Stevia Helps Pancreas Release Insulin--Helpful for Diabetics

[Sourabh Agarwal]

Stevia Helps Pancreas Release Insulin--Helpful for Diabetics


The natural sweetener stevioside, which is found in the plant stevia, has been used for many years in the treatment of diabetes among Indians in Paraguay and Brazil. However, the mechanism for the blood glucose-lowering effect remains unknown.

A study conducted at the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, found that stevioside enhances insulin secretion from mouse pancreatic islets in the presence of glucose. The researchers state, "Stevioside stimulates insulin secretion via a direct action on pancreatic beta cells.

The results indicate that the compounds may have a potential role as an anti-hyperglycemic agent in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus."

Ray Sahelian, M.D., co-author with Donna Gates of The Stevia Cookbook (Avery/Penguin, 1999), says, "Stevia is a wonderful alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners for those who have diabetes.

This study gives us one more reason to recommend diabetics take advantage of this safe, non-calorie herbal sweetener."

Reference: Jeppesen PB, et al. Stevioside acts directly on pancreatic beta cells to secrete insulin. Metabolism 2000 Feb;49(2):208-14.

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[seetharam annadana]

This influence on Pacreas is limited to TYPE-II diabeties only. This does not happen in TYPE-I and in normal users. It is for this reason that Stevia is widely used as a Sweetener between diabetic and non-diabetic consumers.