.
Since my last post i ceased taking cinnamon as it really had no effect on me at all.
Fenugreek is also highly rated.
As i don't take insulin I'm afraid i cant help you with that.

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