If you’re at all active on social media, you’ve probably come across detox tea.

Promoted by everyone from fitness models to celebrities to the girl from down the street, it sounds like a pretty sweet deal.

Just drink this special tea every day and it will:

• burn fat fast
• crush your appetite
• boost energy levels
• improve skin health
• flush out harmful toxins

In other words, you’ll look, feel, and function better and all you have to do is sip some tea!

Too bad it’s not true…

Don’t get me wrong, I love tea.  I’m an avid Matcha drinker and research has shown that drinking tea, especially Green Tea, may convey a variety of health benefits.

But the majority of the claims attached to weight-loss and detox teas are completely unfounded.

Not only is the quality of the actual tea usually poor with these kinds of products, but the added ingredients have never been proven to do anything.

The companies that produce them just make the claims, pay the celebrities and social media influencers to promote it, then sit back and watch the money pour in.

And pour in it does!

With many detox teas running upwards of $40 or $50 for a 30 day supply, while being extremely cheap to produce, it’s quite a profitable business.

Unfortunately, we live in a marketing-driven world where people tend to confuse price with value.

You know…

“it’s expensive so it must work!”

This may be true sometimes, but sadly, that’s not the case with detox teas.  They’re all a waste of time and money, and in this article, I’ll explain why.

Don’t worry though, I won’t leave you hanging…

I’ll also introduce you to some scientifically proven strategies to help you lose weight, burn fat, feel more energized, and be healthier in general.

Sound good?  Awesome.  Let’s dive right in…

What Is Detox Tea?

Detox tea is the latest craze to flood your Instagram and Twitter feeds.

It’s essentially ordinary tea with some ‘active ingredients’ which are supposed to do things like flush out toxins and cause you to lose weight.

If you take a look at the supplement facts panel of any detox tea, you’ll see a bunch of herbal ingredients such as:

• Ginger
• Dandelion
• Valerian Root
• Ginseng
• Fruit/Berry Extracts
• Peppermint
• Milk Thistle
• Yerba Mate

The list goes on, but these are some of the most common detox tea ingredients.

While the exact composition of the tea may change depending on the brand and the specific function of the product (i.e. weight-loss, relaxation, energy, etc.), you’ll find that most of these products are pretty similar.

The same basic blend of cheap tea and a bunch of obscure herbal ingredients that are supposed to promote weight-loss and flush out toxins.

Some of these herbal ingredients have been shown to do things like support liver health and improve energy levels, but then there’s the issue of dosing…

Many of the herbal ingredients that detox teas claim to contain taste absolutely terrible, so it’s tough to mix them into teas without making the tea taste terrible.

That is, unless you just sprinkle a negligible amount in there to say it’s in there.

That’s exactly what most of these companies do.

They start with a base of cheap tea, sprinkle it with a blend of trendy (but useless) herbal ingredients, and sell it for 20 times what it costs to make.

Sadly, most of that money gets funneled back into marketing, influencing, and fake reviews so they can keep the scam going.

Real customers don’t usually fall for the same detox tea more than once.  You may try a few brands, but soon enough you realize nothing is happening.

So, what is detox tea?  It’s a scam, plain and simple.

Detox Tea Won’t Actually Help You Lose Weight (Sorry)

“But this girl I follow on Instagram drank it and lost 20 pounds in 2 months!”

Yeah, I know…

If you read the reviews, you’ll see a ton of people claiming similar stories.  Some of those reviews are fake, but some of them are real as well.

What they tend to leave out though, is that many of these teas recommend severely cutting your calorie intake.

So it’s not the magical blend of herbal ingredients that’s making you lose weight.  It’s starvation.

At it’s core, weight-loss still boils down to calories in vs. calories out.

No substance–whether it be a tea, supplement, drug, or anything else–can cause you to lose weight if you’re not burning more calories than you’re consuming.

With obesity rates on the rise, officially reaching epidemic levels world-wide, a ton of scientific research has been conducted in the area of weight-loss.

