Type 2 diabetes, a condition marked by unstable blood sugar levels, can cause considerable harm to the body. However, incorporating certain foods into one's diet can help regulate these blood sugar levels.
A remarkable study revealed that a common vegetable can reduce high blood sugar levels by up to 50 per cent. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas fails to produce sufficient insulin to control blood sugar levels, or the body's cells don't effectively use the insulin produced.
According to the NHS, early signs of type 2 diabetes can include extreme fatigue, constant thirst, or unexplained weight loss - but there are things you can do to help.
Other symptoms can include:
- blurred vision
- cuts or wounds taking longer to heal
- itching around your genitals, or you keep getting thrush
These symptoms are identical for both adults and children. Insulin plays a crucial role in managing blood sugar - the primary type of sugar found in our blood. Without this regulation, blood sugar levels can skyrocket to hazardous heights.
Fortunately, an effective solution may be closer than we think. Research presented at The Endocrine Society's 97th annual meeting in San Diego showed that extract from onion bulbs, Allium cepa, significantly decreased high blood glucose (sugar) in diabetic rats when administered alongside the anti-diabetic medication metformin.
"Onion is cheap and readily available and has been used as a nutritional supplement," stated lead investigator Anthony Ojieh, MBBS (MD), MSc, from Delta State University in Abraka, Nigeria. "It holds potential for use in treating patients with diabetes."
Mr. Ojieh and his team administered metformin along with varying doses of onion extract - 200mg, 400mg, and 600mg per kilogram of body weight daily - to three groups of rats with medically induced diabetes to test if it would enhance the drug's effectiveness.
The study also involved giving metformin and onion extract to three groups of non-diabetic rats with normal blood sugar levels for comparison purposes. Two control groups, one non-diabetic and one diabetic, did not receive either metformin or onion extract.
Another two groups, one with diabetes and one without, were given only metformin and no onion extract. Each group consisted of five rats.
Onion extract, at doses of 400mg and 600mg, significantly lowered fasting blood sugar levels in diabetic rats by 50% and 35% respectively, compared to their baseline levels at the beginning of the study before receiving onion extract, as reported by Mr. Ojieh.
However, onion extract resulted in an increase in average weight among non-diabetic rats but not in diabetic ones. Mr. Ojieh commented: "Onion is not high in calories."
He added, "However, it seems to increase the metabolic rate and, with that, to increase the appetite, leading to an increase in feeding. We need to investigate the mechanism by which onion brought about the blood glucose reduction. We do not yet have an explanation."
The onion extract used in the study was made from a commonly found supermarket onion bulb. Before being administered to humans, it would be purified so that only the active components are measured for accurate dosing, explained Mr Ojieh.
The National Health Service (NHS) has given some advice: "A healthy diet and keeping active will help you manage your blood sugar level. It'll also help you control your weight and generally feel better."
To maintain proper blood sugar levels, the NHS suggests a diet rich in diverse foods, including veggies like onions. "Keep sugar, fat and salt to a minimum," the NHS further advised.
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