Botanical dietary supplements and the treatment of diabetes: what is the evidence?

With the increase in cases of diabetes, many patients are using dietary supplements in an attempt to improve diabetes control. It is estimated that one third of patients with diabetes use some type of dietary supplement or complementary and alternative medicine treatment. Dietary supplements have active pharmacologic ingredients that are not only responsible for their theorized mechanisms in lowering blood glucose, but that are also responsible for adverse effects and drug interactions. Clinicians and patients alike should be aware of which botanical products are currently being used in diabetes care and what adverse effects and monitoring parameters should be considered.