And guess what?

It all unanimously indicates that you cannot escape the law of energy balance.

In other words…It is physically impossible to lose weight if you don’t burn more calories than you consumeClick to Tweet

That’s why most detox teas require that you cut back on your calories while drinking the tea.  It’s not the tea that’s making you lose the weight.  It’s the fact that you’ve cut your calorie intake.

Try doing the same thing without the tea and you’ll see the exact same results.  The tea makes no meaningful difference.  I promise…

Does Detox Tea Help With Water Weight?

One of the central claims made by companies who produce detox teas is that they’ll cause you to shed water weight and be less bloated.

Many of these teas contain diuretics which may cause you to expel water (in the form of urine), but this isn’t really weight-loss though.

It’s just dehydration.

As soon as you stop drinking the tea, the water weight will come right back.

Cutting your carbohydrate intake will also cause you to lose a lot of water weight because carbs hold water.  But again, as soon as you resume your normal eating habits, the weight will come back.

If you want to lose weight AND keep that weight off for good, dehydrating yourself through the use of diuretics is NOT a viable strategy.

Neither is starving yourself.

Luckily, there are some scientifically proven ways for you to burn fat and lose weight without using expensive teas that don’t actually do anything on their own.

How To Actually Burn Fat And Lose Weight (Without Detox Teas)

Detox teas may not help you lose weight, but that’s okay.  There are a few simple ways to do that without wasting your hard-earned cash.

• Diet – place yourself in a caloric deficit and up your protein intake.
• Exercise – lifts weights and do some cardio here and there
• Supplements – use fat-loss supplements that have actually been proven to work.

Now, let’s break those things down in a little more detail.

1 | Eat Fewer Calories But More Protein

Like I said earlier, there’s no escaping the laws of energy balance.

It’s the underlying factor that dictates how much weight you can physically lose in a given amount of time.

You’re in a positive energy balance when you’re eating more calories than you’re burning.  Maintain a positive energy balance for a prolonged period of time and you’ll gain wait.

You’re in a negative energy balance when you’re eating fewer calories than you’re burning.  Maintain a negative energy balance for a prolonged period of time and you’ll lose weight.

Simple, right?  And I didn’t just make it up like the claims about detox tea!

Research has confirmed that the only way to lose weight is by eating less calories than you burn (i.e. maintaining a negative energy balance) for an extended period of time.

The fewer calories you consume relative to what you burn, the faster you’ll lose weight.

It’s not wise to cut your calories too much, though.

Research also shows that cutting calories by too much can slow your metabolic rate, effectively causing your body to ‘hold on to’ more calories.

So, you don’t want to cut your calories by 50% or something crazy like that.

You want to dial your calories back enough to lose weight at a decent rate, but not so much that:

1. You can’t maintain it
2. It significantly lowers your metabolic rate

cutting your calorie intake by 20% is a good place to start.  25% if you want to be aggressive about it.

A key facet of getting a leaner, more defined physique–as opposed to just being skinny and bony–is maintaining (or building) lean muscle mass.

That goes for guys AND girls.

Eating protein is absolutely essential for building muscle and if you want a killer body, you want to put on some muscle.

Even if you’re trying to lose weight, you still want to at least preserve lean muscle mass.  The goal is to eliminate fat, never muscle.

Studies show that eating a high protein diet can preserve lean muscle mass during a caloric deficit.

Anytime you place yourself in a caloric deficit, it’s a good idea to up your protein so you don’t lose muscle.

Dial back your calorie intake by around 20% and up your protein intake to around 1 gram per pound of body weight, maybe a little more if you want.

That means if you weigh 150 lbs, you want to eat at least 150 grams of protein per day.

Now that we’ve got the diet part down, let’s talk about working out…

2 | Workout For Maximum Fat Loss

Next, you need to develop a workout routine that emphasizes fat-loss.

You may think that means doing a lot of cardio (running, biking, etc.), but research indicates a combination of weight-lifting and cardio is ideal for weight-loss.

