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Echinacea

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I

imsweetenough

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Type 2
Hi there. So I'm type 2 currently rocking 18 stone at 6 foot 4 and taking 200 units of M3 Humulin a day (100 in the morning, 100 at night). Started on insulin in April. Recently had my first cold since 2019 so trundled down to Boots and bought some echinacea tablets that dissolve like those fizzy vitamins you can get. I had two of those a day for 2 weeks before I spotted that Holland Barrett say type 2's should NOT take this supplement). Here's the thing, my BGs are so stable and low at the moment and I'm not taking any exercise and I'm eating tooo much. Is the echanaecia interacting with my liver to produce a seemingly positive effect? For god's sake don't go running out to Boots to buy some, I am most definitely not encouranging or recommending. But I am asking what experiences anyone else has had, if any. Stay sweet. Steve
 
It was touted as a possible treatment for Type 1:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16278152/

but before anyone gets over-excited, I took it for weeks years ago and still have the diabetes. For Type 2s, I think it said it can affect the absorption of carbs so, as you’re on insulin, it would be wise to be cautious and test extra.
 
Hey there! A quick google and it seems that echinacea has indeed been shown to have a positive effect of blood glucose in some studies
 
Inka said:
It was touted as a possible treatment for Type 1:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16278152/

but before anyone gets over-excited, I took it for weeks years ago and still have the diabetes. For Type 2s, I think it said it can affect the absorption of carbs so, as you’re on insulin, it would be wise to be cautious and test extra.
Click to expand...
Thanks Inka. I agree. Everyone's experience of type 2 is a little different. I only have to put on a very small amount of weight do develop very strong insulin resistance. I have a freestyle libre so test regularly and have alarms set up.
 
That’s fascinating @Inka

Weirdly I’m pretty sure I remember a DSN saying I should avoid echinacea, because of its alleged immune-system-boosting capabilities. Their opinion was that my immune system has proved itself plenty feisty enough already and didn‘t want encouraging in case it went rogue on some other part of me!
 
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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
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