Can herbal supplements or a vegan diet control or treat diabetes?

In an #AskAway session with GMA News, Dr. Jeremy Robles of the Philippine Society of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism clarified that while vegetables are good for you, they are not exactly a miracle cure for diabetes.

Robles said that there is little evidence that going vegan can help control or treat diabetes.

"May problem din ['yong vegan diet], kasi you're only focusing on one group. Hindi mo makukuha lahat from vegetables. In any diet, dapat balance talaga," he explained.

WebMD defines type 2 diabetes as the body's inability to use insulin effectively. The body either resists the effects of insulin or it doesn't produce enough insulin to maintain a healthy blood sugar level.

According to Robles, once a patient is diagnosed, it usually means that they have to live with diabetes for the rest of their lives.

"Generally, if we diagnose a patient with diabetes, it is a lifelong disease," Robles said. "Karaniwan, mag-gagamot na siya for life."

Herbal supplements with grand claims about controlling or treating diabetes should also be met with a healthy dose of skepticism.

While most of the medicine we take have components that are extracted from plants, Robles said that this process takes a long time and many tests are conducted to prove the efficacy of a drug.

"We don't really recommend it, because we don't know how they process [and] prepare it," Robles said. "Walang enough studies na magsasabi to treat or even control diabetes."

Patients with diabetes are also advised against doing Intermittent Fasting and the Keto Diet, because the operative word for controlling the disease is moderation. A balanced diet with proper portions to keeps you alert and strong throughout the day is what the doctors recommend.  — Aya Tantiangco/LA, GMA News