Kombucha may help control blood sugar in Type 2 diabetics: study

food drink

To Emily Lefroy

August 1, 2023 | 7:24 PM

SCOBY may look pretty awful, but new research suggests that the clumps of bacteria and yeast may help lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

The study found that participants who consumed 8 ounces of kombucha for four weeks saw their blood sugar levels drop from 164 to 116 milligrams per deciliter.

Scientists at Georgetown University, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the nonprofit MedStar Health reported the findings on Tuesday. Frontiers in Nutrition Journal.

Kombucha, a fermented, sweetened black tea drink made from a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast, is good for your health, based on claims that it boosts immunity and energy levels, suppresses appetite and reduces intestinal inflammation. has long been advertised.

“Several laboratory and rodent studies of kombucha have shown promise, and one small study in people without diabetes showed that kombucha lowered blood sugar levels. said co-author of the study Dan Melenstein, Ph.D., of the Georgetown School of Health. said in a statement.

“But to our knowledge, this is the first clinical trial to look at the effects of kombucha in people with diabetes,” he continued. “We need to do more research, but this is very promising.”

In the study, one group drank kombucha and another drank a placebo drink.

No one was told which drinks we received.

After a two-month period to “wash out” the biological effects of the beverages, the mixture was exchanged between groups and the groups were instructed to drink the new mixture for four weeks.

The placebo drink did not appear to have any effect on blood sugar levels.

The American Diabetes Association advises fasting blood sugar levels between 80 and 130 milligrams per deciliter.

Attendees drank kombucha made by Craft Kombucha, a commercial manufacturer in the Washington, DC area.

The study authors noted that different brands of kombucha contain slightly different mixtures of microorganisms.

“However, the key bacteria and yeasts were highly reproducible and likely functionally similar across brands and batches, which was encouraging for our study,” said the study’s senior author. said Dr. Robert Hutkins.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and PreventionMore than 37 million Americans have diabetes, of which 90% to 95% have type 2 diabetes.

About 96 million American adults (more than 1 in 3) have prediabetes.

“Diabetes itself is the eighth leading cause of death in the United States and is also a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke and kidney failure,” said lead study author Dr. Chagai Mendelsohn.

Mendelsohn said more research is needed to assess the effects of kombucha on diabetes.

“Learning lessons learned from this trial, a larger study will be conducted to provide more definitive answers about the effectiveness of kombucha in lowering blood sugar levels, thereby helping to prevent and treat type 2 diabetes. I hope so,” he said. Added.