The absolute best workout routine for burning fat and losing weight is one that features:

• Heavy, compound weight-lifting
• High Intensity Interval Training (Cardio)

Research has shown that High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is the best kind of cardio for fat-loss, but any kind of additional cardio will help you lose weight.

Most people, including me, prefer HIIT to steady state cardio because it’s quicker and less boring.

As for the heavy, compound lifting part…

Your workouts should feature exercises like

• Deadlifts
• Squats
• Bench Press
• Military Press
• Barbell Rows

These are all compound exercises, meaning they recruit more muscle groups than isolation exercises like curls and push-downs.

These kinds of exercises not only burn more  calories, but are also better for building muscle.

So, if you really want to lose weight, you want to do a combination of heavy, compound weight-lifting and some form of high intensity cardio (like HIIT).

3 | Use Weight-Loss Supplements That Actually Work

Most supplements marketed as fat-burners don’t actually work, but there are some that do.

Here’s the thing:No supplement is going to magically make you lose weight if you don’t alter your diet and/or exercise.Click to Tweet

Diet and exercise are what make the biggest difference when it comes to managing your body weight.  There’s just no denying that.

A pill that magically makes you lose weight sounds great, but it doesn’t exist.

That said, there are actually some supplements out there that can tip the fat-loss needle in your favor.

Caffeine

Caffeine forms the basis of many stimulant-based fat-burners, but it does more than just increase energy levels.

By triggering the release of Catecholamines–a group of fat-burning hormones produced by your body–Caffeine increases your metabolic rate (the amount of calories you burn).

Different people have different tolerances to Caffeine, but research shows that the fat-loss effects occur anywhere from 100-400mg.

Most people will find their ideal dose of Caffeine within that range.

Synephrine

Synephrine is a mild stimulant which is found naturally in Bitter Orange.

It functions similarly to the once extremely popular (now banned) weight-loss supplement, Ephedrine, but research indicates it’s much safer.

Like Ephedrine, Synephrine is a beta-receptor agonist. That’s just a scientific way of saying it stimulates lipolysis (fat-breakdown).

Synephrine can actually increase the amount of calories you burn at rest.

50mg is an effective (and safe) dose of Synephrine.

Rauwolscine

Rauwolscine, also known as Alpha-Yohimbine, is probably the most powerful natural fat-burning supplement there is.

It works by blocking the action of alpha receptors in fat tissue.  These receptors are ordinarily responsible for putting a stop to lipolysis (fat-breakdown).

By blocking alpha-receptors, Rauwolscine allows you to burn more fat during your workouts than would otherwise normally be possible.

It works best on an empty stomach and is especially effective when combined with fasted cardio (or any kind of fasted training).

Rauwolscine requires just 1-3mg to work.  It should be taken just before your workout (on an empty stomach).

 Cirsium Oligophyllum

Although Cirsium Oligophyllum is relatively new on the supplement seen, preliminary studies indicate that--unlike Detox Teas with bogus ingredients--it can actually induce Lipolysis (fat breakdown) and energy expenditure.

Currently, studies are limited to mice, but the results have been quite impressive with subjects losing considerable amounts of weight in a relatively short period of time.

Fortunately, we know exactly how Cirsium Oligophyllum works and it's a mechanism of action that is well established in the eyes of science--offering further credibility to this obscure herb.

Cirsium Oligophyllum copntains specific alkaloids which up regulate Un-Coupling Protein 1 (UPC1)--a mind of mitochondrial switch which induces fat loss when activated.

By activating this protein, Cirsium Oligophyllum causes fat to breakdown at an accelerated rate and researchers have concluded that it may very well be an effective tool against weight gain and helpful for fat-loss.

That's exactly why we added Cirsium Oligophyllum to our comprehensive fat-burner which we believe to be the absolute best on the market.

