The Role of Ginger in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients

The Role of Ginger in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients

The change in people’s living environment and lifestyle is the main primary factor that causes health conditions such as diabetes. The number of diabetic patients globally has been increasing steadily, and adults are expected to suffer more from the condition in the future. The increased rate of the type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is among the adults is associated with metabolic syndrome, which is a significant risk factor for the health condition. A metabolic disorder causes type 2 diabetes mellitus. Notably, the disease is associated with variation in blood glucose level as well as resistance to insulin and has no known cure. However, individuals suffering from the condition can manage it effectively and live a fulfilling life. Nevertheless, management of the disease is expensive since it is chronic. Therefore, the healthcare sector has turned to food supplements that have a potential enhancing response to insulin and lowering the level of blood sugar to reduce the financial burden of managing the condition. One of the food supplements with therapeutic value on T2DM is ginger. The paper evaluates the benefits of ginger in treatment and management of T2DM in patients.   

Ginger is among the most popular medicinal herb used in traditional Indian and Chinese communities for many years. The Asian communities used the herb to treat conditions such as primary dysmenorrhea as well as arthritis among others. Ginger has been a promising remedy for T2DM and metabolic syndrome through various pathways and targets (Zhu, Chen, Song, Wang & Sun, 2018) revealed that ginger reduces the level of blood glucose and enhances insulin sensitivity with negligible side effects on patients, making it a promising therapy for T2DM. The findings are supported by the previous study by Daily, Yang, Kim and Park (2015), who indicate that combination of ginger root supplementation with lifestyle and dietary interventions can be useful in managing type 2 diabetes mellitus. They indicate that the herb lowers levels of HbA1c and concentrations of fasting blood glucose.

Patients with T2DM usually experience low-grade inflammation. The inflammations have the potential of causing chronic complications to the patients. Therefore, reduction of the inflammations can significantly reduce the risks of persistent health conditions associated with diabetes. Mahluji, Ostadrahimi, Mobasseri, Attari & Payahoo (2013) studied how ginger affects pro-inflammatory cytokines in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Their findings indicate that oral administration of ginger supplementation reduces inflammation in T2DM patients. The anti-inflammatory effect also reduces pain associated with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid. The anti-inflammatory effect of ginger prevents arachidonic acid metabolism after lipooxygenase and cyclooxygenase pathway inhibition. Therefore, ginger consumption reduces lipid peroxidation as well as oxidation stress.

The cause of lasting health complications in patients with diabetes is the glycemic as well as the lipid abnormalities. Medication for T2DM focuses on regulating levels of the two compounds to prevent complications in patients suffering from the condition. Consequently, scientists have considered the consumption of safe and natural food as the best alternative for managing T2DM instead of conventional medicines. Makhdoomi Arzati et al. (2017) researched the effect of ginger on glucose and lipid levels in persons with T2DM. Their findings indicated that consumption of ginger as a food supplement reduces levels of LDL/HDL ration, HbA1c, as well as FBS in patients with T2DM. The evidence from the study shows the importance of dietary change and food factors in managing diabetes. The study supports findings by Mahluji et al. (2013), who reported a considerable reduction of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and triglyceride in individuals suffering from T2DM and consuming 2 grams of ginger for two months.  However, Mahluji et al. (2013) had conflicting finding on the issues of HbA1c and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Consumption of ginger did not affect the two components in patients with T2DM.

Lipid abnormalities due to insulin resistance and uncontrolled hyperglycemia in patients who have diabetes are critical risk factors for health conditions such as peripheral vascular disease, stroke, and coronary artery illness. Ginger has been a focus of numerous studies as alternative therapy instead of conventional anti-diabetic treatment. Khandouzi et al. (2015) investigated how ginger can help in regulating Hemoglobin A1c, fasting blood sugar, apolipoprotein A-I, and apolipoprotein B in individuals with T2DM. Their finding indicates that oral ginger supplementation considerably reduces levels of fasting blood sugar, Apo B/Apo A-I, HbA1c in patients with T2DM. Notably, the level of HbA1c level increases during diabetes. Ginger promotes clearance of glucose in the insulin-responsive peripheral tissues facilitating maintenance of blood glucose homeostasis. Insulin regulates blood sugar levels (Fritsche, Larbig, Owens & Häring, 2010). Consumption of ginger supplementation increases the activity of serum PON-1 which is considered to have a beneficial impact on patients with T2DM by reducing risks for cardiovascular disease complications (Shidfar et al., 2015). Besides being useful to T2DM patients, increased serum PON-1 reduces glucose concentration, oxidative stress, and inflammation.

Azimi, Ghiasvand, Feizi, Hariri and Abbasi (2015) point out that inflammation, hyperglycemia, and elevated oxidative stress are possible causes of type 2 diabetes mellitus. These factors lead to insulin resistance, which characterizes the T2DM. Unlike other studies that focused solely on ginger, Azimi, Ghiasvand, Feizi, Hariri and Abbasi (2015) included other herbs such as saffron, cinnamon, and cardamom in their research to investigate their effects on patients with T2DM. Contrary to Makhdoomi Arzati et al. (2017), Ghiasvand, Feizi, Hariri and Abbasi (2015) findings never indicate any considerable effects of the herbal therapy on fasting blood sugar and insulin concentration besides HbA1c in T2DM patients. Nevertheless, the study concurs with other researches that ginger has a positive effect on measures of oxidative stress, inflammation, and glycemic control in diabetes patients reducing risks for other complications.

