Fenugreek

Fenugreek: For the Management of Blood Sugar Levels

Fenugreek seeds are used traditionally for treating various health conditions like cough, blood-sugar maintenance, and flatulence. Besides, these herbal seeds are also known for improving milk production and have an aphrodisiac and anti-inflammatory effect. These days, even fenugreek supplements are available on the market to cure such ailments.

Mainly, fenugreek works naturally to regulate blood glucose levels in the system. It is because this herbal ingredient has high soluble fibre content that helps in maintaining postprandial blood glucose levels while delaying sugar absorption in the intestines.

What is Fenugreek?

Fenugreek is a plant found in parts of Western Asia and Europe. Its leaves are edible and brown seeds are popular for their medicinal use.

The first-ever use of fenugreek dates back to 1500 B.C. in Egypt. Across South Asia and the Middle East, the seeds are still popular as medicine and a spice.

You can find fenugreek in the form of a:

• Spice (in powdered form or whole seeds)
• Supplement (in the form of a liquid or a capsule)
• Skin cream
• Tea

It is best to consult your doctor if you consider the intake of fenugreek seeds or supplements to manage blood glucose level.

Use of Fenugreek

Fenugreek is the main ingredient in various supplements used for managing blood sugar levels. Due to changes in the formulation, the dosage of the supplement varies. The dosage also varies as per the benefit you’re seeking from this natural supplement. So, it is best to use it as per the recommended dose on a supplement pack.

Most testosterone-related research utilises only 500mg of fenugreek extract. On the other hand, the research on various other areas uses approx. 1,000–2,000 mg of fenugreek extract. If you’re using it as a whole seed, the dose can vary from 2-5 g.

Typically, it’s recommended to have fenugreek supplements before or while having a meal. Since this natural herbal supplement aids control of blood sugar levels, it is best to take it with the high-carb meal you take in a day.
Nonetheless, you need to follow the dosage instructions given on the label properly. If you are not sure, consider consulting a healthcare practitioner.

How it Works

Fenugreek seeds being a good source of soluble fibre, include Galactomannan. The galactomannan is a vital constituent in reducing carbohydrates’ digestion and absorption rate. It further helps in regulating blood glucose levels while improving overall glucose tolerance. Fenugreek also has an amino acid (4-hydroxyisleucine), which increases insulin secretion under various hyperglycemic conditions. It also increases insulin sensitivity and prevents imbalance of blood sugar levels.

When Should You Eat Fenugreek?

You can have fenugreek first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. For this, you can consider soaking a tablespoon of fenugreek seeds and consuming them in the morning. If you don’t like its taste, you may add them to your curries and dals. But don’t have over a tablespoon of fenugreek seeds per day.

With regular fenugreek consumption, individuals can even reduce their total cholesterol, triglyceride levels and LDL (bad cholesterol) in the blood while improving good HDL cholesterol levels. Such seeds include steroidal saponins, which further reduce cholesterol absorption in the intestines.

Who Should Not Take Fenugreek?

Fenugreek is unsafe to have during pregnancy. Don’t have it without medical recommendations if you are pregnant. Its consumption is also unsafe if you are breastfeeding a baby.

Also, avoid having fenugreek with other herbal supplements that may reduce the blood sugar levels like chromium, alpha-lipoic acid, garlic, devil’s claw, horse chestnut, guar gum, psyllium, Panax ginseng, and others.

FAQs

Q1: What is fenugreek good for?

There is not sufficient evidence as per modern research protocols that fully supports fenugreek usage for medical purposes. However, people are using fenugreek for over thousands of years for curing various conditions like:

• Blood Sugar Imbalance
• Digestive issues like loss of appetite, gastritis and constipation
• Low testosterone
• Breast milk production and flow
• Low testosterone or libido
• Menopause
• Painful menstruation
• Arthritis
• Obesity
• High blood pressure
• Boils
• Breathing problems
• Ulcers
• Low exercise performance
• Muscle pain
• Childbirth pains
• Open wounds
• Migraines and headaches

Though all of these health benefits of fenugreek are substantially backed by scientific research, further exploration is needed in terms of randomized controlled blind cinical trials.

Besides all these benefits, the main advantage of having fenugreek is to manage blood sugar levels. Many animal studies have proven that fenugreek has four compounds to manage blood glucose balance in body. They mainly do so by:

• Delaying gastric emptying
• Improving insulin action and sensitivity
• Reducing intestinal glucose absorption
• Decreasing lipid-binding protein concentrations

Q2: Can fenugreek be taken daily?

Daily consumption of fenugreek seeds can help in decreasing total cholesterol, triglyceride levels and bad cholesterol in the blood. Meanwhile, it improves the good cholesterol levels in the blood. It is due to steroidal saponins that reduce cholesterol absorption in the intestine.

Generally, adults can have fenugreek seed powder in doses of 5-10 g orally for up to 3 years. The fenugreek extract can be consumed daily in around 0.6-1.2 grams orally. You can speak with the healthcare provider to find out the right dose for you as per your health condition.

Don’t have over a teaspoon every day. If the consumption is with regular yogic practice, it will provide the desired results within three months of regular consumption.

Q3: Does fenugreek increase weight?

No, fenugreek does not increase weight. Studies show that it helps reduce weight by burning fat from adipose tissues and around the belly. You can reap the benefits of fenugreek extract capsules if you consume them correctly and in the right dosage. Having too many of these supplements or seeds is not good for the body. If you consume them in excess, it can lead to water retention and bloating.

But if you want to consider them for gaining weight, you can have fenugreek with various other healthy ingredients. For instance, you can have fenugreek with almonds, cashews, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and Brazil nuts. Having these natural ingredients together can add healthy calories to your daily diet. Hence, you can gain weight naturally with all healthy ingredients.

If you want to gain weight, you have to increase the total caloric intake by 500 calories daily to maintain proper weight. You also need to exercise to gain more muscle, not just body fat.

If you need to gain weight, increase your total caloric intake by 500 calories per day to maintain your weight. You should be exercising as well, as you want to gain more muscle than body fat. After all, the aim is to gain muscles because more muscles are good for the body’s health. So, when you gain weight healthily, you have a good percentage of body and muscle fat.

Q4: When should you avoid fenugreek?

Fenugreek may impact blood clotting while enhancing the risk of bleeding. If you are going for dental work, surgery or medical treatment, don’t take fenugreek at least two weeks before the treatment.

Fenugreek is also bad for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. So, don’t have this herbal supplement without medical advice if you are pregnant or breastfeeding a baby. Also, don’t give this herbal supplement to a child without seeking medical advice. Rather, do not give any herbal/health supplement without medical advice. This natural supplement may not be healthy for children.

Some potential side effects of fenugreek extract supplements are nausea, diarrhoea and other digestive tract issues. It can even rarely cause headaches and dizziness. Having it in large doses may be harmful, as it may drop blood sugar levels or cause allergic reactions.

Q5: How long before you feel the effects of fenugreek?

With regular consumption of fenugreek extract supplement or direct fenugreek, you can start noticing the desired results after ten days. However, the results may show early or later on in some people depending on their general health condition.

A study also shows that if people without blood-glucose level spikes consume fenugreek, they can experience blood sugar level reduction at a 13.4% rate within four hours of intake.