To Lower Blood Sugar, The New Super Drink You Should Know About

Approximately 38 million individuals in the U.S. are believed to have diabetes, with diabetes itself being a prominent cause of mortality, ranking eighth in the nation.

Moreover, it’s a significant risk factor for severe health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure.

New research findings indicate that a widely consumed beverage could impact diabetes.

In a clinical study conducted by Georgetown University’s School of Health, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and MedStar Health, it was discovered that type-II diabetes patients who consumed kombucha, a fermented tea drink, for a month exhibited reduced fasting blood sugar levels compared to those who consumed a placebo beverage with a similar taste.

This outcome was from a preliminary 12-person feasibility trial, suggesting the possibility of a dietary intervention that could assist in controlling blood sugar levels for diabetes patients. The findings also lay the groundwork for a larger trial to confirm and elaborate on these results.

These results were published today in Frontiers in Nutrition.

Originating from China as early as 200 B.C., kombucha is a tea fermented with bacteria and yeast. Although it didn’t gain popularity in the U.S. until the 1990s, its reputed benefits like improved immunity and energy, reduced food cravings and inflammation have contributed to its popularity, although evidence of these benefits remains scarce.

Can Kombucha Lower Blood Sugar Levels?

Researcher Dan Merenstein, M.D., professor of Human Sciences at Georgetown’s School of Health and professor of family medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine, commented on the study, “Some laboratory and rodent studies of kombucha have shown promise and one small study in people without diabetes showed kombucha lowered blood sugar, but to our knowledge, this is the first clinical trial examining effects of kombucha in people with diabetes. A lot more research needs to be done but this is very promising.”

He further added that their study’s strength was the crossover design, which meant dietary variability had a minimal impact on the results since participants were not given specific dietary instructions.

The study involved one group consuming around eight ounces of kombucha or placebo beverage daily for a month, followed by a two-month ‘washout’ period to eliminate the biological effects of the beverages. Post this period, the kombucha and placebo were exchanged among groups for another month of consumption. Participants were not informed which beverage they were consuming.

Is Kombucha Beneficial for Type-II Diabetes?

The study noted a significant reduction in average fasting blood glucose levels after a month of kombucha consumption, from 164 to 116 milligrams per deciliter. Meanwhile, the placebo group did not show a statistically significant difference after the same period. The American Diabetes Association suggests that blood sugar levels before meals should range between 70 to 130 milligrams per deciliter.

The research team also examined the composition of fermenting microorganisms in kombucha to identify potential active ingredients.

They found a nearly equal presence of lactic acid bacteria, acetic acid bacteria, and a yeast variety called Dekkera, as confirmed by RNA gene sequencing.

Can Kombucha Prevent or Help Treat Type-II Diabetes?

“Different studies of different brands of kombucha by different manufacturers reveal slightly different microbial mixtures and abundances,” comments senior author Robert Hutkins, Ph.D., University of Nebraska-Lincoln. “However, the major bacteria and yeasts are highly reproducible and likely to be functionally similar between brands and batches, which was reassuring for our trial.”

“We were able to provide preliminary evidence that a common drink could have an effect on diabetes,” remarks lead author Chagai Mendelson, M.D., who was working in Merenstein’s lab at Georgetown while completing his residency at MedStar Health.

“We hope that a much larger trial, using the lessons we learned in this trial, could be undertaken to give a more definitive answer to the effectiveness of kombucha in reducing blood glucose levels, and hence prevent or help treat type-II diabetes.”

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