Detox Tea Won’t Actually Remove Toxins From Your Body

If you’re diabetic, you’re already well aware of just how vital Insulin is within the human body, but let’s brush up a little, just in case…

Insulin is a peptide hormone, comprised of over 50 amino acids in a specific sequence, secreted by your Pancreas in response to food consumption.  

It’s primary job is to drive glucose (sugar) into your muscle cell, fat cells, and liver.

Additionally, Insulin triggers the body to stop burning fat and instead start storing it.  This makes intuitive sense if you think about it for a moment…

Body fat is simply stored energy so, when you eat, your body has no reason to burn it…so it stores it for later.  This goes back to the evolution of man, when meals weren't promised and storing fat is what kept us alive during hard times.

Well, fast-forward a few thousand years and someone we're in the midst of an Obesity epidemic that seems to be getting worse and worse.

Most people are unaware that Insulin triggers fat storage but, in all honesty, the reason why so many people (in America and certain other countries) are so fat these day has amuch to do with poor Insulin Sensitivity.

Guzzling sugary drinks and eating way more carbs than necessary all day every day keeps our Insulin levels high, resulting in fat storage over time.

Unfortunately, the negative impact of secreting a bunch of Insulin doesn’t end with an increased likelihood of fat accumulation.  It gets a lot worse…

INSULIN RESISTANCE/SENSITIVITY

Insulin Resistance occurs when the Pancreas is forced to produce more and more Insulin.  Generally speaking, this is diet-induced.  

If you eat bags of chips and drink soda all day, even if you don’t think you’re consuming many calories, you could be massively spiking your Insulin levels by simply consuming too many sugars (carbs).

The magnitude and the frequency of those Insulin spikes will determine your Insulin Sensitivity.  The more Insulin you force your body to produce, the more resistance you become.

In other words: Insulin Sensitivity is simply the opposite of Insulin Resistance.  

The more sensitive your are to Insulin, the less Insulin your body is required to produce.  Most of those guys (or girls) you see in the gym who are freakishly cut have great Insulin Sensitivity.

Human beings are genetically predisposed to different levels of Insulin Resistance, but anyone can reduce Insulin Resistance and improve Insulin Sensitivity in a few ways:

• Exercise
• Nutrition
• Supplements

Diabetes is a widely misunderstood condition by those who don’t suffer from it.

 

Perhaps if more people were aware just how easy to it to slip into a state of increasing Insulin Resistance, eventually resulting in Adult Onset Diabetes, they might make some lifestyle changes early on to avoid it.

Lucky for you, not only are we going to talk to about what it means to be Insulin Resistance, overweight, and potentially Diabetic, but we'll also talk about ways to reverse these conditions.

So, if you value your health, by all means, read on...

DIABETES

Generally speaking, a person is Diabetic when the ability of the Pancreas to produce Insulin is severely reduced or completely non-existent.

Although the progression of Diabetes varies from person to person and generally takes time to develop.

It’s not simple “contracted” like other diseases, but make no mistake, it is a serious, deadly disease and must be treated accordingly.

TYPE 1 DIABETES

Type 1 Diabetes is when, for reasons unknown, the body’s immune system destroys/damages the Pancreatic beta-cells that traditionally produce Insulin, rendering the body unable to produce Insulin or only able to produce a tiny amount.  Insulin injections are typically required to compensate.

About 5-10% of Diabetics are Type 1.  It usually develops in childhood or young adulthood but can happen at any time, technically.

TYPE 2 DIABETES

Type 2 Diabetes, sometimes referred to as “Adult Onset Diabetes” makes up the other 90% of Diabetics.  Just like Type 1, Type 2 Diabetes is characterized by an inability of Insulin to do its job, but for a different reason.  

The Pancreas is able to secrete Insulin, but the body is unable to use it efficiently.  Most of the time, Insulin injections are required although the amount needed differs significantly..

There are also several oral drugs and supplements which lower blood glucose or augment Insulin signaling, but we’ll discuss those later.

First, let's talk about exercise and how it impact blood sugar.