Overweight is another risk factor for T2DM and other chronic metabolic illnesses that may comprise cardiovascular disease and hypertension. Notably, obesity and overweight are associated with resistance to insulin, and that may lead to lipid abnormalities, arterial hypertension, oxidative stress, and hyperglycemia. Therefore, controlling weight can reduce the risk of diabetes. Taghizadeh et al. (2017) indicate that dietary supplement containing ginger extracts, capsaicin, and green tea on overweight women can have a beneficial effect on their weight, body mass index, and insulin metabolism markers.

Conclusion

The increased rate of the type 2 diabetes mellitus is among the adults is associated with metabolic syndrome, which is a significant risk factor for the health condition. A metabolic disorder causes type 2 diabetes mellitus. Notably, the condition is associated with variation in blood glucose level as well as resistance to insulin. Ginger has been a promising treatment for metabolic syndrome and T2DM. Ginger supplement benefits include promoting clearance of glucose in the insulin-responsive peripheral tissues facilitating maintenance of blood glucose homeostasis and reducing levels of LDL/HDL ration, HbA1c, as well as FBS in patients with T2DM. Therefore, people should be encouraged to take ginger supplement irrespective of their health condition in relation to T2DM to not only manage the condition without any side effect but also to prevent the illness and other complications associated with diabetes such as stroke and cardiovascular disease.

References

Azimi, P., Ghiasvand, R., Feizi, A., Hariri, M., & Abbasi, B. (2015). Effects of Cinnamon, Cardamom, Saffron, and Ginger Consumption on Markers of Glycemic Control, Lipid Profile, Oxidative Stress, and Inflammation in Type 2 Diabetes Patients. The Review Of Diabetic Studies, 11(3-4), 258-266. doi: 10.1900/rds.2014.11.258

Daily, J., Yang, M., Kim, D., & Park, S. (2015). Efficacy of ginger for treating Type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Journal Of Ethnic Foods, 2(1), 36-43. doi: 10.1016/j.jef.2015.02.007

Fritsche, A., Larbig, M., Owens, D., & Häring, H. (2010). Comparison between a basal-bolus and a premixed insulin regimen in individuals with type 2 diabetes-results of the GINGER study. Diabetes, Obesity And Metabolism, 12(2), 115-123. doi: 10.1111/j.1463-1326.2009.01165.x

Khandouzi, N., Shidfar, F., Rajab, A., Rahideh, T., Hosseini, P., & Taheri, M. (2015). The Effects of Ginger on Fasting Blood Sugar, Hemoglobin A1c, Apolipoprotein B, Apolipoprotein A-I and Malondialdehyde in Type 2 Diabetic Patients. Iranian Journal Of Pharmaceutical Research, 14(1), 131-140.

Mahluji, S., Attari, V., Mobasseri, M., Payahoo, L., Ostadrahimi, A., & Golzari, S. (2013). Effects of ginger (Zingiber officinale) on plasma glucose level, HbA1c and insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetic patients. International Journal Of Food Sciences And Nutrition, 64(6), 682-686. doi: 10.3109/09637486.2013.775223

Mahluji, S., Ostadrahimi, A., Mobasseri, M., Attari, V., & Payahoo, L. (2013). Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Zingiber Officinale in Type 2 Diabetic Patients. Advanced Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 3(2), 273-276.

Makhdoomi Arzati, M., Mohammadzadeh Honarvar, N., Saedisomeolia, A., Anvari, S., Effatpanah, M., & Makhdoomi Arzati, R. et al. (2017). The Effects of Ginger on Fasting Blood Sugar, Hemoglobin A1c, and Lipid Profiles in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes. International Journal Of Endocrinology And Metabolism, 15(4). doi: 10.5812/ijem.57927

Shidfar, F., Rajab, A., Rahideh, T., Khandouzi, N., Hosseini, S., & Shidfar, S. (2015). The effect of ginger (Zingiber officinale) on glycemic markers in patients with type 2 diabetes. Journal Of Complementary And Integrative Medicine, 12(2). doi: 10.1515/jcim-2014-0021

Taghizadeh, M., Farzin, N., Taheri, S., Mahlouji, M., Akbari, H., Karamali, F., & Asemi, Z. (2017). The Effect of Dietary Supplements Containing Green Tea, Capsaicin and Ginger Extracts on Weight Loss and Metabolic Profiles in Overweight Women: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Annals Of Nutrition And Metabolism, 70(4), 277-285. doi: 10.1159/000471889

Zhu, J., Chen, H., Song, Z., Wang, X., & Sun, Z. (2018). Effects of Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) on Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Components of the Metabolic Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2018, 1-11. doi: 10.1155/2018/5692962