Most sugar friends will pay attention to diet control in their lives, knowing that they should try to eat as little as possible those foods with high sugar content, but for drugs that may cause blood sugar to rise, it may not be so clear. Some chemicals or Western medicines are fine, and there may be corresponding instructions in the instructions. But chinese herbal medicine, there is often not so much information in this regard. So what aspects should diabetics pay attention to when taking Chinese herbal medicine?
Does Chinese herbal medicine affect blood sugar?
1) Herbal ingredients can affect blood sugar
Some people think that Chinese herbal medicine is pure and natural and does not affect blood sugar. But in fact, some of the tonic Chinese herbal ingredients that we think may cause blood sugar to rise in diabetic patients, such as ginseng, licorice, deer antler velvet and other common Chinese herbs, which will cause some diabetic people to increase their blood sugar, which may be related to their glucocorticoid effects. But not everyone who takes it can cause blood sugar to rise. Of course, it is not that the blood sugar can not be given to sugar friends, but it is necessary to monitor the fluctuation of blood sugar, if the impact is too large, you need to consult a doctor whether you can continue to take, or adjust the hypoglycemic drugs for symptomatic adjustment.
2) Chinese proprietary medicine excipients can affect blood sugar
Because Chinese herbal medicine often tastes bitter, many modern sciences will make proprietary Chinese medicines to facilitate people to take. The ingredients of some proprietary Chinese medicines may not affect blood sugar, but some excipients will add powdered sugar, dextrin, syrup and other ingredients, such as granules, honey pills, cough syrup, Chuanbei loquat paste, etc., these ingredients may be because of the sugar and are not conducive to diabetics to take. Similarly, taking these medications requires care to monitor blood sugar.
How can sugar friends safely take Chinese medicine? Keep the following 3 points in mind:
1) Take it after being treated by a professional doctor
Diabetic patients should be treated with Chinese herbal medicine, should be taken after the dialectical treatment of a professional TCM physician, and the doctor should be informed of the diabetes situation when seeking medical treatment, rather than self-medication.
It is worth reminding that there are many people who believe that Chinese medicine can cure diabetes, and are unwilling to take Western medicine to lower diabetes or insulin, which is actually wrong. Because diabetes is a chronic disease, there is no radical cure, if you give up Western medicine and choose Chinese medicine to cure it, it may lead to poor blood sugar control and trigger diabetic lesions.
2) Pay attention to the ingredients and excipients contained
If you choose over-the-counter proprietary Chinese medicine should see the ingredients and excipients in the instructions, try to choose sugar-free exclusive drugs, if you choose sugary or contain ginseng, deer antler velvet, licorice and other traditional Chinese medicine, you should closely monitor blood sugar, it is worth reminding that ginseng, deer antler velvet and other traditional Chinese medicines may have a similar glucocorticoid-like effect on the human body, and glucocorticoids have a very important regulatory effect on the metabolism conversion of sugar and protein in the human body, and its purpose is to protect the blood glucose supply of the brain and the heart in a state of hunger, On the one hand, glucocorticoids can promote the synthesis of glycogens in the liver to store energy, and at the same time, in the outer weeks, it can promote the decomposition and conversion of proteins, resulting in elevated peripheral blood sugar, and the final result may lead to poor blood sugar control in diabetic patients.
3) Regularly monitor blood sugar
Because the composition of traditional Chinese medicine is more complex, sometimes it is difficult to judge whether the drug can cause blood sugar fluctuations, so as not to change, that is, diabetics must develop the habit of regularly monitoring blood sugar, especially after taking drugs or changing eating habits, make adjustments in time to avoid abnormalities, and should stop, change and seek medical treatment in time.
epilogue
In short, blood glucose management is one of the most important things for diabetic friends, timely in taking Chinese herbal medicine should also pay attention to, do not take without authorization, before taking to see the instructions, take attention to monitor blood sugar. Although most of the insulin and hypoglycemic drugs for diabetes treatment are chemicals, researchers are still studying the role of Traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of diabetes, and some Chinese medicines show the potential of lowering sugar, hoping to develop better and safer antidiabetic Chinese medicine formulas in the future.
About author:Fang Jian, obtained the qualification certificate of practicing physician in 2003, the master's degree in pharmacology from Sun Yat-sen University in 2006, and the clinical pharmacist training post certificate of the Ministry of Health in 2012. He is now the deputy chief pharmacist and clinical pharmacist of the top three hospitals. Social appointment: Member of the Rational Drug Use Committee of the Guangdong Pharmacological Society; Member of the Science Popularization Committee of the Guangdong Pharmaceutical Society.
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