EXERCISE AND BLOOD SUGAR

When you exercise, you increase the demand for energy, your body’s preferred source of which is Glucose (sugar), of course.

One of Insulin’s primary roles (it does have many others) is to drive Glucose into muscle tissue, fat tissue, and the liver.  

Without it, you’re ability to handle the nutrients (carbs and protein) you’re eating would be severely hindered.  

As if that's not bad enough, If you’re blood sugar gets too high (hyperglycemic) or drops too low (hypoglycemic), a multitude of complications can occur, from ridiculously frequent urination to death.

Exercise has been proven time and time again to have a beneficial impact on blood Glucose levels and Insulin sensitivity.

Nutrition and Supplements aside…

Exercising regularly is the single most effective thing you can do to avoid developing Diabetes later in life.

This is simply because when you exercise you burn carbs and fat which would otherwise just build up over time.

NUTRITION

It should come as no surprise that early human beings—the one’s that spent 12 hours a day running and hunting—had virtually no likelihood of developing Diabetes. 

It probably happened randomly (Type 1 can be pretty random), but for the most part, our modern diet is what has caused this dramatic spike in Diabetes rates.

Much of the childhood Obesity epidemic—which is of course directly correlated with the childhood Diabetes epidemic—is believed to be due to the ridiculous amount of sugary drinks and snacks consumed by children regularly

It’s gotten to the point where kids don’t even want water anymore unless it's sweet!

“Ew!  Gimme Something Sweet!” says your 3 year old kid. 

You take a look in the fridge and see some juice...

“Juice is made from fruit so it’s all good” you tell yourself.

Well, that may be true, but the macro-nutrient content of any fruit is predominantly simple sugar (Fructose) and unless it’s an actual piece of fruit with Fiber in it to reduce the speed of absorption, all that juice is doing is spiking little Jimmy’s Insulin levels through the roof.

That's right, juice is just as sugary and bad for you as most sodas.

Give him his juice day after day and it’s only a matter of time until little Jimmy develops Type 2 Diabetes.

The most important thing you can do to reduce the likelihood of you or your child from developing Type 2 Diabetes is cut out the sugary drinks throughout the day.

 All that sugar forces the Pancreas to produce more and more Insulin until finally it's all tapped out and just says “forget it, I’m done!”, and you’re suddenly you or your child is Diabetic.

Once that happens, you’re only hope is to eat healthy and exercise regularly like you never have before. 

What most people don’t realize is that Diabetes, especially Type 2 Diabetes, can be well-managed to the point that you can live a perfectly healthy lifestyle.

It’s just that most pharmaceutical companies would rather sell you a bunch of Insulin and just tell you keep taking it, rather than admit there are perfectly natural ways to reduce your dependence on Insulin and control your blood sugar.

Well, that’s what we’re here for!  Which brings us to our next area of managing Blood Sugar, Insulin Sensitivity, and Diabetes…

Let's dive into the science of some of the most effective blood glucose-reducing supplements, some of which have actually beat Diabetes drugs in terms of efficacy in terms of clinical trials.

3 ALL NATURAL SUPPLEMENTS THAT LOWER BLOOD SUGAR

There’s a lot of anti-supplement propaganda out there, mostly proliferated by pharmaceutical companies who feel threatened by the fact that some supplements have been scientifically proven to given certain pharmaceutical medication a run for their money (in terms of efficacy).

The truth is, there are supplements out there which are safe, effective, and a whole lot cheaper than their pharmaceutical counterparts.

When it comes to controlling blood sugar, improving Insulin Sensitivity, and reducing dependence on Insulin injections, there are a few supplements which have been studied extensively and are VERY useful…

ALPHA LIPOIC ACID

Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA), not to be confused with Alpha Linoleic Acid, is a fatty acid with anti-oxidant properties that give it a wide array of potential health benefits.

While many of these potential benefits remain under-explored by modern science, the impact of Alpha Lipoic Acid on blood sugar has been studied fairly extensively.

