Type 2 Diabetes (T2D)Supplements and Vitamins

RESEARCH SUMMARY

Natural products may improve blood sugar and cardiovascular risk markers in type 2 diabetes

Low confidence

some concerns bias

Last updated May 26, 2026

Key takeaway:

This review of nine randomized trials suggests several natural products may improve blood glucose, HbA1c, lipids, blood pressure, and inflammatory markers in type 2 diabetes, but results vary across products and studies are generally small.

Study at a glance

What was studied

A systematic review of nine randomized trials of natural products in type 2 diabetes.

Study type

Systematic Review

duration

Medium-Term (3–12 mo)

Intervention

American ginseng

Outcomes

HbA1c, Blood glucose, Systolic blood pressure

Funding

Non-industry sponsored

Main effects

HbA1c ↓ in several included natural-product RCTs

Blood glucose markers ↓ in multiple studies, with variable magnitude

Cardiometabolic risk markers (lipids, blood pressure, hs-CRP) showed mixed-to-positive shifts

Evidence Summary

Intervention	Outcome	Measured Change	Study Effect
American ginseng (Supplements)	Blood glucose (Glycemic Control)	Decrease	Mixed
American ginseng (Supplements)	HbA1c (Glycemic Control)	Decrease	Mixed
American ginseng (Supplements)	Systolic blood pressure (Metabolic Health)	Decrease	Limited

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Evidence Suggest

The review included nine randomized human trials and reported favorable trends for several natural products.
Effects were not uniform across all interventions and outcomes.
Small sample sizes and heterogeneous protocols reduced overall certainty.

Who this applies to

Adults with type 2 diabetes in outpatient settings

Keep in Mind

This paper synthesizes multiple trials rather than testing one new intervention directly.

Between the Lines

Systematic review design, not a single primary intervention trial
Heterogeneous interventions, doses, and outcomes
Generally small trial sizes
Limited standardization for pooled interpretation

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Journal Reference

Shrivastav D, Kumbhakar SK, Srivastava S, Singh DD. Natural product-based treatment potential for type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. World J Diabetes. 2024;15(7):1603-1614. doi:10.4239/wjd.v15.i7.1603

Sources

Ranked by clinical relevance and evidence quality.

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Key References

Most relevant evidence and guidance related to this research.

Guideline

Driver's License Information | ADA

Individuals with type 1 diabetes and those with type 2 diabetes at risk for low blood glucose should take steps to avoid lows when driving.

Guideline

Abaloparatide Followed by Alendronate Shows Promising Results for Women With Osteoporosis, T2D | American Association of Clinical Endocrinology

Abaloparatide followed by alendronate treatment may improve bone mineral density (BMD) in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis and type 2 diabetes (T2D), according to study results presented at the AACE 28th Annual Scientific & Clinical Congress.

Guideline

Connecting the Dots: Diabetes, CKD, and CVD Pathways | American Association of Clinical Endocrinology

Connecting the Dots: Diabetes, CKD, and CVD Pathways enhances clinical understanding of the interconnected conditions of type 2 diabetes (T2D), chronic kidney disease (CKD), and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Strengthen recognition of shared pathophysiology, apply evidence-based risk assessment and treatment strategies, and improve care coordination through timely and appropriate referrals to drive better outcomes for patients with complex cardiometabolic conditions with this FREE course.

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