Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAMs) among type 2 diabetes patients in Sri Lanka: a cross sectional survey

Abstract

BackgroundThe incidence of chronic illnesses has increased worldwide. Diabetes is one such illness and 80% of the diabetic population lives in the developing world. There is a rapidly growing trend towards the use of Complementary and Alternative Medical practices in Diabetes. Sri Lanka is a developing Asian nation with a rich culture of Ayurvedic and native medical culture.The objective of this study was to find the prevalence of use of CAMs in a diabetic population attending a large multiethnic diabetes facility in a University unit and to assess whether there is an increase in the incidence of hypoglycaemic episodes among users of CAMs.MethodsA cross sectional study was performed at Teaching Hospital Peradeniya between April and August 2012. Following verbal consent, 254 type 2 adult diabetic patients attending the diabetes facility were interviewed regarding the use of CAM and hypoglycaemia using an interviewer-administered questionnaire.ResultsOf the 252 valid results, 192 patients (76%) admitted to the use of a CAM to reduce blood glucose. Bitter gourd, ivy gourd and crepe ginger were used by 128, 113 and 92 individuals. While 19% used a single agent, 34%, 21% and 2.4% used 2,3 and more than 3 agents. The incidence of hypoglycaemia in CAM users was 21% and 16.6% in non-users. The difference was statistically not significant. (p = 0.57) Ingestion of Costus speciosus (Crepe ginger) was associated with higher incidence of hypoglycaemia (P = 0.01).Female gender was significantly associated with CAM use (p = 0.01), while the age, duration of diabetes, presence of co-morbidities and complications of diabetes failed to show a significant association.ConclusionSri Lanka has a very high use of herbal supplementation in type 2 diabetes patients. Although the overall incidence of hypoglycaemia is not increased among CAM users, crepe ginger is associated with significant hypoglycaemia and warrants further research.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1472-6882-14-374) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Prevalence of Complementary Alternative Medicine Use among Patients With Type II Diabetes in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

“…A similar rate was shown by another study at a health clinic in Sepang (Ching et al 2013a). In Sri Lanka, Medagama et al (2014) found 62.8% of patients with diabetes mellitus used bitter gourd as supplements with the intention to help controlling the blood glucose level. A study on two local types of bitter gourd (peria katak and peria kambas) in Malaysia found that they both had hypoglycaemic effects through inhibition of αα-amylase and αα-glucosidase activities (Ee Shian et al 2015).…”

The prevalence, awareness and potential of complementary alternative medicine in type 2 diabetics living in Madurai, India

“…The levels of biochemical parameters were significantly lower in the T2D patients who practiced CAM when compared to non-CAM users which is in agreement with the earlier studies [24]. Previous studies have shown that blood glucose level could be maintained by improving muscle glucose uptake and by enhancing insulin action on blood glucose [25][26][27].…”

Use and satisfaction of complementary and alternative medicine among diabetic patients in a tertiary care hospital

“…Similar results were obtained in a study which was conducted by Medagama AB, in Srilanka and Singh et al, in India. 19,20 This might be possibly due to the interplay of various factors like drug-herb interaction, drug-food interactions among ayurvedic and naturopathy users respectively. However, those who practiced yoga reported a better sense of well-being and fewer episodes of hypoglycemia.…”