A 2012 study published in the Asia Pacific Journal Of Clinical Nutrition found that Type 2 Diabetics treated with varying doses of Alpha Lipoic Acid (300, 600, 900, 1200/day) showed dose-dependent (the more the better) reductions in fasting blood glucose, indicating an Insulin-augmenting type effect.

An early study from 2011 published in Diabetes Care which spanned over 4 years found that Alpha Lipoic Acid treatment reduced symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy (an all-too-common side effect of Diabetes) which generally effects nerve endings in extremities, causing discomfort and sometimes, severe pain.

This study also noted a trend toward decreases in Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c), an indication of how well diabetes is being controlled.

When you step back and look at the research, it becomes clear that Alpha Lipoic Acid, while not a treatment for Diabetes on its own, can certainly help control blood sugar and lessen Insulin Resistance.

SOURCES/FORMS

ALA supplements which are just labeled “Alpha Lipoic Acid” contain a 50/50 combination of both ALA isomers, Dextrorotatory (R-ALA) and one is Levorotatory (S-ALA).

R comes from the Latin word “rectus”, meaning Right.  S comes from the Latin term “sinister”, meaning Left.

In chemistry, such a chemical structure is referred to as “racemic” meaning the Chiral Center of the molecule consists of just one atom (in this case Nitrogen) which connects two mirror image sides of the molecule known as enantiomers.

When it comes to Alpha Lipoic Acid, source matters more than anything because only the Dextrorotatory (R-ALA) form is biologically active.  The Levorotatory (S-ALA) is biologically useless.

TO BE CRYSTAL CLEAR

The R enantiomer of a any molecule can be Levorotatory and the S enantiomer can be Dextrorotary, or vice versa.  It just so happens that, when it comes to Alpha Lipoic Acid, the Dextrorotary portion is the R enantiomer which is the biologically active part that you should be interested in if supplementing with Alpha Lipoic Acid

Realistically, when you’re taking a supplement labeled Alpha Lipoic Acid (half S isomer, half R isomer) you’re only getting half the amount of biologically active substance (R-ALA) and the rest is poorly absorbed at best and possible complete wasted.

THE PRIMARY ISSUE WITH R-ALA

Unfortunately, R-ALA has it’s drawbacks.  It’s extremely unstable under pretty normal (slightly hot) conditions and is prone to Polymerization.  Polymerization is simply the combining of monomers (single molecule) into polymers (chains of moers).

If you order some R-Lipoic Acid powder and it arrives as a solid brick, you’ll immediately understand the issue of polymerization.  The jury’s still out on how polymerization impacts absorption, but logic would suggest that it certainly doesn’t help.

Traditional Alpha Lipoic Acid (half R-ALA, half S-ALA) may be half useless, but at least it’s stable.  R-ALA is seriously annoying to work with and probably not really worth it for most people unless you keep it in a de-humidified, cold room.

DON’T WORRY, THERE’S A SOLUTION

It’s called Na-R-ALA, or Sodium R-Lipoic Acid.  It’s simply R-ALA bonded with Sodium, making it entirely stable, easily dissolved in water, and more importantly, well-absorbed.

Assuming it’s quality Na-R-ALA (produced by GeroNova), Na-RALA is considerably more bioavailable than either R-Lipoic Acid or the racemic mixture (Alpha Lipoic Acid)

Since Na-R-ALA yields 80% R-Lipoic Acid, you’ll need 250mg to achieve at 200mg (clinical) dose of R-ALA.

BERBERINE

Berberine is a unique molecule which can found in a variety of plants and has anti-diabetic (blood glucose lowering) effects which rival those of prescription diabetic medications.

It works via activation of AMPK (with special affinity for the AMPKa1 subset), an enzyme which acts as a “master switch” by stimulating glucose uptake into muscle tissues and fatty acid oxidation as well.

Berberine is remarkably potent! 

It has been shown to be nearly as potent as 2,4-thiazolidinedione (a prescription diabetes drug) with regards to stimulating Glucose uptake into fat cells. 

