You may have heard the mention of forskolin in conversations that had to do with weight loss, asthma, insomnia, cancer and other illnesses. There are many words used to describe it, but simply put, Forskolin is a natural supplement extracted from a root called coleus forskolii, found in India.
So what exactly does it do?
Forskolin contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It is for this reason that herbalists used this extract as a remedy for illnesses that had to do with IBM (Irritable bowel syndrome), allergies, menstrual cramps, chest pains and several other illnesses. Today, this herbal supplement is used more as a weight loss remedy. In this article, we are going to discuss the effects of Forskolin, more specifically, Forskolin and blood sugar levels.
But first things first. The question that begs to be asked is, does forskolin affect your blood sugar levels? The answer is a definite yes!
How? let’s dig in.
Over a period of 8 weeks, researchers recorded results of an experiment at the International Journal of Medical sciences that involved both healthy and diabetic rats. In this research, Forskolin was was seen to cause a decrease in the healthy rats’ basal glucose, while the severity of hyperglycemia (abnormal low sugar levels) in the diabetic rats was weakened. Also the oxidative stress levels ( also referred to as 8-OHdG levels) were seen to decrease. See the link to the research here – http://www.medsci.org/v11p0448.htm
So, what does this mean?
Forskolin reduces the adverse effects of low Blood sugar.
Forskolin proved to be useful in its mechanisms for diabetic rats and this was determined as equally useful for human patients. So now we know that this supplement is very good for you if you have low blood sugar. This is good! So, should you proceed to take it in your supplements? Yes, and no. I’ll explain this.
We have determined that there are indeed positive effects in the relationship between Forskolin and blood sugar levels. But is it enough to have you proceed to ingest it? After all its a supplement, right?
Wrong.
We all agree that this is very good news especially for diabetes patients. However, since no dosage has been specified, you cannot know just how much is safe for your consumption. This also means that before you consume any of this supplement, you need to consult your doctor for advice. Do not assume and self medicate, even as a healthy person, because you may end up with medical issues you previously didn’t have.
In a nut shell
We have discovered that forskolin is pretty useful in more ways than one. In fact, its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties makes it an amazing option as remedy for many allergic infections, lung problems and the other illnesses it has been known to treat. However, its effect on blood sugar levels prevents it from being a good choice for an over the counter supplement. This said, visit your doctor and have this discussion before you consume anything that has forskolin in it. Once cleared, you can be sure to enjoy its endless benefits.
Last Updated on July 27, 2021