It has also been shown to synergistically enhance the effects of diabetic medications, Metformin and Troglitazon

In a 2008 pilot study published in Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental, researchers sought to determine if Berberine could help with Type 2 Diabetes. 

They enlisted 36 Type 2 Diabetic patients who were assigned into 2  groups:

1. Metformin (prescription Diabetes drug)
2. Berberine (supplement)

Interestingly, Berberine was found to be just as hypoglycemic (capable of lowering blood sugar) as Metformin.

A 2010 study published in Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental found that Berberine supplementation effectively lowered Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG) and improved Insulin signaling in subjects with Type 2 Diabetes.

The researchers in this study also pointed out that the mechanisms by which Berberine elicits these effects is not the same as the Diabetes drugs Metformin and Rosiglitazone, meaning there’s a possibility for adjunct therapy that’s more effective than either individual treatment option on it’s own.

As if that wasn't enough proof...

A later 2012 study published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that subjects with Metabolic Syndrome (Pre-Diabetes) who supplemented with 900mg Berberine per day for 12 weeks experienced a significant decrease in BMI and Leptin levels, not to mention enhanced Insulin signaling.

Out of all the supplements on this list, Berberine is by far the most powerful, having been shown to be just as effective—on most parameters—as some prescription diabetic drugs.

Perhaps even synergistic in some cases.

If there's one supplement you should be taking to control blood sugar, it's Berberine, without a doubt!

But why stop there?

GYMNEMA SYLVESTRE

Gymnema sylvestre is an Ayurvedic herb, known in the Hindi community as “Guarmar” which directly translates to “Sugar Killer”.

Due to it’s widespread use throughout the ancient world it’s known by several different names, depending on the geographical region and dialect spoken there.

Here are some of the most poular:

• Meshashrunga – Bengali (Southern Asian/Indo-Aryan
• Gudmar – Gujarati (Western India/Indo-European)
• Madhunashine – Kannada (India)
• Kawlj – Konkani (Indo-European)
• Lakshmi – Oriya (East Indian)

Fortunately for us (and you), Gymnema sylvestre has been studied to the extent that researchers have identified the compounds responsible for the hypoglycemic effects, known as Gymnemic Acids:

This molecule may seem extremely complex.  That’s because it actually consists of several sub-components, the most important of which have been identified as:

• Gymnemasaponin
• Gurmarin

In an earlier (1990) study published in Ethnopharmacology, researchers investigated the effects of GS4--a water soluble extract of Gymnema sylvestre--in Insulin-dependent Diabetic patients.

They found that:

“GS4 therapy appears to enhance endogenous insulin, possibly by regeneration/revitalisation of the residual beta cells in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.”

While the precise mechanism by which it works has yet to be identified, research indicates that Gymnema sylvestre (or it’s active components) works partially by blocking sugar-binding sites, thereby preventing sugar accumulation and allowing sugar (carbs) to pass through without being fully absorbed.

In other words, you get to have your cake and eat it too!

BE CAREFUL WITH EXTRACTS

This is not specific to Gymnema sylvestre. 

It should be a major concern when dealing with any sort of herbal supplement that contains unknown levels of active components.

There are a ton of Gymnema sylvestre supplements out there which are comprised of various parts of the plant (sometimes not disclosed) which contain varying concentrations of the active components. 

For that reason, it’s important to go with a standardized extract from a brand you can trust.

We recommend GS4 or GS4 Plus, standardized for 25%-75% Gymnemic Acids.

If it doesn’t say the standardization on the bottle, it’s probably not standardized, meaning it’s probably worthless.

After all, if you had a supplement company and went through all the trouble of cultivating and extracting Gymnema sylvestre so precisely, you wouldn't you want to put that on the label as a selling point?

No standardization, no deal!

The Absolute Best Supplements For Controlling Blood Sugar and Improving Insulin Sensitivity

So, we've discussed a few supplements that have been clinically proven to help with blood sugar control and even improve insulin sensitivity if taken regularly.

Now, you could go out and buy Berberine, Gynemma, and a bunch of other supplements and dose them out yourself or...

You could just check out GlycoShield from us here at HPS.  It contains clinically effective doses of:

• Berberine - An all natural substance which as been scientifically proven to be just as effective as prescription Diabetic medication (Metformin) at regulating glucose/lipid metabolism.

• Gynemma - Repeatedly proven to reduce blood glucose and can potentially be used in conjunction with Diabetic medications as well as control sugar cravings.

• Garcinia Cambogia - Garcinia Cambogia contains hydroxycitric acid which, in some studies, has been shown to help control body weight by blocking 'de novo lipogensis' (conversion of carbs to fat) and cholesterol biosynthesis (creating of cholesterol).
• Salaretin - In a clinical settting, Salaretin has demonstrated the ability to block carbohydrate absorption by inhibiting the action of Sucrase, an enzyme which breaks down Sucrose (table sugar) into Fructose and Glucose in order for them to be absorbed.
• Banaba Leaf Extract - Research indicates that Banaba Leaf is capable of lowering blood glucose, fighting Metabolic Syndrome (pre-Diabetes) and potentially even contributing to the impact of Garcinia Cambogia. 
• GS4 Plus - GS4 is a particular (patented) extract of Gynemma Sylvestre which has been clinically proven to be just as effective as certain Diabetes medications at lowering blood glucose and combating certain forms of Diabetes, ultimately contributing to weight-loss.
• Olive Leaf Extract (Oleuropein) - Olive Leaf contains many phytonutrients but the focus is generally on one in particular: Oleuropein, which has been shown to have a wide range of positive health effects including cardiovascular benefits, blood pressure normalization--and perhaps most importantly--the ability to prevent fat gain.

When you compare the ingredients and dosages of those ingredients to any other 'competing product', it's pretty clear that GlycoShield is by far the best glucose disposal/nutrient partitioning agent there is.

Not only does it contain several ingredients which are on par with Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes medication, but it also contains a handful of other carefully chosen complementary ingredients, ultimately making it the clear winner when it comes to these types of supplements.

You can check it out here or on Amazon and the great thing about it is--because it's non-stimulant--you can literally stack it with any other weight-loss/fat-burner supplement.

The Bottom Line On Blood-Sugar Supplements

Most people think weight-loss/management is a combination of eating "right" and working out. 

That's true to some degree but Insulin Sensitivity usually gets completely brushed to the side despite it being one of the most important factors when it comes to achieving a lean, cut physique.

You can work out as much as you want, but if you don't take the steps to improve your Insulin Sensitivity, you'll never achieve the results you really want.

The truth is, pharma companies don’t want you to be aware that there are supplements are there which are just as good (or better) for keeping blood sugar in check, require no prescription, and are WAY cheaper (not to mention completely natural and tested over thousands of years).

That’s just the way the supplement industry is. 

Anytime a supplement exhibits benefits on par with a prescription drug, the pharma companies that produce that drug are unhappy. 

They don’t want people to know about these alternative treatments.

However, when it comes to managing blood glucose, avoiding Diabetes, and getting that lean, defined look to your physique, the supplements we discussed are quite effective.

And since the FDA is in Big Pharma’s pocket, they tend to target these types of supplements at random, depending on who’s market share is being encroached upon.

In the case of things like Berberine and Gymnema sylvestre, they're plants, so it’ll be hard for the FDA to figure out a way to ban it, but again, the science speaks for itself. 

These supplements work very well and--in the case of GlycoShield--they have a certain synergy between them that can't be beaten by any one drug or supplement.

Sure, you could go out and by a bunch of single ingredients supplements like Berberine and Gynemma sylvestre and take handfuls of capsules with every meal OR...

You could simply give GlycoShield a shot and have everything you could possible need to combat high blood sugar, diabetes, and obesity all condensed into just two capsules.

You can check out GlycoShield and read all about each individual ingredient here.